Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: The 1-2-3 Indigo Vat Using Iron

This week, we’ve got video from our live FEEDBACK FRIDAY exploring a version of the famous 1-2-3 indigo vat using iron.

Watch the recording here:

This time around we explored a version of the famous 1-2-3 indigo vat using iron (ferrous sulfate) as our reducing agent. This is a useful vat for achieving darker shades, but comes with a few caveats. We reviewed how to make the vat using the 1-2-3 method (the proportions are a little different than the fructose vat), and what to do when your vat turns purple (really). We also reviewed safety and best practices. Botanical Colors’ lead dyer Carrie G. demonstrated dipping from her home studio, and Kathy was in her studio showing the difference in vats.

Lots of questions came in during the call and we got to as many as humanly possible ranging from iron compromising fabrics to blending vats; How to keep indigo from fading and rebalancing a vat, pre-bath to post-bath and everything in between. There’s lots of great information on the video as well as on our site including an indigo round up, how to make an indigo vat, how to minimize indigo crocking and more.

If you are not familiar with FEEDBACK FRIDAY, every week, we are emailed with questions from our natural dye community. Weekly, all of  your burning questions are answered by natural dyer in chief, Kathy Hattori, Founder of Botanical Colors. Today for live Feedback Friday, both Kathy and Amy DuFault, Botanical Colors’ Sustainability and Social Media Director were on hand to moderate and answer questions via Zoom.

Here are two links for t-shirt blanks to create the above effect we call the “The Scrunch”:
TS Designs T-Shirt Grab Bags
Dharma Trading Dyeables

NEXT WEEK FOR FEEDBACK FRIDAY!

Next week our FEEDBACK FRIDAY will be with Judi Pettite, the founder of Biohue, talking about all things dye inks! From fabric to paper, she’ll explore how she forages, purchases or grows all the materials for her art as mindfully as possible.Judi started BioHue in 2006 after falling in love with colors she was getting from plants. Her inks and watercolors are made intentionally from the fewest ingredients possible and can be used in a number of applications including painting, drawing and home decor.

Judi says: “I love foraging and cultivating for my natural inks and paints; so if you’re looking to expand your palette, extracts may be the answer. I’ve developed a new line of inks in partnership with Botanical Colors and their extracts. The colors are lush and saturating. I keep the hues as true and clean as possible—never any synthetic preservatives. Therefore, I only use thyme or clove oil. The inks are water-based. I make them in small batches with care in Northern California.”

We created a series of inks with Judi using our dye extracts as part of our 10 year birthday celebration and collaboration. Go check them out!
Stay tuned for links and more info on signing up for our LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY next week.
It’ll be a good one.