Fall 2009
Indigo Dyeing Safety Instructions
Indigo Vat Safety Instructions
DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE OR EYES WHEN HANDLING LYE, SODA ASH, THIOX, OR ANY CHEMICAL!!!
Lye Handling Instructions
NEVER add water to Lye (Sodium hydroxide). You will create a dangerous reaction doing so. ALWAYS add your Lye (Sodium hydroxide) to “cold” water.
Once the Lye is added to the “cold” water the water will become very hot from the chemical reaction! This reaction will cause your utensils and vat container to become hot. Have hot pads or insulated gloves for handling hot equipment.
Make sure that your container can withstand high temperatures.
Read safety instructions that came with your Lye (Sodium hydroxide).
Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) is dangerous! Extreme caution must be used when handling lye (Sodium hydroxide). Lye (Sodium hydroxide) will cause serious burns to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes.
A respirator is required when handling lye(Sodium hydroxide) products as inhalation of the fumes can cause serious burns to the nose and mouth (mucous membranes)
Wear protective gloves, such as latex or nitrile gloves, when handling lye (Sodium hydroxide). Lye (Sodium hydroxide) can cause serious burns to the skin, especially if your skin is moist! The lye (Sodium hydroxide) will start reacting with the moisture on your skin immediately, causing serious burns.
NOTE: Make sure that your gloves are proper fitting, and not too lose, as an ill fitted glove can lead to accidents.
Wear safety goggles/glasses when handling lye (Sodium hydroxide)! This is to prevent any of the lye liquid/fumes from entering the eyes.
NOTE: Do not touch your face, eyes, or ears when handling lye (Sodium hydroxide) products!
Wash your hands thoroughly for five minutes, and upper arms, after working with lye (Sodium hydroxide). You want to make sure that your hands are completely free of chemical before touching any other parts of your body to prevent burns.
Do NOT use with aluminum or cheap stainless steel containers or utensils. Do NOT put lye into an a cast iron pot!
FIRST AID: wash burned area with cool water for 15-20 minutes. Call or seek emergency help for burns. Seek medical attention immediately.
If swallowed seek medical attention immediately. Do NOT induce vomiting!!!
Keep Lye (Sodium hydroxide) away from children and small pets.
IF a spill should occur sweep of lye and dispose of down the sink drain with copious amounts of cold water.
This ALSO applies to Thiox, Indigo extract, Soda Ash or any mordant, assist, or chemical when you are working in the studio.
Thiox will burn your skin wash immediately with water.
Work in a well ventilated area, I prefer to work out of doors with the wind blowing away from me.
Wear a respirator when working with Natural Dye Extracts, Mordants, and Dye Assists
DO NOT PUT WATER INTO YOUR THIOX POWDER AS THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS CREATING A TOXIC CLOUD OF GAS!!!
Rather using a studio dedicated teaspoon place your thiox into the indigo vat.
DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE OR EYES WHEN HANDLING LYE, SODA ASH, THIOX, OR ANY CHEMICAL!!!
Lye Handling Instructions
NEVER add water to Lye (Sodium hydroxide). You will create a dangerous reaction doing so. ALWAYS add your Lye (Sodium hydroxide) to “cold” water.
Once the Lye is added to the “cold” water the water will become very hot from the chemical reaction! This reaction will cause your utensils and vat container to become hot. Have hot pads or insulated gloves for handling hot equipment.
Make sure that your container can withstand high temperatures.
Read safety instructions that came with your Lye (Sodium hydroxide).
Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) is dangerous! Extreme caution must be used when handling lye (Sodium hydroxide). Lye (Sodium hydroxide) will cause serious burns to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes.
A respirator is required when handling lye(Sodium hydroxide) products as inhalation of the fumes can cause serious burns to the nose and mouth (mucous membranes)
Wear protective gloves, such as latex or nitrile gloves, when handling lye (Sodium hydroxide). Lye (Sodium hydroxide) can cause serious burns to the skin, especially if your skin is moist! The lye (Sodium hydroxide) will start reacting with the moisture on your skin immediately, causing serious burns.
