© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results Over the last few weeks, I have posted 12 “lessons” to help dyers who are interested in making their own fermented indigo vat. This is all based on my own experience from the last few years AND very importantly, the guidance I … Continue reading Fermented Indigo Vat: Blog Post #13 – A Wrap Up| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results When working with quick reduction indigo vats, it is quite easy to achieve pale colors using a weak vat by controlling the ratios. A fructose vat is made by using a certain amount of indigo per liter, and the other ingredients (fructose … Continue reading Fermented Indigo Vat: Blog Post #12 Some further thoughts on the amount of indigo to be used in a fermented vat| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results LOW PH If the alkalinity of the vat falls too low, the vat becomes a good environment for water born insects. They may…| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results Set up a small notebook/logbook for each vat that you make. Record the ingredients included, their amounts, procedure,…| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
2 posts published by Catharine Ellis during June 2025| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results Dyeing The leuco color of the fermentation vat will be green – not the yellow color that the quick reduction vats produce, as referred to this in blog post #3. When dyeing, keep all textiles in the upper portion of the … Continue reading Fermented Indigo Vat: Blog Post #9 Dyeing| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results This recipe, which uses wood ash lye as the source of alkalinity, is an alternative to the one made with Wood Ash lyes…| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results It is one thing to put all the ingredients in a “vat” and hope for the best result: a reduced vat that will dye beautiful blues. It is a whole other thing to understand what happens in that vat. I am not … Continue reading Some More Thoughts about Indigo Fermentation: Blog Post #7 What I Have Learned from a Biochemist| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results This recipe can used to make a 1-liter vat or can be scaled up to a larger vat. I typically make a vat that is 50 liters in volume. The recipe is intended as a starting point for the dyer who wishes … Continue reading Fermented Indigo Vat: Blog Post #6 Recipe: Basic Fermentation Vat with Soda Ash or Potash| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results Determine the size of your indigo vat: This decision is primarily based on your intended use of the vat. If the vat is made for only small scale test dyeing, perhaps a 1-liter jar is adequate. Larger test dyeing and the dyeing … Continue reading Fermented Indigo Vat: Blog Post #5: Getting Started with the Fermentation Vat and things to consider before making a vat| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
© Catharine Ellis, as posted to the blog: Natural Dye: Experiments and Results Fermentation is a biochemical process in which complex organic molecules are broken down into smaller molecules through the action of bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms. In food production, it can broadly refer to any process in which the activity of microorganisms can … Continue reading Fermented Indigo Vat: Blog Post #4: How Does Fermentation Reduce an Indigo Vat?| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results
It has been a while since I have posted here, but I assure you that I am staying busy, still learning, and have been developing some new projects and ways of working. Last year, Schiffer Publ…| Natural Dye: Experiments and Results