Grow Your Own Dye Plants
An Online Course with Claire Shovelton and Stephy Henriksen of studioEVIG
9th April - 8th October 2025
Learn how to grow and harvest your own natural dye plants. Join Claire and Stephy for a guided journey through the cultivation, harvesting, and preservation of dye plants, and learn how to grow your homegrown flowers for stunning natural colour.
The Course Includes
• How to set up and prepare your dye garden – no matter the space you have.
• The best techniques for growing, harvesting, and preserving dye plants.
• Ideas for how to use your plants for natural dyeing.
• Seasonal planning – ensuring a continuous supply of vibrant plant-based colours.
• Community support – join a group of like-minded growers and dyers for inspiration and advice!
Course Features
Three live Live Zoom Sessions with Claire & Stephy, plus live Q&A. These will be spread over the growing season, and focussed on different aspects of growing and harvesting dye plants. Join live, or watch the recordings that will be available until three month after the course is over (8th January 2026)
PDF Handouts for each session to support your learning; download these handouts to keep and refer back to.
Exclusive Online Community Group for sharing, support, and ongoing inspiration (Facebook)
A Dye Plant Growing Kit
Growing Summer Colour Booklet (digital or physical)
This course is for beginners or those who are new to growing natural dyes.
Limited places available – book now and start your journey into the world of growing and dyeing
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Session One - April 9th
(4-6pm BST)
Live Online Session
Preparing Your Dye Garden
• Setting up a dye garden or growing in small spaces
• Understanding annuals, biennials, and perennials
• Seed sowing techniques for successful germination
• Additional bonus of top tips for growing Japanese Indigo
The zoom link & PDF will be available on this page, and the session recording will be available from the 10th April until the 8th January 2026.
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Session Two – July 16th
(4-6pm BST)
Harvesting and Preservation
• Virtual tour of the studioEVIG dye garden
• Best practices for harvesting, drying & preserving dye plants
• Creative ideas for how to use your flowers now you’ve grown them!
The zoom link & PDF will be available on this page, and the session recording will be available from the 10th April until the 8th January 2026.
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Session Three – October 8th
(4-6pm BST)
Planning for the Next Season
• Show & tell: Participants share their dye garden successes!
• Seed saving tips for different dye plants
• Autumn seed sowing – let’s get ahead for 2026
• Overwintering techniques for a strong start next year
The zoom link & PDF will be available on this page, and the session recording will be available from the 10th April until the 8th January 2026.
Course Packages:
Growing Dye Plants Online Course - £95 (Or 3 Payments of £33.00 For 3 months)
Full access to the Growing Natural Dye Plants Course
PDF handouts from each session
E-copy of Growing Summer Colour Booklet
International Seed Suppliers PDF – Source your seeds locally
Growing Dye Plants Online Course + Dye Plant Growing Kit - £132 (Or 3 Payments of £45.00 For 3 months)
Full access to the Growing Natural Dye Plants Course
PDF handouts from each session
A physical copy of the Growing Summer Colour Booklet (this is part of the growing kit)
A Dye Plant Growing Kit
Dye Plant Growing Kit includes:
7 natural dye plant seed varieties and information cards (Cosmos Sulphureus, African Marigold, Dyer's Chamomile, Coreopsis Tinctoria, Japanese Indigo and Weld. )
8 wool pots (made from British Wool)
7 handmade oak plant labels (one for each dye flower we’ll grow together)
A printed copy Grow your own Natural Colour booklet to guide you.
Postage: (UK Shipping Only) Those who have ordered Grow Your Own Kits; we will be sending these out in two rounds, firstly around the 18th March for those signed up early and then for later sign ups it’ll be Tuesday 1st April so that you have then in time for the start of the course.
About Studio Evig
studioEVIG was founded by two friends living in the Cotswolds who love all things floral. Claire & Stephy met some years ago working as freelance florists and formed a firm friendship. Concerned about the increase in flower waste, the pair collaborated to find a more efficient way to maximise their floral resources.
Producing beautiful textiles using only colours that nature provides, they are passionate about reducing the use and need for chemical, synthetic dyes by showcasing what our ancestors already knew - nature’s colour palette is truly varied and magical.
“Evig” (pronounced “AIR-vee”) means “everlasting” in Norwegian, and holds huge significance for this duo as Stephy is Norwegian, and the word seemed perfectly suited for their aim - to create well-made, quality, sustainable products that endure.
Our business ethos revolves around sustainability, craftsmanship, and community. We prioritise using natural, eco-friendly materials like plant-based dyes and focus on creating high-quality, artisan yarns and homewares. Our approach values the preservation of traditional dyeing techniques, while making these accessible to modern makers through your workshops, kits, and community involvement.
We have a strong emphasis on ethical production—being gentle on fibres, offering sustainable products, and building genuine connections with our customers, as seen through your newsletters and personal interactions at events like Yarndale. Your ethos seems rooted in a love for nature, creativity, and sharing knowledge within a supportive, engaged community.
Policy on Sharing Course Content
Thank you for your interest in our programmes. To ensure a high-quality experience and to respect the intellectual property rights of our teachers, we ask all participants to adhere to the following guidelines:
Do Not Share Recording Links or PDFs: The content provided during our sessions, including recording links and PDFs, is the intellectual property of our instructors. These materials are meant exclusively for the use of registered participants. Please refrain from sharing these resources with anyone outside of the program. Unauthorized distribution can undermine the value of the content and the hard work of our educators.
Do Not Share Zoom Links: Each session has a limited number of spaces to maintain an interactive and engaging environment. Sharing Zoom links with individuals who are not registered disrupts this balance and can lead to overcrowding, detracting from the experience of all participants. Please ensure that Zoom links are kept confidential and are not shared with others.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in these matters. By following these guidelines, you help us protect the intellectual property of our teachers and ensure that all participants have a fair and enjoyable learning experience.