NOTE: Make sure that your gloves are proper fitting, and not too lose, as an ill fitted glove can lead to accidents.
Wear safety goggles/glasses when handling lye (Sodium hydroxide)! This is to prevent any of the lye liquid/fumes from entering the eyes.
NOTE: Do not touch your face, eyes, or ears when handling lye (Sodium hydroxide) products!
Wash your hands thoroughly for five minutes, and upper arms, after working with lye (Sodium hydroxide). You want to make sure that your hands are completely free of chemical before touching any other parts of your body to prevent burns.
Do NOT use with aluminum or cheap stainless steel containers or utensils. Do NOT put lye into an a cast iron pot!
FIRST AID: wash burned area with cool water for 15-20 minutes. Call or seek emergency help for burns. Seek medical attention immediately.
If swallowed seek medical attention immediately. Do NOT induce vomiting!!!
Keep Lye (Sodium hydroxide) away from children and small pets.
IF a spill should occur sweep of lye and dispose of down the sink drain with copious amounts of cold water.
This ALSO applies to Thiox, Indigo extract, Soda Ash or any mordant, assist, or chemical when you are working in the studio.
Thiox will burn your skin wash immediately with water.
Work in a well ventilated area, I prefer to work out of doors with the wind blowing away from me.
Wear a respirator when working with Natural Dye Extracts, Mordants, and Dye Assists
DO NOT PUT WATER INTO YOUR THIOX POWDER AS THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS CREATING A TOXIC CLOUD OF GAS!!!
Rather using a studio dedicated teaspoon place your thiox into the indigo vat.
Indigo Dyeing using a Lye or Soda Ash vat
Dye Materials Needed
1 ounce Indigo extract or Indigo chunks
1 cup Soda Ash or Lye (I HIGLY recommend using Soda Ash NOT Lye~!)
2 Tablespoons Thiourea dioxide or Thiox
Water
Equipment needed:
Respirator – you only get one set of lungs! Wear a respirator when handling dye powders, mordants, and dye assists~!
Gloves – wear heavy duty kitchen or dyeing gloves when handling the indigo ingredients (See safety Instructions Below)
Stock Pot 18 quarts or bigger, can be Stainless Steel or Enamel the indigo vat will react with aluminum so I don’t recommend using aluminum pots for creating the vat.
Scale for weighing dyes and chemicals – again studio dedicated!
Measuring spoons, measuring cups, wisk for stirring
Jar – wide mouth pint jar for making indigo paste
Spoon, studio dedicated, for stirring the vat
Tongs for retrieving your fabrics, fibers, etc.
Lingerie bag for small items you wish to find in the vat again the bag makes them easier to retrieve
Water for your vat, rinsing, and for oxidizing
Vinegar – helps to restore the pH balance of wool and silk fibers/fabrics
pH papers/strips for testing the pH of your vat.
Heat source
Clothesline for hanging fabrics onto to help fabric oxidize faster.
Natural Indigo Chemical Reduction Mini-Vat Instructions:
1. READ Safety Instructions before Beginning the Indigo Vat!
2. Fill your vat container with water you don’t need to heat the vat at this point. ALLOW TO SIT OVERNIGHT, doing this allows the oxygen to dissipate from the vat.
3. Place 1 ounce Natural Indigo powder (if you are working with hard chunk indigo it will have to be ground down first) into a suitable container.
4. Add just enough hot water until you get a paste – preferably lump free (I use a dedicated wide mouth pint jar for this solution.
5. Add soda ash or lye to the vat water - NEVER add water to your soda ash or lye ALWAYS add the soda ash or lye to the water!!!
6. Slowly add the indigo paste to the vat solution
7. Stir to dissolve NOTE this may take quite a bit of stirring, heating the vat at this point also helps with dissolving the paste faster.
