Barkcloth & Indigo Surface-Design with Novieta Tourisia | 7-11 July 2025
TFF.ON.WS.CB05.124
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Uncover intricate patterns and natural colours
through an immersive experience with plant materials and natural fibres
guided by Novieta Tourisia and the Threads of Life dye studio team
"It may not seem ideal to travel afar, into rural places with a toddler, roaming through hills and villages. But my work with barkcloth was born alongside my daughter, Andarabhumi, who has been connected with the Bada Valley since she was still in my belly. Every time we arrive there, she loves this place. It is her home; a blessing; a sanctuary." — Novieta Tourisia
Ranta barkcloth of the Bada Valley in Poso, Central Sulawesi, has been the passion of Novieta Tourisia since 2014. She learned the craft from local artisans and created Cinta Bumi Artisans to support the regeneration of the tradition. A teacher now in her own right, Novi shares the making, surface design and use of ranta barkcloth to a global audience, and it is our privilege at Threads of Life to welcome her to our natural dye studio.
This unique 5-day workshop expresses the liveliness of Indonesia’s tropical plants by combining methods of surface design on traditional barkcloth and different types of textiles. Skillfully guided by Novieta Tourisia and the Cinta Bumi Artisans and using barkcloth sourced from their partner communities in Central Sulawesi, you will explore different surface design techniques, including mordant printing with Threads of Life’s Symplocos leaf mordant from Flores.
Alongside the barkcloth exploration, the Threads of Life dye studio team will guide you through our natural dye garden, teach how indigo dye is made from the plants in the garden, and show you how to create patterns from natural indigo using resist tie-and-dye techniques using a range of found objects along with clamping, folding, or even stitching to create bindings that resist the indigo when dyed. We will also explore botanical printing using local different plants of Indonesia.
"Barkcloth is one of the oldest cloth fibres. Working with it I have learned (and unlearned) about the origins and meanings of cloth in human history. It has contributed to and shifted the way I see and work with fabric." — Novieta Tourisia
WORKSHOP DETAILS
Location: Threads of Life Natural Dye Studio
Dates: July 7 (Monday) - 11 (Friday), 2025
Time: 10 AM - 5 PM
About Cinta Bumi Artisans
Novieta Tourisia and her talented team of women artisans call themselves Cinta Bumi Artisans (Artisans who Love for the Earth). Through their textile and natural dye studio based in Bali, they have a mission to guide in nourishing people’s relationship with the Earth and their inner artist through co-creation with plants, fibres, and colours. “We are committed to working with bioregional plants growing where we live and avoid using any plastic as bindings in our process,” says Novieta Tourisia.
Founded in 2019, Cinta Bumi Artisans is Novieta Tourisia (Novi), Sri Ratna Mabaresi (Cici) and Hanna Maria Ramauli Sihombing (Hanna). Together they have led workshops and classes across Indonesia and Singapore, both in English and in Indonesian languages. Cinta Bumi Artisans has participated in textile exhibitions in Indonesia and Singapore.
It is an honor to offer this weeklong workshop with these three remarkable Indonesian women to the Threads of Life international audience. We know you will come away enriched by more than just the physical work but through spending time with this heartfelt and knowledgeable team.
About Threads of Life Dye Studio Team
The Threads of Life dye studio team led by I Komang Sujata, I Wayan Sumerta, I Made Sudiana (Moyo), I Nyoman Sumayasa (Loren) and I Wayan Eka Septiana (Eko) have worked with Threads of Life weavers and dyers for the past 25 years. Their expertise is grounded in working on a peer-to-peer basis with some of Indonesia’s most skilled traditional natural dye practitioners.
Since 2019, this skilled team have worked with renown international natural dyers, chemists, taxonomists, and ethno-botanists. They have guided internationally celebrated surface designers and textiles artists from Europe, USA, Australia, Japan, Korea, Germany.
What You Will Get
Vegetarian lunch, traditional Balinese snacks. Coffee and tea are provided along with free flow drinking water.
All workshop tools and dye materials are provided.
Cloth and Fibre Materials*:
- 20 x 20 cm mulberry barkcloth
- 40 x 40 cm mulberry barkcloth
- 30 x 200 cm cotton cloth
- 50 x 50 cm cotton cloth
- 100 x 100 cm cotton cloth
*There will be different types of textiles available for purchase: silk, handspun cotton scarfs and shawls.
Transport - Transfers will be provided in the morning from pick up location Pura Dalem Puri Peliatan to Threads of Life Natural Dye Studio, and afternoon transfers back to the pick up location.
If you are staying outside of Ubud, either arrange your own studio transfers or arrange to meet the shuttle at the pick up location.
Not included in workshop price:
- Airfares
- Accommodations
Terms and Conditions
- This workshop is not appropriate for children under 10 years old.
- Please wear appropriate, comfortable clothing and footwear as you will be working with hot wax and lots of water.
- Bring your own water bottle that can be refilled in the studio. Please be aware of your plastic use as Bali has a critical plastic issue. We work with local recyclers who collect our trash. Please check which bin in the studio to use: paper, plastic, food scraps and bottles.
- Studio use includes dyes, soaps, scouring and finishing agents, and all fibre materials as mentioned above.
- We will be working with indigo vats using Strobilanthes cusia leaves. New vats will be stronger and dye deeper colours quicker than old vats; only with old vats will subtle colours be possible. Vats will be renewed once they are exhausted.
- Participants agree to work with vats in the conditions that they find them.
- Participants agree to use only the studio's dyes, scouring and finishing soaps and agents in their work. Participants agree not to use outside dyes, soaps or chemicals in the studio as we have wastewater garden system. All of our soaps are made from plant-based oils sourced from the weaving communities that Threads of Life works with.
- Participants are expected to share vat use fairly amongst themselves.
- Participants agree to use only the textile and fibre materials provided, unless agreed upon by the workshop leaders. Please note that this is not an opportunity to do production dyeing using the studio vats.
Pricing and Payment Options
Option 1: Pay in full. An amount of USD 590, due at time of booking.
Option 2: Pay USD 295 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot, due at time of booking. The remaining amount of USD 295 will due on April 30th 2025.
Cancellation and Refunds
There is a 50% refund of total workshop price for cancellations before June 1st 2025.
There is NO REFUND for cancellations on June 1st 2025 and later.
There is NO REFUND for no show.
Book Your Workshop*
Online Booking at threadsoflife.com | Whatsapp | Email
Offline Booking at Threads of Life Store | Gallery
*Payment in advance is required to secure your place.
With questions or for assistance, please contact customer.relations@threadsoflife.com, stating the product name and its SKU (listed under the price). Shipping is free, but customs duty and sales tax levied by the destination country will not be added. Any customs duty and sales tax will be payable by the customer. All sales are final and no returns will be accepted.
