Flower Hammer Printing Workshop

Course Description 

Let's spend a morning learning how to hammer print flowers onto an organic cotton tote bag! Together we will explore how you can use a hammer to transfer the pigment from locally grown in-season flowers onto fabric and goods to create our own patterns. This class will invite you to step into the wide range of possibilities that hammer printing offers while simultaneously fostering a deeper connection with nature. Together we will cover how to prepare your fabric to ensure clean, bright, and long lasting flower prints. We will also go over which flowers, leaves, and herbs work best with this process. 

Each workshop participant will get to hammer print flowers and/or herbs onto their own cotton canvas tote bag to take home and enjoy.

At the end of the course, you will feel confident to start on your journey into hammer printing using flowers, leaves, and herbs. 

While all participants with receive free access to Andie’s online self-paced course on Hammer Printing, it is recommended to bring a blank notebook that can be used as your hammer printing/ natural dye journal to take notes during the class. 

Artist Bio 

San Diego native, Andie Thompson is a botanical dyer and educator with a passion for infusing art with environmental consciousness. Her journey into the world of natural dyeing first began over ten years ago while in college studying sociology and environmental science in Portland, Oregon, where she was fascinated by the intersection of creativity and sustainability. She found inspiration in the idea of repurposing food waste from the restaurant she worked at into dyes to bring new life to well-loved things while diverting food waste from local landfills, highlighting the idea that one could create beauty while simultaneously nurturing the planet. This ethos became the driving force behind her work, leading to the concept and creation of Esra Collective, her botanically dyed, ethically made, organic clothing and homewares line. 

As an educator, Andie is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and passion with others, empowering all individuals to feel welcome to step into exploring the possibilities of botanical dyeing while fostering a deeper connection with nature. She believes that there is a healing both for ourselves and the earth when we slow down and find the joy in play while working with natural dyes found in our local ecosystems. 

Andie lives in South Park, San Diego with her partner, Chase, their two children Nyah and Kai, and their golden retriever Delilah.