madder

There's something deeply satisfying about dyeing cloth red. When I remove fabric from the dye bath and it's the perfect shade of red I know I'm going to have a good day!

madder root extract

dyed silk

dyed + block printed with ties

indigo

Learning a new technique is both exciting and frustrating! Though feeling like a beginner again, I welcome the challenges of discovering the many nuances of indigo blue...

Yesterday Catharine Ellis stopped by to check the ph of both indigo vats at the studio—one vat is made with fructose and the other with henna. The ph was good but we added more henna to the indigo/henna vat. Catharine is teaching a dyeing with natural dyes workshop here at the studio on May 5.

Here's a few pics...

tools + ingredients

fructose + henna vats

indigo dyed samples in cotton + linen

perfect!