Learning: Recipes, Instructions & More

It’s so easy to brighten up your underthings with lush natural dye colors like cochineal, lac and madder. Materials Any natural fiber underthings – socks, camisoles or panties.  Look for 100% cotton, Modal, Tencel, silk or bamboo fiber content. Fiber blends like wool/cotton or silk/cotton or nylon also work well.  Microfiber, polyester and acrylic will […]

In 2009 and 2010 I had the opportunity to study with natural dye master Michel Garcia.  He is a marvelous and knowledgeable teacher,  fascinated with using the chemistry of simple ingredients to create natural colors.  One of the things that he demonstrated to us was to be fearless about the indigo fermentation vat.  What a gift!  […]

There’s an incredible range of colors we get from the Aquarelle liquid natural dyes. Brilliant madder red, rust, olive green, a lovely soft pink, periwinkle and a whole host of blue shades that are soft and inviting. Try out some of these: Persian Tile: 15-20% Aluminum Sulfate, 8% Liquid Indigo/Saxon Blue Cornflower Blue: 15-20% Aluminum Sulfate, 5% […]

1. It’s supposed to rub off. That’s why blue jeans fade. 2. Certain cultures attribute indigo crocking to its authenticity and prize the way that excess indigo comes off on the hands or body. I found a description from Duncan Clarke  of Adire African Textiles on how West African cultures dye and prepare indigo cloth: […]