The materials you need for indigo dyeing are indigo powder, water, a big stainless steel pot, soda ash to create the desired pH and wooden and plastic tools. 0000034531 00000 n ... then composting them to begin a fermentation process that … It called for stale urine "boy-child, collected in the morning". 0000113941 00000 n ��2�`ݡ.
In 1979, when I took on the responsibility of advising the volunteers at the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation on the accuracy of their period clothing, I found myself being asked questions I couldn't answer on which colors were appropriate and which weren't. Lauren K. Lancy is a fashion designer and trend forecaster based in Los Angeles and working internationally. ), then, holding it squeezed, gradually lower it into my vat and open it out under the surface of the liquid. However, when reduced in an alkaline solution, it loses an oxygen molecule and becomes "indigo white", which is soluble in the alkaline bath. COMMUNITY: HOW IS COVID-19 AFFECTING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS? Once the indigo dissolved, I let the bucket sit three or four days in a warm place till the vat had a floating iridescent blue scum, and it was ready to use. 0 The covered bins need to sit for about 24 hours, depending on the weather. 0000006423 00000 n 0000113652 00000 n I've been naturally-dyeing clothing yardage and needlework threads for my 18th century projects ever since! In 2009 and 2010 I had the opportunity to study with natural dye master Michel Garcia.
0000032259 00000 n Focused on craft, design, and sustainability, Lauren founded THE KINDCRAFT in 2014 while living in Southeast Asia as a platform for thoughtful, ethical design combining independent, story-driven journalism with a curated online shop for handmade goods and slow fashion. The traditional method uses a natural fermentation vat (like the one above) - this is how all of our fabrics are dyed.
0000114642 00000 n 0000003860 00000 n THE KINDCRAFT BRIEF is our free email newsletter about design, craft, and sustainability — plus readers receive exclusive discounts in THE KINDCRAFT SHOP. The stencils are made from Japanese washi paper – coated with persimmon juice for strength – and are brushed with rice paste then dipped into the indigo vat. Any scrap of hand-loomed indigo-dyed cotton or baste fiber, like hemp or ramie, that a rural person could get their hands on was used to create apparel for practical purposes. %PDF-1.7 %���� You can pre-dye cochineal pinks to get lovely purples. 0000005168 00000 n Please contact us if you find any errors in our crediting. He is a marvelous and knowledgeable teacher, fascinated with using the chemistry of simple ingredients to create natural colors. 0000106073 00000 n 0000030973 00000 n One of the things that he demonstrated to us was to be fearless about the indigo fermentation vat. All Rights Reserved.The Kindcraft participates in affiliate advertising programs, including Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.When you purchase an item through these links, we earn a small commission. This is the real deal. But boys'? Cloth coming out of the white indigo vat has a green appearance but quickly turns blue with oxidation. 0000007381 00000 n Indigo was one of the most commonly used dyestuffs in 18th century America, so although it has a reputation for being a challenge, I knew I had to try it, and the period way, using stale urine, aka "chamber-lye" or "sig". To cover the process comprehensively we’ll start from the beginning; the extraction of the dye. Among the vats are vents where straw and wood burns in cool weather to keep the temperature of the indigo dye between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius, depending on the stage of fermentation. All rights reserved. Master craftsman Tadashi Higeta is a 9th generation indigo dyer and weaver.
Of all the methods, the urine fermentation vat does seem to be the oldest, or at least the oldest still in use.
It is also necessary to have fairly warm temperatures to encourage the fermentation process. The active ingredient extracted from the dye-bearing plants is indigotin, which is insoluble in water. He and his family live on the property and create dye from the Polygonum Tinctorium plant – as well as growing, spinning, dyeing, and weaving the cotton that they use in their textiles, a process known as ito-zome. Born in the Aomori prefecture in northern Japan in 1933, Tanaka gathered upwards of 30,000 pieces of Japanese folk art over his lifetime. Here’s the 10 step process of making natural indigo dye as learned from Patricia and the team at Studio Naenna. I soon began to make all my clothing in the proper natural fibers. 0000114387 00000 n 0000003918 00000 n I collected it in a cheap plastic pint-measuring cup from the dollar-store, then transferred every morning's collection into a gallon jug. 0000030021 00000 n
We bundle the small leaf Indiofera tinctoria leaves together using stems as ties. All rights reserved. 0000115213 00000 n Though the process of turning green leaves into brilliant blue dye through fermentation has been practiced for thousands of years, it still feels magical. After dyeing these, I thought I'd gotten my money's worth, so I decided I'd exhaust the pot by throwing in a pound or so of my hand-spun yarn, which had been dyed yellow with alum and goldenrod. 0000030277 00000 n 0000005292 00000 n The essential part is to keep the vat warm enough to ferment, about 90-95o F. To accomplish that in New Hampshire I had it in a closed-up garage for awhile, and ended up keeping it in the trunk of an unused car. 0000017853 00000 n 0000032174 00000 n
When the mixture turns frothy and navy-colored it is almost ready. 0000029006 00000 n In this state, it dissolves in an alkaline solution. 0000035492 00000 n Nice rich blues! I dyed about two pounds of fiber and was still getting good strong colors--the dyeing season ended with the onset of cold weather and the vat nowhere near exhausted. What I like about the fermentation vat is that it's gentle on the fiber and requires little effort--I can put in a pound of yarn or a silk scarf, work it about, then come back 24 hours later, air it for 20 minutes, then do it again if I wish, and voila! If the liquid is blue, that's the sign of unreduced indigo. 0000102965 00000 n 0000009870 00000 n Descriptions of most pieces are available in English at this private museum.
As per directions, I rubbed the submerged indigo bag between my rubber-gloved fingers twice a day till the powder dissolved. 0000040091 00000 n Over the course of the summer when the vat got sluggish I suspended some madder twigs on a string--Liles explains that madder-root naturally contains bacteria which activate the indigo fermentation. He said that that children have a higher metabolic rate than adults, so their urine would be more concentrated, and that early morning urine is the most concentrated of all.
They also use various traditional methods of decoration: the well-known tie dye-like technique called, Today I had the pleasure of meeting @mollyhaynes_, “Whatever we do to slow climate change will help, Craft Informs Design: A Conversation with Peter Speliopoulos and Paul Andrew, COMMUNITY: OUR LIVE CONVERSATION WITH MARCELLA ECHAVARRIA + KAVITA PARMAR. 0000112492 00000 n By September or October, the plants are ready to be pruned and used for making dye. If you use yarn pre-dyed with fustic, weld, osage orange or goldenrod, you'll get some deep forest greens.