It is summer and time for a change of pace, travel to exotic places, and adventure. Depending on where you are in the world, it may just be time to find a cool place to get out of the sun and heat, whether in an air conditioned movie theater, in deep shade with a good book, or in a swimming pool. Another option is to pop some corn and watch a movie in the coolest room in the house. I especially like to watch films where plants are the movie stars (and we've seen some interesting ones over the years).
This summer I'm watching another documentary by Maiwa Productions, In Search of Lost Colour: The Story of Natural Dyes. It has everything a summer movie should have - change of pace, travel, adventure, exploration; and plants are definitely the main stars. The film documents the range of color sources, extraction processes, and dyeing techniques that are found around the world. One hundred fifty years ago everything was dyed naturally, and then synthetic dyes took their place. This film goes searching for lost colors and natural dyeing processes around the world. Let's join the expedition!
In Search of Lost Colours is packed with information, fascinating interviews, beautiful photography, and inspiration. The introduction describes the ancient history of natural dyeing, the emergence of synthetic dyeing, and the revival of interest in natural dyeing. Also described are the basics of fabric and fiber, the processes of scouring and mordanting, and the techniques for harvesting and extracting color. The film then explores dye sources by colors: the reds, blues, shellfish purple, the yellows and oranges, browns, and blacks and gray. Sprinkled throughout are samples of beautiful fabric that have been woven or block printed or overdyed or treated with various processes. The burnished cotton dyed with indigo was especially intriguing.
It was satisfying to see how many of the dyes I've already tried (cochineal, indigo, weld, logwood, walnut, marigold, and madder to name a few) and inspiring to see there is so much more to try! Woad, cutch and osage orange come to mind, as do the processes of ikat twisting and block printing, and more experimentation with mordants and fabrics. I also appreciated learning about how devastating synthetic dyes are on the planet, and the vision for a future where natural dyeing replaces synthetic dyeing. There are some challenges to overcome and mindsets to change, but it is a worthy goal. I recommend this documentary to anyone interested in learning more about the history, traditions, techniques of natural dyeing.
We're finally ready to use our indigo dye vat! It's been a long journey to get here - first learning all about the source of indigo dye, its long history, and the process of dyeing with indigo. In Mixing the Indigo Dye Vat, we prepared the indigo dye vat, using the Jacquard Indigo Tie Dye Kit (Natural Dye Method) that is available from Dharma Trading, Amazon, and other sources. Now we're ready to dye fabric and fibers with indigo dye. This video shows the basics of dyeing with indigo. The video was filmed over a four-day period, with many dye projects completed during that time. By the fourth day, the color was almost gone, and the results were very pale.
Equipment
For this project you need a prepared indigo dye vat. We're using the dye from a kit that was mixed in a 5-gallon bucket with a sealable lid. Sealing protects the dye from oxidizing, and enables us to use the dye vat over a period of several days or weeks.
The indigo dye vat is sealed with a lid
Some additional supplies include:
Bucket of water for soaking and rinsing
Tray to hold the dyed fabric as it oxidizes
Paddle for stirring (should be long enough to stir the sediment that settles at the bottom of the dye vat, without submerging your hands)
Latex gloves to protect your hands from turning blue
Drop cloths to protect the work surfaces from being stained blue
FOR SAFETY: never use the same utensils for both dyeing and preparing food.
Preparing the Work Area
First gather supplies and prepare your work area. Indigo stains, so it is recommended to protect work surfaces with drop cloths.
The drop cloth protects the patio from being dyed blue
I used two drop cloths – one for the dye area and one for the area where the fabric hangs to dry.
Preparing the Fabric
We have an assortment of fabric and fiber for dyeing.
Cotton dish towels
Silk scarf
Linen and cotton fabric pieces
Wool yarn
The fabric was scoured to remove impurities that might prevent the dye from bonding to the fiber, but there is no need for mordanting. Dyes that do not require mordanting are called substantive dyes. They are typically dyes with a high tannin level, such as walnut hulls, cochineal, lichen, and indigo.
