Eco and Lino Fabric Printing Workshop - Katie du Toit

About this workshop

Eco and Lino Printing Workshop – Katie du Toit  is a practical, hands-on class where you’ll create your own printed fabric using two beautiful techniques:

1. Eco-printing (botanical printing): using leaves and flowers to make natural, one-of-a-kind prints and dye patterns on fabric.
2. Lino printing: carving your own design into a lino block, then printing it onto fabric using fabric paint.

During this workshop you will:

• Work with real plant material to create natural eco-prints

• Learn how to design, carve and use a lino block for fabric printing

• Print your carved design onto fabric using fabric paint

• Create your own printed fabric piece to take home

This is a physical, doing-it-yourself workshop, not a demonstration. You will be working with your hands the whole time.

About Katie du Toit

Katie du Toit is a De Aar–based Karoo artist and educator, known for her creative community projects and work with the Karoo Eisteddfod Trust. She has a strong focus on nature-inspired art, storytelling and workshops that invite people to experiment and learn new skills in an accessible way.

At the Love Dahlias Festival, Katie brings her love of the Karoo landscape and plants into an eco fabric printing workshop, using leaves and flowers to create one-of-a-kind textile pieces.

What is eco-printing?

Eco-printing is a way of printing plants directly onto fabric. In simple terms:

• Leaves and flowers are placed onto natural fabric (like cotton or linen)

• The fabric is rolled or bundled

• The bundle is heated/steamed so the plant pigments and tannins transfer into the cloth

When it’s opened, you get organic-looking prints — no two pieces ever come out the same.

What is lino printing on fabric?

Lino printing is a classic printmaking technique, adapted for textiles:

• You carve a design into a lino block using carving tools

• Paint/ink is rolled onto the block (using fabric paint)

• The design is printed onto fabric, creating clean, graphic patterns

It’s simple, satisfying, and incredibly addictive (the “just one more print” feeling is real).

In this workshop, each participant will print their own pieces of fabric and take it home.

What you will learn

In this workshop, Katie will cover:

• Which plants and leaves work well for eco-printing

• Choosing and preparing fabric for natural printing

• How to assemble and roll a fabric bundle for good contact prints

• The heating/steaming process and what to watch out for

• Lino printing basics: planning a simple design, carving safely, and getting a clean print

• How to print your lino design onto fabric using fabric paint

• Simple ideas for using your printed fabric afterwards (small projects, framed pieces, keepsakes)

The focus is on repeatable techniques you can keep using at home, not complicated chemistry or fancy equipment.

At a glance

• Event: Eco Fabric Printing + Lino Printing Workshop – Katie du Toit (De Aar)
• Host: Katie du Toit – Karoo artist and educator
• Assistant: Katie will be assisted by her daughter during the workshop (name not listed), so you’ll have extra hands-on guidance on the day
• Location: At or near Broadwater River Estate, close to Douglas, Northern Cape
• Timing: Planned to finish at around 17:00 so you can join Dahlias & Drinks on the DaRiva afterwards (if you wish)
• Format: Hands-on, practical workshop (you work on your own fabric piece)
• Level: Beginner-friendly – no previous art, printing or textile experience required
• Ticket type: Workshop ticket for one person

How it connects to Dahlias & Drinks River Cruise

This workshop is timed to end at about 17:00 at Broadwater River Estate.

If you want to make a full afternoon and evening of it, you can:

• Join the Eco Fabric Printing Workshop

• Then book Dahlias & Drinks River Cruise before or afterwords

• And, if you like, stay for dinner at Broadwater’s restaurant after the cruise

The river cruise and dinner are not included in this workshop ticket.
They are separate bookings, but we will clearly show how they line up in the festival program.

Who this workshop is for

A good fit if you:

• Enjoy hands-on creative work and learning by doing

• Love plants and would like to turn them into something you can keep

• Are curious about eco / botanical printing but don’t know where to start

• Want a quieter, creative session as part of your festival experience

You don’t need to be “arty” or be able to draw. If you can follow simple instructions and enjoy experimenting, you will be fine.

What’s included

Your Eco Fabric Printing Workshop ticket includes:

• Entry to the workshop with Katie du Toit during the Love Dahlias Festival

• Use of plant material, tools and basic equipment needed for eco-printing on the day

• One piece of fabric per participant to work on and take home, printed by you

• Step-by-step guidance through the eco-printing process

Any refreshments and detailed schedule information will be confirmed closer to the festival date.

What to bring

• Clothes you don’t mind getting a bit messy

• An apron, if you prefer

• Comfortable shoes (you will be on your feet at times)

• A notebook and pen if you like to take notes

Important ticket information

• This product is a workshop ticket, not a physical item to be shipped.

• No parcel will be couriered to you – your order confirmation email is your proof of booking.

• One ticket admits one person to this specific workshop.

• Tickets are non-refundable, but you may transfer your ticket to another person if you can no longer attend.

• Full Festival Ticket Terms & Conditions apply.

After checkout you will receive:

1. An order confirmation email from Love Dahlias with your booking details.

2. A follow-up email closer to the festival with the exact time, venue details at/near Broadwater, and any last notes on what to bring.

Please use the same name and email address for all your festival bookings so we can keep your reservations together. 30 people