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Indigo on Silk

Indigo is a solid pigment that does not actually bind to fabric at all, nor is it chemically drawn toward textile fibres. To stain fabric the item you are dying must be present during the synthesis of the indigo dye. This page describes a one shot technique for dying silk using pure indigo hair dye, a ground plant material that releases indigo dye in contact with water. Complex patterns and decoration can be applied to the textile item of your choice using indigo in combination with a simple resist. The same process can be used on cotton or any other fabric that will accept indigo.

Method

The Khamsa patterns shown on this page were created to illustrate the use of indigo on white silk. A simple paste made with indigo and hot water is suitable for dying the fabric. The paste should be applied directly to the silk. As the moisture is wicked through the cloth the dye accumulates and oxidises on the opposite face to the dye paste. For this reason you must apply the indigo to the back of the cloth. As the paste itself oxidises it will change colour from dark green to a dark iridescent purple/black. By interrupting the oxidation before the paste is black the end colour of the silk can be stopped at a pale blue tone (see Fig 3). Air, heat and light facilitate oxidation of indigo; working outside in the sun tends to give the best results.

1. Stretch the fabric using an embroidery hoop or frame and apply the resist of your choice to the fabric. You can purchase proprietary resists from craft suppliers or make your own. I have tried wax, acrylic gutta, starch paste, and household emulsion paint, they all work. Allow the resist to dry completely. If necessary protect the area around your design with wax if you do not want the dye to wick and stain the whole piece.

2. Mix indigo hair dye with warm water into a paste. Do some tests to see what consistency suits you best for colour and even tones. A wet runny paste will wick further on the cloth but will give a more even stain than a stiff paste, which will give a darker stain that may be uneven. Let the paste stand for about five minutes then apply it to the cloth with a spatula or the back of a teaspoon. Remember, you can re-apply indigo to deepen the colour.

3. Decide which will be the right side of your work and apply the dye paste to the reverse side of the cloth. Apply the paste in a thick even layer and leave to stand until the paste has turned black. Then scrape off the dye and rinse fabric in cool water. The dye will not require any further fixing, excess dye will wash off and the remaining stain will be permanent.

Note: A property of the dye is that indigo dyed items will fade with use.

Figure 3 shows three tones of blue created with two dye applications Ð a short one and a longer one. This piece used two different resist techniques: the bold lines and areas were made using wax batik and the detail was made with emulsion paint resist applied with a Jacquard bottle.

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© Alex Morgan. Indigo Page 2004

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