ooooooooh yes! i had indigo on the brain last summer and must have painted 20 canvases with acrylic/watercolors all drippy and indigo gorgeous. what a lovely start to my monday morning, beautiful blonde bombshell with the brilliant creative mind.
Some years back I took up weaving and spinning and dying wool. The first project I started called for indigo dye and so I bought some indigo. Hard rock like pellets. A book gave the directions on getting it into solution. Fermented urine. OK, so I asked the men I worked with to save for me and they would set brown paper bag out on their front porch with a jar in it. Eventually I got the six gallons I needed in a vat which I set on top of the gas stove over the pilot light. The directions said if the vat develops a bad smell add sugar. Well this was winter time and I was pretty aware of the odor when I came home at night and I wondered what "bad smell" they were talking about. I found out. One day I came home and that was it, the vat had putrified. I took it outdoors and poured in the sugar, waited the 3 days as the directions said to do and brought it back in. When the wool goes into the vat it is white. When the wool comes out of the vat it is white. Then, as you watch it, it turns blue before your very eyes. Its a miracle.
Just thought you might enjoy that story. Love your blog. Ann
Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteooooooooh yes! i had indigo on the brain last summer and must have painted 20 canvases with acrylic/watercolors all drippy and indigo gorgeous. what a lovely start to my monday morning, beautiful blonde bombshell with the brilliant creative mind.
ReplyDeletemichele
Some years back I took up weaving and spinning and dying wool. The first project I started called for indigo dye and so I bought some indigo. Hard rock like pellets. A book gave the directions on getting it into solution. Fermented urine. OK, so I asked the men I worked with to save for me and they would set brown paper bag out on their front porch with a jar in it. Eventually I got the six gallons I needed in a vat which I set on top of the gas stove over the pilot light. The directions said if the vat develops a bad smell add sugar. Well this was winter time and I was pretty aware of the odor when I came home at night and I wondered what "bad smell" they were talking about. I found out. One day I came home and that was it, the vat had putrified. I took it outdoors and poured in the sugar, waited the 3 days as the directions said to do and brought it back in. When the wool goes into the vat it is white. When the wool comes out of the vat it is white. Then, as you watch it, it turns blue before your very eyes. Its a miracle.
ReplyDeleteJust thought you might enjoy that story. Love your blog. Ann
I'm a fan, too!!! Especially old, faded indigo textiles - so soft and full of charm! I hope you are well, Des! Happy spring!
ReplyDeletex Loi