Thursday, 30 March 2017

Introduction to Organic Indigo and Shibori

Last weekend I taught the Introduction to Organic indigo vats and shibori to a group of keen students! The venue was the Campbell Scout Hall and it suited us well because of the well-equipped kitchen where we had some lovely lunches and morning and afternoon teas (in between dyeing of course!). I am looking forward to the cooler weather so we can light the fire and have some hot soups and wintery fare cooked in the oven there.
Some of the happy students with a few of their samples.
I also showed the students an image of my Indigofera australis plants that I am growing at home and hoping to harvest this year for a fermentation vat.  Although I.australis is not as strong as Indigofera tinctoria  I would still like to give it a go.
3 Indigofera australis plants in pots, about 2m high
Right at the very end (4pm) of our two-day workshop, both of our vats got a bit tired and emotional (ha ha!) and so we put them in my van and I took them back to the studio for some TLC.  I put their acquarium heaters back in, gave them a lovely dose of fructose, a good stir and a hug, and wrapped them back up in a nice woolen blanket! Ah...if only I was taken care of like that after a rough day....
So this morning when I went back into the studio, this is the sight that greeted me:
Nothing beats a happy vat....!
I am looking forward to the next workshop: Exploring Organic Indigo Vats on 22 & 23 April.  There's a lot happening for me in between now and then, so if you are interested more details available here.


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