We get lots of emails from customers about challenges with dyeing and needing Botanical Colors’ President Kathy Hattori’s help. Why not share the learning so we can all benefit? From our inboxes to you, it’s simple: You Asked, Kathy Answered. Email questions@botanicalcolors.com with your plea for help!
YOU ASKED: I made a 1-2-3 ferrous indigo vat, which I have done before with success. This time, I checked the vat after a few days and a good stir, and it seemed weak – there was some reduction, but it wasn’t very strong for the amount of indigo I had put in. The iron I used wasn’t purchased from Botanical Colors, and I realized after the iron content is 20%. I searched a bit and I saw that the iron you sell is 99%. I also noticed it has a strange smell, almost a burned smell, very different then the last time I made an indigo vat.
I figured that since it’s a lower iron content, I would have to put nearly 5x the amount of iron powder in the vat for it to reduce properly. I added some more iron (not quite 5x) and it still smells weird and doesn’t seem to have a good reduction. I am stirring, waiting a day or two or three whenever I add ingredients.
Was my assumption to add 5x more iron correct? If I add too much iron, what are the symptoms? I hate wasting ingredients. Needless to say I am going to order some 99% iron powder from Botanical Colors so this doesn’t happen again.
I searched a bit on your blog if there was anyone that had similar issues but I didn’t find anything.
Thanks in advance.
KATHY ANSWERED: It seems like it’s not helping to add more iron, since you aren’t confident in the supply that you purchased and the vat isn’t responding. I’m not sure if purchasing and mixing in more iron will help – if you’ve already added so much iron to the vat, it just seems like it should be reducing. Have you tried heating the vat and adjusting pH, if needed?
Would you consider adding a different reducing agent? We’ve inadvertently “mixed” reducing agents in workshops by combining leftover henna, iron and fructose vats, and it worked surprisingly well. I will also often rebalance a 1-2-3 henna vat with fructose, as it dissolves easily and does the trick. Perhaps some fructose will work with your vat. Let us know how it goes!
You might also want to read:
A Deep Dive into the 1-2-3 Indigo Vat
FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Iron in The Water & Indigo Flowers Not Blooming
Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: The 1-2-3 Ferrous Indigo Vat
Shop:
The Easy 1-2-3 Fructose Indigo Kit