8. Next add thiox to the vat solution stir very little so as to avoid adding Oxygen to the vat.
9. DO NOT BOIL YOUR VAT as this will cause bubble formation and will introduce Oxygen into the vat.
10. REMOVE HEAT after 30 minutes
11. Cover vat and allow to sit until reduction is complete.
12. Reduction is complete when your vat turns a yellow to yellowish pea green color.
13. If your vat is still blue after 24 hours then you have too much Oxygen in your vat add thiox to the vat in small increments, a few grains of thiox at a time, to further reduce the vat.
14. If you reduce the vat too far then gently stir the vat with one or two swirls of the spoon and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
15. You will need to test the pH of the vat to see if the pH is correct
16. pH should be 10.0 – 11.5
· cottons 11.0-11.5
· wool and silk 10.5-11.0 preferably closer to 10.5
17. Adjust pH by adding small amounts, half teaspoon at a time, of soda ash to your vat, even is you created a lye vat do NOT add more lye to the vat at this point.
1 ounce Indigo extract or Indigo chunks
1 cup Soda Ash or Lye (I HIGLY recommend using Soda Ash NOT Lye~!)
2 Tablespoons Thiourea dioxide or Thiox
Water
Equipment needed:
Respirator – you only get one set of lungs! Wear a respirator when handling dye powders, mordants, and dye assists~!
Gloves – wear heavy duty kitchen or dyeing gloves when handling the indigo ingredients (See safety Instructions Below)
Stock Pot 18 quarts or bigger, can be Stainless Steel or Enamel the indigo vat will react with aluminum so I don’t recommend using aluminum pots for creating the vat.
Scale for weighing dyes and chemicals – again studio dedicated!
Measuring spoons, measuring cups, wisk for stirring
Jar – wide mouth pint jar for making indigo paste
Spoon, studio dedicated, for stirring the vat
Tongs for retrieving your fabrics, fibers, etc.
Lingerie bag for small items you wish to find in the vat again the bag makes them easier to retrieve
Water for your vat, rinsing, and for oxidizing
Vinegar – helps to restore the pH balance of wool and silk fibers/fabrics
pH papers/strips for testing the pH of your vat.
Heat source
Clothesline for hanging fabrics onto to help fabric oxidize faster.
Natural Indigo Chemical Reduction Mini-Vat Instructions:
1. READ Safety Instructions before Beginning the Indigo Vat!
2. Fill your vat container with water you don’t need to heat the vat at this point. ALLOW TO SIT OVERNIGHT, doing this allows the oxygen to dissipate from the vat.
3. Place 1 ounce Natural Indigo powder (if you are working with hard chunk indigo it will have to be ground down first) into a suitable container.
4. Add just enough hot water until you get a paste – preferably lump free (I use a dedicated wide mouth pint jar for this solution.
5. Add soda ash or lye to the vat water - NEVER add water to your soda ash or lye ALWAYS add the soda ash or lye to the water!!!
6. Slowly add the indigo paste to the vat solution
7. Stir to dissolve NOTE this may take quite a bit of stirring, heating the vat at this point also helps with dissolving the paste faster.
8. Next add thiox to the vat solution stir very little so as to avoid adding Oxygen to the vat.
9. DO NOT BOIL YOUR VAT as this will cause bubble formation and will introduce Oxygen into the vat.
10. REMOVE HEAT after 30 minutes
11. Cover vat and allow to sit until reduction is complete.
12. Reduction is complete when your vat turns a yellow to yellowish pea green color.
13. If your vat is still blue after 24 hours then you have too much Oxygen in your vat add thiox to the vat in small increments, a few grains of thiox at a time, to further reduce the vat.