You can weigh the fabric to get an idea of how long your dye vat will last. The kit dyes up to 15 pounds of fabric. However, you may want to dip the fabric multiple times to achieve deeper shades. This uses more dye, so 15 pounds is just a guideline. I decided I would keep dyeing until there was no color left. I was curious to see the range of colors produced.
Bucket of warm water for soaking prepared fabric
To prepare the fabric for dyeing:
Add warm water to a bucket.
Soak the prepared fabric in water.
Squeeze out excess water and air from the fabric before submerging into the dye.
Working with the Dye Vat
Keep in mind these guidelines when working with the dye vat:
Store the vat at room temperature (in an area where the temperature remains between 68-85° F / 20-29°)
Keep the vat as oxygen free as possible (try to not splash or stir vigorously)
Remove any skin or bloom from the surface (or move it to the side)
Don’t let the fabric drop to the bottom of the vat where dye sediment collects.
For Safety: Keep out of reach of children and animals. Always store the dye with the lid sealed.
Most literature describes the dye vat as being a yellow-green color. My dye vat seemed very blue, with only an occasional glint of yellow green in certain light.
The bloom that accumulates on top of the dye vat indicates oxydization
The vat had a metallic looking skin over the surface, as well as a “bloom” or clump of bubbles on the surface. This is from oxidation. It was easily moved to the side, or scooped out of the dye vat.
Before Starting a Dye Session
You don't have to dye everything in one long dye session. You can break it up and dye one or more items in a series of dye sessions. About 20 minutes before a dye session:
Stir the dye vat in one direction for a few minutes to redistribute the dye sediment.
Reverse direction slowly at the end, as you draw the paddle out of the vat.
Reseal the vat and let it rest while you prepare your dye project. This is a good time to soak your fabric.
Stir the dye vat in one direction to mix dye sediment before or after a dye session
Ending a Dye Session
At the end of each dye session:
Gently stir the vat, in a circular motion in one direction.
Reverse direction slowly at the end, as you draw the paddle out of the vat.
Reseal the vat and let it settle for at least an hour before using the vat again.
Dyeing with Indigo
The basic steps for dyeing:
Remove the lid from the vat.
Squeeze water and air out of the wet fabric.
While squeezing, submerge the fabric into the dye vat and hold for a minute or two.
Remove the fabric from the vat slowly, squeezing it just below the surface as you do.
Set aside the fabric to oxidize.
Either cover the dye vat or continue to the next piece.
Once an item has oxidized you can either:
Dip it again to achieve a darker shade, or
Rinse the fabric, and hang it to dry.
Dyeing
On the first day, I dyed six cotton dish towels, using the basic steps. Two dish towels were dipped once, two were dipped twice, and three were dipped three times. First, squeeze excess water out of the fabric. While squeezing, slowly submerge the fabric into the dye vat, gently swished the fabric from side to side in the dye, just under the surface.
First dip - six cotton dish towels
At first, I used thick rubber gloves for better coverage over my wrists and lower arms, but they were very cumbersome. Later I switched to the latex gloves that came with the kit when I realized I didn't need to hold the fabric very deep in the dye bath. The gloves barely covered my wrists, but were light and flexible and much easier to use. I wasn’t sure how long to keep the fabric in the vat, but I found that a minute or two per dip worked well. You can continue dipping the fabric until you get the color you want, keeping in mind that the color appears much darker when wet. When ready, slowly remove the fabric, squeezing out the excess dye.
Second dip - four cotton dish towels
Then open up the fabric, exposing it to oxygen. Place the fabric in the tray. As oxygen hits the fabric, the color turns from yellow green to blue. This process is so exciting, and never gets old. First the vibrant green, then streaks of blue, and then full blue. Science, art, and magic!
