From Field to Fiber: Natural Dyeing and Spinning with Petra in Balrickard

On a bright morning at McNally Family Farm near Balrickard in County Dublin, Colours from the Countryside invites visitors into a hands-on primer on natural dyeing and traditional spinning. Petra, an experienced dyer and spinner, runs a two-hour workshop in the farm’s event space where participants watch plain wool and cloth transform into earthy, long-lasting hues using plants harvested from the organic fields and surrounding hedgerows. The session pairs a calm, practical demonstration with the sensory detail of simmering dye pots, soft wool under the hands, and the smell of baking coffee and cake. The heart of the experience is the dye demonstration: simple mordanting, simmering, and steeping techniques that coax blues, yellows, rusts and greens from the landscape without synthetic chemicals. Petra explains how season, water hardness, and fibre type change results, then moves to spinning—showing how a drop spindle takes fleece from raw to yarn through rhythm and tension. Guests are invited to try the spindle themselves, guided step-by-step until they draw a single, uneven but satisfying length of yarn. This workshop stands out in County Dublin because it ties craft directly to place. The farm is both classroom and lab: beds of dye plants and nearby foraging paths provide the raw material and context. The setup is casual but purposeful—the Farm Shop check-in leads to a compact, well-lit event space where up to 40 people can gather without losing the intimate feel of a small craft circle. English is used throughout; refreshments like coffee and cake make the afternoon feel like visiting an artisan friend. Practical takeaways include basic dye recipes, hands-on spinning practice, and an appreciation for low-impact colour sources you can explore at home. The workshop is ideal for makers, slow-travelers, and anyone curious about traditional textile skills tied to regenerative farming. Note the age minimum of 18, and plan for a relaxed two-hour visit that leaves room to browse the Farm Shop afterward. Whether you’re tracing cloth back to its botanical root or simply want a tactile, quiet break from Dublin’s city pace, Colours from the Countryside gives you a direct connection to Irish materials and a few simple skills you can keep. It’s an accessible slice of rural craft culture—earthy, rigorous, and quietly practical. Check-in is at the Farm Shop where staff will guide you to the event area; the session runs in English and accepts up to 40 participants, so it suits solo visitors and small groups. Wear clothes you don’t mind staining and bring a notebook to record recipes and technique. After the demonstration, browse the farm’s produce and plant beds to see where the colors began — the direct loop from field to fiber is the clearest lesson this workshop offers today.