Indigo Archives - Botanical Colors

blue and white fabric dyed with radiating white circles

How To Make 3 Easy Resists

These three, easy shibori techniques work best with indigo, but can be used with other natural dyes as well. With all three techniques, before you begin, prepare your workspace for a messy process. Cover the surface you plan to work on with something you don’t mind getting wet and dirty and wear an apron and gloves. The Scrunch Dye your fabric in your dye of choice! After dyeing, rinse the bundle gently. Then remove the rubber bands and open up the fabric bundle. Rinse again until the water runs clear. Air dry away from direct sunlight. The Honeycomb Dampen your … Read more

Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: (All Things Indigo) With Britt Boles of Seaspell Fiber

Our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with “indigo doula,” yes, that’s what we all call her, Britt Boles, founder of Seaspell Fiber and the super popular Indigo Pigment Extraction Methods group on Facebook. Britt shared lots of exciting and helpful information on the nuances of growing/vatting homegrown pigment vs commercial pigment and showcased her recycled plastic clamp resists we are now selling! Shop all Botanical Colors indigo products here. Watch the video here. Additional topics and products Britt talked about: -The Blue Biographies series -Intuitive Indigo E-course -The Seaspell Fiber Vat Table, 4’ x 2.5’ equipped with power– Inquire for custom … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Indigo & Oak (+Stony Creek Colors!)

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had Molly Roškar of Indigo & Oak and Sarah Bellos from Stony Creek Colors. Molly talked about color on a medium we don’t always consider, wood. She addressed the way natural dye and different finishes become lenses through which we can see and interact with this particular fiber. A new lens for sure. We also had Stony Creek Colors who introduced their newest product IndiGold™, the world’s first pre-reduced liquid natural indigo dye and demonstrated how a completely hydro-free vat made with 100% plant-based indigo can be created instantly and ready for use. They … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Takayuki Ishii of Awonoyoh

This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had Takayuki Ishii of Awonoyoh. Takayuki Ishii is an indigo dye artisan who was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. He currently owns a workshop in the mountainous area of Kanagawa Prefecture, where he runs an indigo dyeing company using traditional techniques and materials. Takayuki talked about the tradition of sukumo in Japan and the Japanese textile techniques born out of the creative exploration with his indigo dyeing. Being one of the last remaining producers of indigo in Japan, he shared his process and why it is so important to preserve this expertise. Watch the … Read more

How To Dye With Marigold Flowers

Ever wondered how to dye with marigold flowers? The humble marigold makes a beautiful and easy color that captures summer even when the weather is cold and gray. They brighten flower borders and are a companion plant in organic gardening. Marigold (Tagetes erecta) is native to Central America. The Aztecs used it as a flavoring ingredient for cacao. In Mexico, marigolds are also referred to as “Flor de Muertos” (Flowers of the Dead) and used in the Dia de los Muertos festivals and ceremonies. The deeply scented and brightly colored flower is believed to guide the spirits toward the elaborate … Read more

Fabric with concentric shapes in blue and white

For National Tie-Dye Day, Resist With An Indigo Vat

There’s a holiday for everything so all hail National Tie-Dye Day! According to Vox, did you know that historians’ knowledge of early techniques similar to tie-dye is limited by the fact that textiles decay faster than most other artistic mediums? This means surviving samples aren’t easy to come by. “‘Some of the earliest examples come from Peru, but tie-dye seems to have originated independently all over the world,’ says Lee Talbot, curator of George Washington University’s Textile Museum.” We’ve created this National Tie-Dye Day how-to just for you to celebrate this sacred day to continue the tradition. Not sure which … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Katrina Rodabaugh

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with artist, natural dyer and writer Katrina Rodabaugh who is just launching her third book Make, Thrift, Mend. Watch the recording here: Katrina gave inspiring insight into her path as an artist and natural dyer, how life becomes part of the process, (and how mendingoften represents that), ways we can rethink our clothing, and how natural dyes have been a big part of her Make, Thrift, Mend project. Links: Katrina’s website Katrina’s Instagram page Get her Make, Thrift, Mend and Mending Matters books here on our site. From the Katrina Rodabaugh Studios site: “I’m a … Read more

Construction Techniques with Aboubakar Fofana: Create a Pair of Stripcloth Trousers

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Indigo Master Dyer Aboubakar Fofana

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with indigo master dyer and multidisciplinary artist Aboubakar Fofana. Aboubakar is based in Mali and France and updated us on his latest projects including cotton cultivation in Mali. He also talked about his indigo farm, exhibits and the workshops he is teaching with Botanical Colors this spring and summer. Watch the video recording here: Shop the Finimugu (Malian Strip Cloth) Aboubakar talked about and showed us beautiful images of here. If you don’t know indigo master dyer Aboubakar Fofana, he is a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose working mediums include calligraphy, textiles and natural dyes. … Read more

FEEDBACK FRIDAY Highlights Video of 2020 (And Happy New Year!)

A FEEDBACK FRIDAY Highlights video? Yes! For 36 weeks, Kathy and I have brought you FEEDBACK FRIDAY where weekly we speak with dyers, artists, scientists and scholars about our favorite topic, natural dyeing and color. Curated and presented by Botanical Colors’ Founder Kathy Hattori and me, Amy DuFault, Botanical Colors’ Sustainability and Social Media Director, what started out as a way to connect with our community during the pandemic has turned into what’s almost like church for the thousands who have shown up. It’s pretty special to Kathy and I too. What inspiration have we garnered this year learning how … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Rowland Ricketts

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Rowland Ricketts where we talked all things indigo. Watch the video recording here: Shop all our indigo here. Visit our vast amount of indigo pages and how-tos. Make a 1-2-3 fructose indigo vat. Make a 1-2-3 henna indigo vat. Make a 1-2-3 Shakealotta indigo vat. Make a 1-2-3 iron indigo vat. Rowland Ricketts creates immersive installations using handwoven and hand-dyed cloth. His holistic artistic practice begins on his farm, where he cultivates the indigo plants he uses to color his artwork, fully linking his material and process with the finished product. Ricketts often incorporates … Read more