Third dip - two cotton dish towels
After about 20 minutes, rinse the fabric in water and hang it to dry. Or you can repeat these steps for additional dips. I dipped four of the dish towels again, rinsed two, and hung them to dry. I dipped the remaining two dish towels again, rinsed them, and hung them to dry. The color was a deep blue. At first, I didn’t see the difference in color between the three dips. Later the difference became clearer.
Final Day of Dyeing
Four days later, after lots of projects, the dye vat was running out of color. It looked blue, but was very watery. I also noted that specs of dye residue were dispersed throughout the liquid. I decided to keep dyeing, to see what would happen, using the same basic steps.
I soaked the fabric in water, squeezed out the excess, and then dyed the fabric in the vat, dipping the linen and cotton fabric once, and the silk scarf twice. Surprisingly, the color was immediately pale blue. I moved the dyed fabric to the tray to rest; the fabric remained pale blue, with no further transformation. After about 20 minutes, I rinsed the fabric in water and then hung it to dry. A lot of color was lost during the rinse, making me wonder if any dye molecules were bonding with the fabric.
Soaking the fabric in water
I repeated the same steps for the wool yarn: (1) soaked the skeins in water; (2) dipped one skein in the dye once, the second one twice, and the third one three times; and then (3) rinsed the fabric and hung it to dry.
Pale denim blue with no oxidation
Hanging to Dry
The hanging projects look so festive as they dry. The shades of deep indigo blue become more distinctive as the fabric dries. The shade from the spent dye vat is light denim blue.
Indigo blue on day one of the dye bath
Pale denim blue on day four of the dye bath
Rinsing, Washing, and Hanging to Dry
After everything was dyed and dried, I ran the fabric through the washing machine using a cold cycle and Professional Textile Detergent. You could also use a mild detergent like Synthrapol. Again, I hung the fabric to air dry.
Cold water wash with mild textile detergent
Reviewing the Results
Now let’s look at the outcome.
Dish Towels
The six dish towels were dyed when the dye vat was most potent. The two lighter towels were dipped once, the medium towels were dipped twice, and the darkest towels were dipped three times. The color is quite intense in all cases.
Cotton dish towels that were dipped once, twice and three times (left to right)
Silk Scarf
The silk scarf was dipped two times, when the dye was almost spent. The result is a very pale blue. It’s quite delicate and lovely, but the photograph doesn’t pick up the subtle color. As with the other silk scarves I’ve dyed, I had the scarf professionally dry cleaned to remove the wrinkles and restore the sheen.
Silk scarf dipped twice
Linen and Cotton Fabric
The linen and cotton fabric pieces were each dipped once when the dye was almost spent. I like the pale color, but it is not very even. I am curious about the yellow cast on the fabric pieces. They were all mordanted with oak gall last year. Would that explain it?
Linen and cotton fabric dipped once
Yarn
Unfortunately, I forgot to dye yarn when the dye vat was at full strength. These skeins were dyed when the dye was almost spent. One skein was dipped once, another twice, and the third three times. For all three, there wasn’t enough dye to overcome the oatmeal color. Looking ahead, I need to obtain some white or cream-colored yarn!
By the fourth day, the dye did not have enough strength to overdye the oatmeal-colored yarn
End of the Dye Vat
According to kit instructions, it is safe to dispose of the dye vat by pouring it down the drain. Clean the bucket and utensils with a dishwashing detergent like Dawn or a powdered cleanser like Bar Keepers' Friend.
You can purchase additional indigo crystals to extend the indigo dye bath
Alternatively, you can purchase supplies to extend the dye vat, including pre-reduced indigo crystals, the reducing agent (soda ash), and sodium hydrosulfite. I did not do this but it makes sense environmentally to keep the vat going if you're planning to do more dyeing with indigo. Instructions and proportions are available on the Dharma Trading website.
Extend the dye bath with soda ash
Extend the dye bath with sodium hydrosulfite
In the next video, we’ll see more of the projects that we tackled when the dye vat was still in its prime!
