Commissions · process

seasonal color from the land

Every commission I make is dyed by hand with plants I grow or forage around Saxapahaw, so each piece carries a season of the Piedmont in it.

This page walks you through it the way I work: first the colors and their seasonality, then each step of making a piece together, and a form to begin the process.

1. Explore the seasons · 2. Work it out together · 3. Have a piece with a story and supports local

Hand holding indigo-dyed fabric above a bed of marigolds

The color library

  • Dried madder roots, orange-red inside, used for natural red and pink dye

    Madder root

    Dried root · any season. Classic reds, corals and soft pinks. Dried madder keeps, so it can join a palette any time of year.

  • Fabric dyed blue with Japanese indigo grown by Sayde Laine

    Japanese indigo

    Grown · midsummer to early fall. Sky blue to deep indigo. I cut the leaves two or three times a season, and the blue deepens with every dip into the vat.

  • Fabric dyed bright yellow with marigold flowers

    Marigold

    Grown · early summer to frost. Bright yellow to warm orange. A touch of iron shifts it to a soft olive.

  • Fabric dyed gold to burnt orange with coreopsis flowers

    Coreopsis

    Native wildflower · summer. Gold to burnt orange, some of the warmest and longest-lasting color I grow.

  • Pot of freshly cut goldenrod ready for the dye bath

    Goldenrod

    Native · late summer into fall. Golden yellow to soft green-yellow, gathered from Piedmont meadows and roadsides.

  • Hand holding fabric dyed deep brown with black walnut

    Black walnut

    Native · hulls drop in early fall. Warm taupe to deep brown, and a rich grey-brown with iron. Needs no mordant, and dried hulls keep for year-round use.

  • Fabric dyed rust and brown with North Carolina red clay

    Carolina red clay

    Dug by hand · winter. Iron-rich Piedmont clay. Layered over tannin, it builds from tan to rust to a real brown, the color my story started with.

The path · seven steps from first idea to finished piece

How a commission unfolds:

Every commission is dyed by hand with plants I grow and forage, so we shape it together, one step at a time, with the seasons.

1. Choose your colors

Start with the color library above. Pick the plants and seasons that speak to you, then we talk through your ideas, size, and whether you'd like the piece framed or stretched on bars.

2. Pricing

Fiber pieces: $400 base fee + $1.50 per square inch

Illustration and collage: $200 base fee + $30 an hour

Example: a 24" x 36" fiber piece is 864 square inches, so $400 + $1,296 = $1,696. Stretcher bars are included for fiber pieces, and shipping is quoted separately.

3. Your quote

I send a written quote with size options and pricing. A 50% deposit begins the piece, and the remaining 50% is due on completion, before delivery.

4. Digital mockup

I create a digital mockup of the design, with two rounds of edits included.

5. Process begins

We finalize colors and direction together, and I begin harvesting, dyeing and making your piece.

6. Timeline and delivery

We set your deadline and map out delivery or shipping together.

7. Finished and home

I send photos of the finished piece for your confirmation. On the confirmed date, the final payment is processed and your piece is delivered or shipped.

Each piece is dyed by hand from whole plants, so color varies naturally from batch to batch. That variation is part of the work.

Ready to start?

Fill out the form below. In the subject line, include the medium you're interested in (fiber piece, illustration, collage or print). Then tell me the size you'd like, the colors or seasons inspiring you, what the piece is for, any of my work you'd like me to reference, and whether you'd like it framed.

Makers and designers: I also dye fabric by the yard in small batches. Mention it in your note and we'll talk colors.

Hand holding naturally dyed fabric swatches in yellow, tan, coral pink and indigo blue