14. If you reduce the vat too far then gently stir the vat with one or two swirls of the spoon and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
15. You will need to test the pH of the vat to see if the pH is correct
16. pH should be 10.0 – 11.5
· cottons 11.0-11.5
· wool and silk 10.5-11.0 preferably closer to 10.5
17. Adjust pH by adding small amounts, half teaspoon at a time, of soda ash to your vat, even is you created a lye vat do NOT add more lye to the vat at this point.
How to Scour Cotton Cloth
Scouring Fabric
Kimberly Baxter Packwood © 2001
When working with any mordant or dye powder always wear a respirator with fresh filters.
NOTE: Any dyeing equipment used in natural dyeing, should never ever be used or reused for the preparation, storage or cooking of food or beverages.
What Scouring Does:
Scouring fabric is easy and will ensure excellent dye uptake every time.
Scouring is a two step process, both steps must be followed if you wish to acquire the greatest depth of color.
Scouring fabric removes the grease, dust, dirt and grime that fabrics encountered during the manufacturing process and transit.
How to Scour Your Fabric:
Simply wash your fabric, this includes PFD fabric, in the washing machine in hot water with Soda Ash. Do not add any fabric softeners to the wash. If you must dry your fabric do so without any fabric softener sheets
NOTE: Fabric softeners interfere with both natural and synthetic dye uptake.
Using an large enamel or stainless steel pot, fill the pot at least half full and place one ounce of soda ash into the pot per pound of cotton or linen fabric/fiber.
Place fabric into water, swish it around using a stainless steel spoon.
Bring water to a boil!!!
Adjust heat to a low boil/hard simmer and allow to boil for two hours. stir the fabric every 15 minutes or so t make sure that the fabric is being adequately scoured
After two hours remove from heat source, allow fabric to cool down until the fabric is at room temperature.
Remove the fabric from the water and rinse.
NOTE: If the water is brown or grey replace the water & soda ash mixture with fresh water and soda ash and re-scour the fabric, it is not clean yet. repeat this process until the fabric rinses clean and the scour water is only mildly dirty.
Your fabric is now ready to be Mordanted & Dyed!
Kimberly Baxter Packwood © 2001
When working with any mordant or dye powder always wear a respirator with fresh filters.
NOTE: Any dyeing equipment used in natural dyeing, should never ever be used or reused for the preparation, storage or cooking of food or beverages.
What Scouring Does:
Scouring fabric is easy and will ensure excellent dye uptake every time.
Scouring is a two step process, both steps must be followed if you wish to acquire the greatest depth of color.
Scouring fabric removes the grease, dust, dirt and grime that fabrics encountered during the manufacturing process and transit.
How to Scour Your Fabric:
Simply wash your fabric, this includes PFD fabric, in the washing machine in hot water with Soda Ash. Do not add any fabric softeners to the wash. If you must dry your fabric do so without any fabric softener sheets
NOTE: Fabric softeners interfere with both natural and synthetic dye uptake.
Using an large enamel or stainless steel pot, fill the pot at least half full and place one ounce of soda ash into the pot per pound of cotton or linen fabric/fiber.
Place fabric into water, swish it around using a stainless steel spoon.
Bring water to a boil!!!
Adjust heat to a low boil/hard simmer and allow to boil for two hours. stir the fabric every 15 minutes or so t make sure that the fabric is being adequately scoured
After two hours remove from heat source, allow fabric to cool down until the fabric is at room temperature.
Remove the fabric from the water and rinse.
NOTE: If the water is brown or grey replace the water & soda ash mixture with fresh water and soda ash and re-scour the fabric, it is not clean yet. repeat this process until the fabric rinses clean and the scour water is only mildly dirty.
Your fabric is now ready to be Mordanted & Dyed!
Scouring PFD Cotton Fabric
Once again it is time to point out the importance of proper fabric preparation when dyeing with natural dyes. I don't say this to be rude but rather to save you much time and effort when dyeing cotton with natural dyes.