This year we're celebrating life in the roaring twenties! As part of that celebration, we're looking into birthday flowers, which are the flowers that are associated with the month in which a person was born. Birthday flowers have symbolic meanings attached to them (Floriography is the art of communicating a message through the flowers given to another person). The message may be in the flower itself, and for some flowers, the color of the flower.
For July, the birthday flower is the water lily, which symbolizes Birth and Resurrection, Purity and Majesty, and Enlightenment. In case that isn't weighty enough, the color of the flower can also send a message, such as:
White - purity and mental purity
Purple - power
Red - pure love, passion, romance, wealth
Blue - the power of knowledge, calm, wisdom, recovery
Water lilies (Nymphaeaceae spp.) are a family of flowering plants that live as rhizomatous aquatic herbs in temperate and tropical climates. Water lilies are rooted in soil in bodies of water, with leaves and flowers floating on the surface. The leaves are round, with a radial notch in some species (Nymphaea and Nuphar), but fully circular in other species (Victoria and Euryale). They are perennials and are pollinated by beetles.
Water lily at the McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Garden
During our trip to Alaska, my Aunt Char and I visited Mendenhall Glacier with my brother, Dave and sister-in-law, Karen (see Alaska - The Last Frontier). I was curious about what species of lichen we would see so close to the glacier. I've been observing the lichen in our yard in the San Francisco Bay Area (see Portraits in Lichen and More Portraits in Lichen). How would they compare with lichen in a colder and wetter environment?
Map lichen (Rhizocarpon geographicum) the yellow thalli Per iNaturalist, the pinkish organism to the right is a fungus (Anaptychia runcinata)
Orange lichen (Caloplaca spp.)
Some of the area around the glacier had been covered by ice over the last one or two hundred years while the glacier receded, so the exposed land is relatively "new" and lichen is slow growing. While pondering all of this and taking pictures of lichen, a stranger at the glacier humorously informed me that I was photographing a rock. Sigh. The mysteries of the universe were lost on him.
I'm expanding my lichen vocabulary a bit, using the glossary in Casselman's Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book. Knowing a few terms can help you describe what you are seeing, and then find out more information. Some basics:
apothecia - cusp-shaped disks on the upper cortex of the lichen that contain asci (spores).
cortex - either surface of a lichen (top: dorsal or upper cortex; bottom: ventral or lower cortex).
substrate - surface to which a lichen is attached, such as a rock or a tree.
thallus - the entire lichen (plural "thalli").
These white lichens stand out against the dark granite boulders, but are difficult to identify. It is surprising how many species are growing together in communities over the glacial boulders.
Tile lichen (Lecidea tessellata)
White rim lichen (Lecanora rupicola)
After spending time with lichen in both the Bay Area and Juneau, Alaska, I think I need to get closer with a magnifying hand lens! Still, I had fun trying to identify the species we encountered.
Lichens around Mendenhall Glacier, by Chiska C. Derr and Robert H. Armstrong. Nature Alaska Images, Juneau, Alaska, 2010. The authors describe what lichen is and is not, habitats, lifecycle, and how to identify them. I especially liked their quote from lichenologist Trevor Goward, “lichens are fungi that have taken up agriculture”. I was intrigued to learn that lichens that contain cyanobacteria are nitrogen fixers, so important for soil development.
Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book, by Karen Diadick Casselman. Dover Publications, Inc., Mineola, New York (2001). This is a wonderful resource for the dyer wishing to extract dye from lichen. The glossary provides some succinct definitions relating to lichen.
Lichens of Alaska's South Coast. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Alaska Region (R10-RG-190, Reprint April 2014). Photographs by Karen L. Dillman and drawings by Alexander Mikulin. Great photos, drawings, and descriptions of some of the Alaskan lichen we saw.
Southeast Alaska Fungi (including lichens). Google Photos is installed on my smartphone and it uses iNaturalist to identify plants and animals in the photos that I upload. This is typically how I start identifying what I photograph (but the app is not alway perfect and its operator is still learning)!
