Sustainable Shades: Dyeing Wool with Food Waste
Join us for an inspiring evening as we explore the quiet alchemy of natural dyeing. We’ll begin with wool sourced from local farms, then make colorful, sustainable dyes made entirely from food waste. Led by fiber artist Natalie Shekey, you’ll learn how to coax color from what would have been discarded and leave with a hand-dyed bundle of beauty and connection.
This workshop honors the full gift of the Earth — from the sunlight, rain, and soil that nourish grass and sheep, to the farmers who tend, the hands that spin and weave, and the food that connects us all — in a circle of mindful care. We’ll work without harsh chemicals or plastics, letting the hues emerge slowly, as they do in nature. In this way, the skein you take home will carry a story: of land and weather, of animal and plant, of gratitude, and of the beauty that blooms when nothing is wasted
What Your Ticket Includes:
A skein of local wool to take home, from Prairie Folk Farm (WI) and milled at Grumpelstiltskin (MN)
Additional skeins can be purchased for $10
Choice of 3 natural food waste dye colors to create your own unique skein
A Natural Dye Booklet to take with you
Delicious appetizers provided by Chowgirls
Event Schedule
5:30–6:15 PM
Welcome & Social Hour — Mingle, enjoy appetizers, and settle in.
6:15–6:30 PM
Workshop Introduction — Learn about the gift economy, sustainable agriculture, and Natalie’s creative process. Place your wool skein into your chosen food waste dye bath to begin soaking.
6:30–8:00 PM
Dyeing & Creative Exploration — Natalie will guide you on how to create your own food waste dyes at home, share insights into her fiber art practice, and discuss the journey from sheep shearing to yarn creation. Enjoy open painting with food waste watercolors, creative play, and mingling as your skeins absorb their vibrant hues.
Please bring a bag or old t-shirt to carry your wet skein home safely!
About Natalie Shekey
Natalie is a trained UofM Microbiologist turned fiber artist, who is currently flax farming, wool spinning, quilting, and weaving. She leads the MN Whorling Spinsters group, is a Three Rivers Fibershed Maker grant recipient, a member of the Seward Weaving Collective, and sits on the board of the MN Weaver’s Guild. She is also a knitter, dog lover, gardener, reader, curator of a century home, and natural dyer.
Her focus is on fibers from their inception: from the shearing of sheep to the growing of flax. She is interested in turning raw, natural materials into beautiful works; owning the entire process, and paying tribute to the labor of her foremothers. Natalie hopes her work serves as an inspiration to turn away form the current culture of commodification, and toward a sustainable, just, and joyous future. Natalie lives in Minneapolis, MN with her partner Aaron, her son Calvin, and their dog Lenore
The Venue
The LAB MPLS
1629 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Entrance: Walk through the historic brick alley beside Café Lurcat. Look for the double doors labeled “1629–1625,” just left of Fawkes Alley Coffee. Take the elevator to Floor 3R. Follow signage on event day.
Parking: Metered street parking and nearby garages available. See parking map below.
Thank you to The LAB for the beautiful space, Chowgirls for the delicious food, and Natalie Shekey for sharing her creativity and expertise. We can’t wait to see you there!