INDIGO DYE DAY

Gathering materials Kay Dudek gathers materials for indigo dye day at her home in North Fort Collins as her dog Elwood tries to get her attention on April 27. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1000 f/11 1/500 sec	Dog interference Elwood the dog tries to keep the center of attention as Kay Dudek tries to layout fabric to prepare it for the dye bath. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1000 f/13 1/640 sec	Rubber band resists Kay Dudek stretches a rubber band to wrap around fabric to create a "resist" where the dye won't be able to touch the fabric. Elwood the dog makes the job more difficult as he seeks attention. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1000 f/3.5 1/4000 sec
First fabric folds Kay finally gets some freedom from Elwood and she's able to begin the first series of accordion folds as she prepares the fabric for the dye bath. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1600 f/22 1/320 sec	Clipping fabric Kay begins the process for Itajimi Shibori by laying out the fabric and folding it accordion style into a long column. She uses clothespins to help keep the folding precise. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1000 f/16 1/1000 sec	Final fabric folds Now that the fabric is folded in one direction, Kay prepares to fold the fabric the opposite way so it can fit between tiles for the dye bath. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1600 f/6.3 1/4000 sec
Clamped and ready The fabric has been accordion folded in both directions and a tile placed on each end to create a resist in the dye bath. Kay uses C-clamps to keep the folds tight. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 2000 f/6.3 1/4000 sec	Prepping the dye bath Kay pours the concentrated indigo into the warm dye bath. The indigo is already starting to form its characteristic "skin" on the surface on April 29. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/14 1/800 sec	Final preparations The indigo needs to mix in the warm bath for an hour before it can be used for dyeing. Kay takes the time to pre-soak fabrics, set up the drying racks, and get Elwood out of the way. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/14 1/800 sec
Dip in the dye Kay holds the heavy folds of fabric in the bath so it is completely submerged, but not touching the bottom of the pot where bits of indigo can create splotches on the fabric. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/16 1/1000 sec	Out of Indigo After a minute in the indigo, Kay quickly and delicately pulls the fabric from the bath trying not to let it drip into the vat and introduce oxygen which will exhaust the dye. The fabric is green when pulled from the bath and needs to be exposed to oxygen for it to turn blue. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/14 1/800 sec	Turning blue The fabric is exposed to oxygen, and over a period of 3-5 minutes, it begins to turn blue. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/16 1/1000 sec
Blue enough Kay examines the fabric to be sure it has fully oxidized and that there are no green spots left. Now she must decide if she wants to color to be darker. With indigo dyeing, the more times the fabric is dipped and then oxidized, the darker the color will be. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/13 1/640 sec	Dripping green As the fabric is exposed to oxygen, some parts turn blue faster than others. Places where the fabric is thick, folded, or seamed take longer to turn blue. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/10 1/400 sec	Blue hands As Kay prepares to rinse and unbind her fabric, she removes her gloves. The indigo tends to turn hands blue for a few days, even when wearing gloves. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 800 f/14 1/800 sec
Unfolded After oxidation and several dips in the indigo vat, Kay rinses the fabric, removes the clamps, and unfolds the fabric to examine the effects of the dye. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 800 f/16 1/1000 sec	Drying Fabric that Kay has tie-dyed and folded and clamped is unfolded, rinsed, and hung in the sun to dry in North Fort Collins on April 29, 2022. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 800 f/14 1/800 sec.

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I'm a crocheter. I also knit, embroider, weave, and sew but crochet is my main love. I have a master's degree in design and have worked at WeCrochet, Interweave Crochet, Wool Studio, and Krochet Kids International.

Let's make cool stuff together.

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INDIGO DYE DAY

Gathering materials

Kay Dudek gathers materials for indigo dye day at her home in North Fort Collins as her dog Elwood tries to get her attention on April 27. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1000 f/11 1/500 sec

Dog interference

Elwood the dog tries to keep the center of attention as Kay Dudek tries to layout fabric to prepare it for the dye bath. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1000 f/13 1/640 sec

Rubber band resists

Kay Dudek stretches a rubber band to wrap around fabric to create a "resist" where the dye won't be able to touch the fabric. Elwood the dog makes the job more difficult as he seeks attention. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1000 f/3.5 1/4000 sec

First fabric folds

Kay finally gets some freedom from Elwood and she's able to begin the first series of accordion folds as she prepares the fabric for the dye bath. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1600 f/22 1/320 sec

Clipping fabric

Kay begins the process for Itajimi Shibori by laying out the fabric and folding it accordion style into a long column. She uses clothespins to help keep the folding precise. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1000 f/16 1/1000 sec

Final fabric folds

Now that the fabric is folded in one direction, Kay prepares to fold the fabric the opposite way so it can fit between tiles for the dye bath. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1600 f/6.3 1/4000 sec

Clamped and ready

The fabric has been accordion folded in both directions and a tile placed on each end to create a resist in the dye bath. Kay uses C-clamps to keep the folds tight. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 2000 f/6.3 1/4000 sec

Prepping the dye bath

Kay pours the concentrated indigo into the warm dye bath. The indigo is already starting to form its characteristic "skin" on the surface on April 29. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/14 1/800 sec

Final preparations

The indigo needs to mix in the warm bath for an hour before it can be used for dyeing. Kay takes the time to pre-soak fabrics, set up the drying racks, and get Elwood out of the way. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/14 1/800 sec

Dip in the dye

Kay holds the heavy folds of fabric in the bath so it is completely submerged, but not touching the bottom of the pot where bits of indigo can create splotches on the fabric. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/16 1/1000 sec

Out of Indigo

Turning blue

The fabric is exposed to oxygen, and over a period of 3-5 minutes, it begins to turn blue. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/16 1/1000 sec

Blue enough

Dripping green

As the fabric is exposed to oxygen, some parts turn blue faster than others. Places where the fabric is thick, folded, or seamed take longer to turn blue. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 1250 f/10 1/400 sec

Blue hands

As Kay prepares to rinse and unbind her fabric, she removes her gloves. The indigo tends to turn hands blue for a few days, even when wearing gloves. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 800 f/14 1/800 sec

Unfolded

After oxidation and several dips in the indigo vat, Kay rinses the fabric, removes the clamps, and unfolds the fabric to examine the effects of the dye. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 800 f/16 1/1000 sec

Drying

Fabric that Kay has tie-dyed and folded and clamped is unfolded, rinsed, and hung in the sun to dry in North Fort Collins on April 29, 2022. Photo by Sara Dudek. ISO 800 f/14 1/800 sec.

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