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 with your plea for help!
YOU ASKED: I set up an indigo vat a few weeks ago using fructose and lime. I dyed a few cotton items which worked well and now I want to dye some wool and silk. I’m having trouble lowering the pH. I’ve added more fructose but the pH is still 10.9. I tried adding gelatin which is recommended in Catharine Ellis’s book but so far (I did this earlier today) nothing has changed. Help!
KATHY ANSWERED: You are okay to start dipping now if you’ve added gelatin to the vat. The gelatin is not so much of a pH changer as it helps protect the fibers from high alkalinity so you can dip at 10.9 pH.
The pH will gradually reduce over the life of the vat but if you ever need to dramatically lower the pH, you can add white vinegar to the vat. I do not recommend this since your vat is in the perfect pH range for dipping cotton, and you added gelatin to protect the animal fibers.
Want to know more about fresh leaf indigo dyeing? Take Britt Boles’ Video Recording: Intro to Fresh Leaf Indigo Dyeing – Blender, Salt & Tataki-Zome. Available for only two more weeks!