This past week we had some 90 degree weather so I continued my indigo experiments using the stencils that Shibori Girl gave me along with some indigo moons I purchased from her shop. The darker dots were brushed on through the stencils after two more dips into the indigo bath, washing out the rice paste, and brushing on a layer of soybean milk. The soybean milk prepares the surface to minimize wicking as well as help to prevent the indigo from rubbing off (crocking). I mixed my natural pigments with soybean milk. Sounds like a lot of fussing but really wasn’t — just a few moments in the warm afternoons, out in the blooming garden. (If you want to learn more about painting with Indigo, check out this article from Turkey Red Journal, written by John Marshall.)
The glue-like grip of the paste resist never ceases to amaze me. This week I did 2 more dips leaving the fabric in for 2 minutes each and drying on the line fully between each dip.
And closer up…
A gift of hand-woven African cotton; read for dip in dye vat later today. I pasted through some old crocheted doilies – doilies as stencils.
silver minnow 
Doilies as stencils – brilliant! I like the light and dark dots too. And what beautiful, clear blues. It must be an excellent vat 🙂
wow kit- great use of the stencils- i knew you would have the knowledge to give them a new life. i have many more. i am going to see what i might be able to do with them as well when i get a spare moment or two. i love the dye journal- hadn’t seen that before and MUST,MUST get myself to a workshop with John Marshall this year.
thanks for the returned inspiration!
thanks for your comment, Glennis. I guarantee, if you take a class from John, you will love it!
[…] time back i sent Kit Eastman of Silver Minnow some of the kanoko shibori stencils i received from the Hasegawa family last Japan trip. being the […]
Doilies as stencils – brilliant! I like the light and dark dots too. And what beautiful, clear blues. It must be an excellent vat 🙂
Thanks, Eva – my instant indigo is working better as the weather warms up in these parts, bu it’s always a challenge to get the vat to warm up again after the cool nights! I have found a black bucket and am moving it around in the sun…