Dye Alchemy : Synthetic Colour for Beginners

A dye workshop with hands-on, step-by-step introduction to colouring materials like cotton, silk and nylon. In this 4-hour class, students will be introduced to the world of dyeing with synthetic colour! You’ll practice safe machine, bucket and stovetop techniques, mix vivid colors, and transform plain fabrics into an array of custom hues. We will explore which dyes work best with specific fibers and fabrics and their corresponding mordants and fixatives. Join our beginners dyeing workshop and have fun learning how to take your project ideas and turn them into a vibrant reality. No experience needed. All materials are provided. There will be a $30 materials fee due on the day of the class. This workshop includes a 1 hour lunch break. This workshop will be facilitated by Emma Doyle. Emma (she/her) is a multidisciplinary designer based in Toronto. After studying Fashion Design at TMU and Central Saint Martins, she spent the first decade of her career in London, UK, designing for and running independent, luxury women’s and menswear labels. Emma’s work with these brands was shown during LFW and PFW and can be seen in the V&A museum, Vogue, i-D and many other international platforms. Since moving back to Toronto in 2016, she has been working as a costume and production designer and costume key for film and television. She is the winner of the 2023 CAFTCAD award for Best Sci Fi/Fantasy Feature for Slash/Back and was nominated in 2026 for Best Indie Feature for her costumes on The Well. Emma has taught fashion and textiles students at London College of Fashion and Brighton University and has contributed her textiles and surface design skills to the London Opera House and Canada’s National Ballet as well as a breadth of other theatre, film and television projects.