The past few days have been warm enough to try an instant indigo vat outdoors! So here’s an update on my experiment using the freeze dried “instant” indigo to dye over the paste-resist dot patterns described in my previous post.
I dipped each sample in the indigo pail, briefly, 3 times, drying between each dip. Since there is rice paste on the surface, I can’t leave it to soak. Therefore, many dips are required to darken the color. Today I dipped each piece again but I wonder if the vat is spent/oxidized. It didn’t have the green scum on the surface when I started. I can add more freeze dried indigo and try again, but I need to wait for warmer weather. Solar energy is the best way to re-heat the vat and we’ve got some cool and rainy weather coming. The garden will like that!
drying the indigo-dyed samples
It’s very exciting to see this process happening. The colour is wonderful – I do hope it works so we can see the results. Have a lovely weekend.
.-= Emma´s last blog ..One hundred: blossom necklace giveaway and a tale of jewels =-.
Even it it doesn’t work I’ll post the results, probably next week weather permitting! :)
Patience! I’m sure that more dips, and warmer weather will deepen the color. I’m really happy to see your results so far–very exciting
cool is here again … and rain tomorrow … pehaps later in the week!
i do like the lighter shades of indigo. less dips…. i have to try this one of these days….
.-= jude´s last blog ..what is teaching? =-.
I enjoy the lighter shades too — I am attempting to show a gradation of light to dark here, so the lower you go on these samples the darker it gets. I need to keep dipping. It’s so cool now that I think I’ll have to start another vat … thought of putting my turkey roaster with water on the lowest setting… then a pot inside that… I’m not so keen on using electricity for this but I’m also impatient!