living well with nature
Susannah lives off-grid on a canal boat on the Grand Union canal just outside London with eight quails. She uses plants along the towpath for natural dyes.
Workshops and Talks
I offer workshops and talks for adults and children about organic and permaculture gardening and traditional crafts.
As a seasoned educator and experienced speaker I teach for Permablitz London (where I am a Co-founder/Director) and feature regularly at the London Permaculture Festival, Cecil Sharp House, Capital Growth, Social Farms & Gardens and RHS Urban Show. I’m well-known and connected to London’s community garden scene and I’ve even met King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla when they opened a garden I co-designed in 2022.
I live sustainably on a narrowboat on the Grand Union Canal with my quails and a small garden made of planters created with help through permablitzing.
If you’d like to try something completely different for your hen party, afternoon tea or children’s party (suitable for all ages from 5yrs up) book me to bring a mobile natural dye or felting workshop or design your own session. Available in North West London, Berkhamsted & Hemel Hempstead.
If you want to keep up to date with my latest workshops and courses join my mailing list
LONDON COURSES
Thursday evenings (5 weeks)
6.30pm-8.30pm
September 10th, 17th, 24th October 1st, 8th 2026
Kentish Town City Farm, NW5 4BN
(closest transport: Gospel Oak (overground), Kentish Town (Northern line and Thameslink)
Learn how to spin and naturally dye your own wool for knitting, crocheting and other crafts. This course will introduce you to the ancient tradition of hand-spinning with a drop-spindle, a relaxing and meditative skill using minimal technology.
You’ll learn how to ply your wool, create skeins and then mordant and naturally dye your yarn using cololurs from plants.
The course is taking place at Kentish Town City Farm where you’ll meet the rare-breed Jacob’s sheep and learn how to wash their raw wool, card and then spin it.
Timetable:
Week 1: Meet the Jacob’s sheep at the farm and learn how to process and wash their raw wool. Start spinning with a drop spindle.
Week 2: Learn about carding the washed wool and continue spinning with a drop spindle.
Week 3: Learn about plying the wool you have spun and creating a skein.
Week 4: Learn about mordanting your wool in preparation for dyeing with plant dyes
Week 5: Learn about dyeing your wool with plant dyes
This is a participatory, hands-on course where you’ll have a chance to learn by doing in a collaborative, fun atmosphere.
What you will need: a drop spindle (week 1), rubber gloves and an apron (for weeks 4&5)
Drop spindles available here: https://www.georgeweil.com/spinning-wheels-accessories/hand-spindles/louet-top-whorl-spindle/
What you will take away: skein of dyed wool that you have spun
No experience necessary.
Positive comments on my style of teaching:
“Very good – super relaxed and friendly while being full of info” – Maz
“Great hands-on learning” – Betty
“Relaxed, informative. Very knowledgeable” – Yvonne
“ Very knowledgeable, always willing to answer questions and very generous with time and materials.” – Sophie
Thursday evenings (5 weeks)
6.30pm-8.30pm
September 10th, 17th, 24th October 1st, 8th 2026
Kentish Town City Farm, NW5 4BN
(closest transport: Gospel Oak (overground), Kentish Town (Northern line and Thameslink)
Thursday evenings 6.30pm-8.30pm:
10th, 17th, 24th September & 1st, 8th October
Each session is £10 • Book 5 sessions at a time – £50
Kentish Town City Farm, 1 Cressfield Close, NW5 4BN (Gospel Oak/Kentish Town)
This is a space for you to come and work on your creative projects alongside other people. I’m running them in response to students who want to carry on meeting up. Each session runs for two hours. Come along to spin, dye your yarn with natural dyes, felting etc.
I will provide the equipment for natural dyeing, felting and wool preparation and there will be an additional charge for any materials you want to use.
This provides the opportunity to work together for mutual creativity and learning.
Thursday evenings (5 weeks)
6.30pm-8.30pm
September 10th, 17th, 24th October 1st, 8th 2026
Kentish Town City Farm, NW5 4BN
(closest transport: Gospel Oak (overground), Kentish Town (Northern line and Thameslink)
Thursday evenings 6.30pm-8.30pm:
October 15th, 22nd, 29th & November 5th, 12th
Each session is £10 • Book 5 sessions at a time – £50
Kentish Town City Farm, 1 Cressfield Close, NW5 4BN (Gospel Oak/Kentish Town)
This is a space for you to come and work on your creative projects alongside other people. I’m running them in response to students who want to carry on meeting up. Each session runs for two hours. Come along to spin, dye your yarn with natural dyes, felting etc.
I will provide the equipment for natural dyeing, felting and wool preparation and there will be an additional charge for any materials you want to use.
This provides the opportunity to work together for mutual creativity and learning.
