11 - 13 September 2026 Brandenburg
Colour, Cloth & Process: A Natural Dye & Textile Retreat
A 3-day guided, artist-led textile and natural dye experience exploring colour as material and process.
Set within the quiet landscape of the Grünheide nature reserve, this 3-day retreat led by Berlin-based textile artist Dörte Bundt explores natural dyeing as a contemporary material practice - three days of hands-on making, material research, and close attention to colour, drawing on local plants, bark, and flowers as a working palette shaped by season and place.
At a glance:
Date: Fri, Sept. 11 – Sun, Sept. 13, 2026 (3 days, 2 nights)
Location: Bauernschloss e.V., Kagel, Grünheide
Group size: max. 10
Focus: Natural dye plants and their properties
Includes:
2 nights' accommodation
6 vegetarian meals
3 workshops (all materials included)
morning yoga & access to lake, sauna and forest
Language: German and English
What to expect:
WHAT TO EXPECT
Accommodation: 2 nights in historic lakeside bungalows on the estate grounds
Meals: 6 vegetarian meals across the weekend - 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners with wine, 2 lunch buffets
Workshops: 3 full working sessions covering natural dyeing with plant materials and different dye applications - all tools, fibres, and dye materials included
Morning sessions: Optional guided yoga in the teahouse; the lake, sauna, and forest are yours between sessions
To take away: A dyed cotton cloth with your own batik pattern, a silk scarf with botanical ecoprint, a sample booklet and workshop notebook
Program
Friday, 11. September
Arrival & Getting to know each other
From 4 pm: Check-in to the bungalows, free time by the lake, in the sauna or in the woods
5.30 pm: Aperitif & getting to know each other
7 pm: Vegetarian, wholesome 2-course dinner including wine by the lake
Saturday, 12. September
Mordanting · Dyeing · Batik
8 am: Optional Yoga session in the tea house
9 am: A shared hearty breakfast
10 am–12:30 pm: Material research, dye plants & medicinal properties, preparing your first dye baths
12:30 pm: Light lunch
2–5:30pm: Colour samples, modifications & batik wax-resist technique
Abend: A vegetarian, wholesome two-course dinner including wine by the lake
Included: booklet with colour samples and notes + 40×40 cm cotton cloth with individual pattern
Sunday, 13 September
Ecoprint & Departure
8 am: Optional yoga session in the tea house
9 am: Hearty breakfast together
10 am–12 noon: Bundle dyeing – create your own silk scarf with flowers and leaves
12 noon: Light lunch to round off the day, free time
3 pm: Departure
Included: 45×45 cm silk scarf with a individual botanical print
Time to Unwind
Between creative sessions, the surroundings invite you to slow down: a refreshing swim in the lake, relaxing hours in the garden sauna, yoga in the teahouse, or quiet walks through the early autumn forest.
You’ll also be treated to freshly prepared vegetarian meals – seasonal, mindful, and made with love.
Accommodation
You will stay in charming historic bungalows spread across the spacious grounds. All three lakeside bungalows are simple and offer the same standard of amenities.
Each room has two single beds and is shared exclusively with people of the same gender.
For those who prefer more privacy, a limited number of single room upgrades are available upon request.
Location
Located approximately 50min from Berlin-Mitte, Bauernschloss e.V. is a passion project by a group of nature enthusiasts who are revitalizing a historic site at Lake Bauernsee in Grünheide, Brandenburg.
Since 2020, members of the association, along with friends and neighbors, have been collaboratively restoring historic buildings, caring for natural spaces, and creating an open place for culture, learning, and connection.
Map:
Your hosts
Dörte
Dörte is a Berlin-based textile artist working at the intersection of craft and contemporary practice. With over a decade of international experience, her work spans exhibitions, residencies, and educational formats across Europe and beyond. Her teaching combines technical knowledge with an intuitive, process-oriented approach to material and making.
Irene
Yoga teacher and founder of Bauernschloss e.V., Irene has spent years shaping this unique place as a space for community, culture, and restoration. She guides the daily yoga sessions, creating a calm and supportive framework for the retreat.
Joel
Chef and musician, Joel creates thoughtful vegetarian cuisine inspired by Italian and Ayurvedic traditions. His meals are an integral part of the experience - grounding, nourishing, and creatively composed.
PRICE
Fr, 11. September - Sunday, 13. September 2026
Date
3 days, 2 nights
Duration
From: €525 incl. 19% VAT., all inclusive*
*€150 deposit is due immediately, with the remainder settled 6 weeks before the event
Price:
