the Art of
Indigo
Hand Block
Printing
Indigofera tinctoria
this small shrub is the original source of the blue dye known as indigo.
Soft Cotton fabric is Hand Blocked printed with a specially prepared mud, resistant to Indigo dye, then sprinkled with a sawdust mix to help set the dye, once set its dried in the Sun.
Once the fabric is dry it's ready to be plunged into the fermenting Indigo Vat. Indigo dyeing is amazing to watch - when removed from the well the fabric is sludgy green, this changes to a deep blue before your very eyes.
...and dried in the Sun once again
The fabric is now ready for a thorough rinse in cool water.
This process is repeated several times to release the mud & excess Indigo Dye.
... then back out into the Sunshine to dry again.
Now to reveal the beautiful vibrant Indigo prints.
A lot of time LOVE & care goes into this process.
Indigo
... a true natural blue ...