Thursday evenings (5 weeks)
6.30pm-8.30pm
October 15th, 29th, November 5th, 12th, 19th 2026
Kentish Town City Farm, NW5 4BN
(closest transport: Gospel Oak (overground), Kentish Town (Northern line and Thameslink)
BERKHAMSTED COURSES
Tuesday evenings (5 weeks)
6.30pm-8.30pm
13th, 20th, 27th October & 3rd, 10th November 2026
The Court House, Church Ln, Berkhamsted HP4 2AX
(Closest transport: Berkhamsted train station. Free parking available on site)
Learn how to spin and naturally dye your own wool for knitting, crocheting and other crafts. This course will introduce you to the ancient tradition of hand-spinning with a drop-spindle, a relaxing and meditative skill using minimal technology.
You’ll learn how to ply your wool, create skeins and then mordant and naturally dye your yarn using cololurs from plants.
The course is taking place at The Court House, a 16th century building in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
Timetable:
Week 1: Learn how to process and wash raw wool. Start spinning with a drop spindle.
Week 2: Learn about carding the washed wool and continue spinning with a drop spindle.
Week 3: Learn about plying the wool you have spun and creating a skein.
Week 4: Learn about mordanting your wool in preparation for dyeing with plant dyes
Week 5: Learn about dyeing your wool with plant dyes
This is a participatory, hands-on course where you’ll have a chance to learn by doing in a collaborative, fun atmosphere.
What you will need: a drop spindle, rubber gloves and an apron
Drop spindles available here: https://www.georgeweil.com/spinning-wheels-accessories/hand-spindles/louet-top-whorl-spindle/
What you will take away: skein of dyed wool that you have spun
No experience necessary.
Feedback from previous courses:
“Very good – super relaxed and friendly while being full of info” – Maz
“Great hands-on learning” – Betty
“Relaxed, informative. Very knowledgeable” – Yvonne
“ Very knowledgeable, always willing to answer questions and very generous with time and materials.” – Sophie
Tuesday evenings (5 weeks)
6.30pm-8.30pm
13th, 20th, 27th October & 3rd, 10th November 2026
The Court House, Church Ln, Berkhamsted HP4 2AX
(Closest transport: Berkhamsted train station. Free parking available on site)
ABERGAVENNY COURSES
Saturday 26th September
10am-4pm
Llanwenarth Hall, Abergavenny, NP7 7EN
Situated in a beautiful setting in the Usk valley just outside Abergavenny. Close to St Peter’s Church with a near-circular churchyard which indicates that there has been a place of worship on the site since Celtic times.
Free parking available on site
This course will introduce you to dyeing with indigo and woad using different methods. You’ll learn simple techniques to tie-dye cotton and silk material to produce beautiful contrasts between white and the blues of indigo and woad. I’ll teach you two different methods of setting up the dye vats and about the process of dyeing which is completely different to that for other plants dyes.
What you will learn:
Introducing the history of indigo/woad dyeing
A simple understanding of the chemistry used for indigo/woad dye vats
The process of preparing two dye vats
Simple tie-dye techniques
This is a participatory, hands-on course where you’ll have a chance to learn by doing in a collaborative, fun atmosphere.
What you will need: rubber gloves and an apron
What you will take away: Dyed silk scarf and piece of cotton
No experience necessary.
Feedback from previous courses:
“Very good – super relaxed and friendly while being full of info” – Maz
“Great hands-on learning” – Betty
“Relaxed, informative. Very knowledgeable” – Yvonne
“ Very knowledgeable, always willing to answer questions and very generous with time and materials.” – Sophie
Saturday 26th September
10am-4pm
Llanwenarth Hall, Abergavenny, NP7 7EN
Previous workshops and courses
Wool skills course in London April-May 2026
Feedback
“I liked Susannah’s teaching style. She is very good at both ‘showing’ and ‘telling’, ie she does both, in a way that together with repetition, means you remember what she teaches. Highly recommend!” – Arlene
“I learned exactly what I expected to and expectations were exceeded with the style and warmth of the teaching format. Quickly felt empowered to continue independently” – Olivia
Introduction to Natural Dyeing in Berkhamsted June 2026
Feedback
“Excellent introduction to the world of natural dyeing and eco-printing. Very relaxed, informative – Susannah made the topic very accessible.” – Grainne
“A good mix of practical and explanatory material. Rooted in experience and knowledge. Very enjoyable. Practical and sociable experience.” – Amanda
Very good. Calm, relaxed with lots of humour, Thank you so much. It was an absolute pleasure. – Tasja
This silk scarf has been dyed with madder, a traditional plant dye that uses roots from the madder plant (Rubia tinctorum). It is a beautiful red colour
The size of the scarf is 114cm x 28cm.
This silk scarf has been dyed with woad, a traditional plant dye that uses the leaves of the Woad plant (Isatis tinctoria).
The size of the scarf is 114cm x 28cm.
This silk scarf has been dip-dyed with madder and buddleja. Madder is the traditional red dye and buddleja’s purple flowers give a surprising yellow.
The size of the scarf is 114cm x 28cm.
