craftingwithcoco

In order for the indigo dye to stay on the fabric, it needs ..

Added 2024-05-31 23:30:22 +0000 UTC

In order for the indigo dye to stay on the fabric, it needs to be "oxidized" in between each dip. This means the indigo needs to be exposed to air and adhere to oxygen molecules to breathe the blue into it. Indigo first appears green when it comes out of the vat, but then it changes to blue as it gets exposed to more oxygen.

After each dip, I allow the fabric to oxidize for the same amount of time I put it in the vat for. So let's say I dip it for 4 minutes, then I also need to leave it out in the air for 4 minutes before putting it back in to achieve a deeper shade of indigo.

Here is the fabric up close and drying on the stretchers. The rice paste is still on, and I will soon show you what it looks like when it gets washed off! 💙