Indigo and Rust

Patterns in indigo textiles are made by tightly binding fabric so white patterns form where the deep blue dye did not reach. Traditional work is done with stitching, sticks, and leaves, but you can see rubber bands and clothespins used in the examples below. Notice that loops and lids have also been employed.

Jodi Waltier teaches shibori and other indigo techniques at the League. Below are some images from Jodi Waltier’s very fun Indigo Workshop. You can see students pulling work from the indigo dye, discovering the pattern their resists have formed. The dye starts green, but turns the dark indigo blue it’s famous for as soon as it is exposed to oxygen.

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For her fine art show “Evaporation Diaries” Waltier made a series of textile works in which the everyday objects themselves left marks from their interaction with the water. These photographs document the moment a rusted iron object is unwrapped after an indigo dye bath. This unusual textile project called uses indigo, ink, iron, and rust to form works that are, at the moment of their birth, nearly visceral in their appearance. once washed, the fabric takes on a more elegant and painterly appearance, as seen below.

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There is an intrinsic magic associated with the indigo vat and the unknown patterns and shades of blue.  One needs only to be a willing, hands-on participant to be able to walk away with a notebook full of techniques and a head full of possibilities.  You can learn the basics of folding and clamping, bound resist, setting up the indigo vat, and stitch techniques.  You can explore resists with objects, pole wrapping and bundling in Indigo; a two day workshop with Jodi Waltier.

Want to give it a try?

Next Indigo Workshop is March 7/14, 2020

Get deep into INDIGO.