Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The indigo seeds were harvested in the fall of 2019 for 2020 planting.These seeds are from my garden in Roanoke, VA.They were grown organically. https://www.naturesrainbow.co.uk. Pingback: The naming of Japanese Indigo varieties | susan dye. 22 thoughts on “ Indigo Dyeing During Covid-19 Isolation ” Patricia Kessler says: June 19, 2020 at 4:24 pm . Orders take 2–5 business days to process. I will also weigh fibre samples to make sure they are identical because the wool would have been heavier in this test, and therefore ‘grabbing’ more of the available indigo. Japanese indigo preferred by dyers in Maine. 1. I have started co-mingling the vats to keep the light one going. Indigo colour has long history especially on dyeing denim-fabric. I think it is well worth you time and now available online. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Natural Dyes - Plant Materials, Bugs and Extracts, Weaver's Delight - A Collection of Speciality Weaving Yarns, Ashland Bay Undyed Merino Wool Roving - 19.5 micron, Ashland Bay Undyed Merino Wool Roving - 21.5 micron, Foxglove Solid-colored Merino Wool Tops for Spinning and Felting, Foxglove Solid-colored Merino Wool Tops, 4-ounce Sample Packs, Foxglove Solid-colored Merino Wool Tops Color Cards, Foxglove Fiberarts Multi-colored Merino Wool Roving, Silk Products for Spinning, Felting and Dyeing. work. Seed packets are typically 10g in weight. Indigofera tinctoria is the name for true indigo, a plant whose dark purple dye was once a primary object of trade. Japanese Indigo and Frost. The roots produce a black dye. Produces a very strong hair dye. All of these sources of alkalinity work with these vats. The colour, again, isn’t as accurate as I’d like but shows the very real difference in wool dyeings. Woad: Cultivated as a source of an excellent blue dye for over 2000 years in Europe replaced by indigo only in the last century. Indigo: The true indigo used to produce the famous blue dye that for 4000 years was considered the most important dye stuff in the world. Can soda ash be substituted for wood ash lye? These were crushed and added to the fermentation vat. We gave all samples 4 dips of ten minutes each. Such a great job… According oneself the time for experiment is certainly the best opportunity to understand complex processes like fermentation vats. How long does it take a vat to go into reduction? The seeds were generously supplied to me by Nature’s Rainbow in the spring, and they have published their own blog on the identification and source of these seeds to be read along with this one. things don't work correctly. The indigo seeds were harvested in the fall of 2019 for 2020 planting. When the plants have grown 1–2' tall and bruised leaves turn navy blue, they are ready for a first harvest. I’ve had several 15-20L indigo vats, and thought my pH meter was all I needed. For each plant type, I used 125 grams of stripped leaves and did a 1 hour extraction in a litre of rainwater, heating the leaves slowly to just under 60 C. Leaves were crushed with a pole and the mixture allowed to cool overnight. I will be interested in your thoughts on maintaining a vat for very pale shades. Japanese Indigo Polygonum tinctorium also called: Persicaria tinctoria. I am also grateful for the extended time to spend learning more about indigo fermentation. Woadballs and -seeds, natural colour for dyeing, sikl scarves and other accessories. Thank you for this fascinating post about your current exploration of indigo and its response to such a wide range of alkalinity sources. Can I leave a vat unattended for a week? Cassia tora pods and seeds, gathered in South Carolina. I planted them out in late May, just after a very late set of frosts which would have killed them. Note that neither the leaves nor the stems are blue. . pH refers to the measurement of acidity or alkalinity. doesn't support it or it is turned off, so you might find that some Know your laws! Indigo-colour is mostly used for dyeing textiles alongside synthetic dyes. Catharine you are so generous with your information and processes. Someday I hope to take an indigo class from you, I still have so many questions!!! Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Can be grown in a container for colder climates to bring indoors in winter.Joe Pye Weed: Huge fluffy mauve colored flower heads are held aloft on sturdy purplish bamboo-like stems of this beautifully colossal plant. Indigo: The true indigo used to produce the famous blue dye that for 4000 years was considered the most important dye stuff in the world. We wanted to test and compare three sets of indigo dye plants, grown from seed here in Devon, by making small dye vats and dyeing different fibres. ( Log Out / Are you interested in using Finnish Natural Indigo in your own products. I have been amazed to find that such differences exist between these plants. Our mission is to develop sustainable and ethically produced Indigo colour to be used in new innovative ways in a near future. From your recommendations, my minimum due time is 5 minutes, but more often 10-20 minutes. If you intend to dye with fresh leaves, prepare the dye bath the same day as the harvest and expect a lighter shade of blue. ), Wonderful that you two are continuing to explore. Using identical quantities of leaves and the same dye procedures should give a reasonably good comparison for my soil, the English climate and our summer. This packet contains at least 100 seeds of natural indigo. Indigo Seed Packet. Indigo extract 25g £8.00. HARVESTED 2019 for 2020 PLANTINGS. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Woadballs and -seeds, natural colour for dyeing, sikl scarves and other accessories. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Thank you for this fascinating post about your current exploration of indigo and its response to such a wide range of alkalinity sources. And yes to the book addendum! Your samples are really enlightening. BUY INDIGO SEEDS HERE. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. When do we see the answers to all those very interesting questions? Now I have found an important use for even the small amounts of those fresh indigo leaves as source material for indigo balls or dried leaves to be added to the fermentation vats. We cannot offer refunds or reships should this happen. That sounds like a good idea.Would you consider, since it is a loose leaf publication, issuing an addendum for those that already have the first edition…? You can read it by following the links at the base of the page. It was hosted by Botanical Colors. After one dip (see above) there were several differences in hue and intensity although the accuracy of colour here isn’t perfect. This replenishes the volume and adds some organic material. plants.”. We are offering 3 varieties of indigo seeds along with Woad (Isatis tinctoria) seeds for your dye garden. pH 7 is neutral. I’ve been experimenting with all of these in the fermentation vats, though the quick reduction vats seems to do best with the lime. An annual form of Coreopsis with daisy-like flowers in yellow, maroon, and crimson. I intend to repeat the dyeings with more leaf material next time and do a longer sequence of dips. I’m going to start a small indigo plot next year in my garden. OUR PRODUCTS DOING WHAT WE LOVE. Annual. Lime (calcium hydroxide) is a strong alkaline substance. The oil from the seeds of safflower has been used since the days of the Egyptians and continues to be used today for it’s low cholesterol. The indigo research and opportunities to attend virtual lectures have become possible because of this focused time at home. Not all products are legal to ship to your country and could be seized by customs. In particular, online ordering will not I look forward to hearing more! > We are healthy and thankful for that.