Q. Do I have to scour my PFD, Prepared for Dyeing, Fabrics?
A. YES you must scour PFD fabric before mordnating and dyeing with natural dyes, I go as far as even washing BEFORE I scour my fabric to ensure that the dressing oils, all fabrics receive these it's to keep the dust down when the fabric is rolled onto bolts, tubes, etc.. I have scouring instructions on my website and video on youtube. The scouring process is so very important with cellulosic fibers as it helps to force the fibers open before the mordanting and dyeing steps. Scouring ensures that your fabric will hold maximum natural dye molecules and helps to achieve truer colors.
Q. is your water hard or treated? Water quality is very important regarding the final dye color out come. Hard water tends to supress most dye molecules (exception is weld it becomes more intense).
Q. Which plants do you plan to dye with? Some plants do not yield permanent color so it is important to know this before you start a project, as depending on your plans for the fabric you may not be able to over dye at a later date if your colors fade.
NOTE: Also cotton fabrics don't take certain natural dye colors no matter what you do to the fabric but silk and wool fabrics will suck the color up like no tomorrow.
Q. Do I have to scour my PFD, Prepared for Dyeing, Fabrics?
A. YES you must scour PFD fabric before mordnating and dyeing with natural dyes, I go as far as even washing BEFORE I scour my fabric to ensure that the dressing oils, all fabrics receive these it's to keep the dust down when the fabric is rolled onto bolts, tubes, etc.. I have scouring instructions on my website and video on youtube. The scouring process is so very important with cellulosic fibers as it helps to force the fibers open before the mordanting and dyeing steps. Scouring ensures that your fabric will hold maximum natural dye molecules and helps to achieve truer colors.
Q. is your water hard or treated? Water quality is very important regarding the final dye color out come. Hard water tends to supress most dye molecules (exception is weld it becomes more intense).
Q. Which plants do you plan to dye with? Some plants do not yield permanent color so it is important to know this before you start a project, as depending on your plans for the fabric you may not be able to over dye at a later date if your colors fade.
NOTE: Also cotton fabrics don't take certain natural dye colors no matter what you do to the fabric but silk and wool fabrics will suck the color up like no tomorrow.
Why Should I Scour PFD Cotton Fabric
Once again it is time to point out the importance of proper fabric preparation when dyeing with natural dyes. I don't say this to be rude but rather to save you much time, effort, and disappointment when dyeing cotton with natural dyes.
Q. Do I have to scour my PFD, Prepared for Dyeing, Fabrics?
A. YES you must scour PFD fabric before mordnating and dyeing with natural dyes, I go as far as even washing BEFORE I scour my fabric to ensure that the dressing oils, all fabrics receive these it's to keep the dust down when the fabric is rolled onto bolts, tubes, etc.. I have scouring instructions on my website and video on youtube. The scouring process is so very important with cellulosic fibers as it helps to force the fibers open before the mordanting and dyeing steps. Scouring ensures that your fabric will hold maximum natural dye molecules and helps to achieve truer colors.
Q. is your water hard or treated? Water quality is very important regarding the final dye color out come. Hard water tends to supress most dye molecules (exception is weld it becomes more intense).
Q. Which plants do you plan to dye with? Some plants do not yield permanent color so it is important to know this before you start a project, as depending on your plans for the fabric you may not be able to over dye at a later date if your colors fade.
NOTE: Also cotton fabrics don't take certain natural dye colors no matter what you do to the fabric but silk and wool fabrics will suck the color up like no tomorrow.
Q. Do I have to scour my PFD, Prepared for Dyeing, Fabrics?
A. YES you must scour PFD fabric before mordnating and dyeing with natural dyes, I go as far as even washing BEFORE I scour my fabric to ensure that the dressing oils, all fabrics receive these it's to keep the dust down when the fabric is rolled onto bolts, tubes, etc.. I have scouring instructions on my website and video on youtube. The scouring process is so very important with cellulosic fibers as it helps to force the fibers open before the mordanting and dyeing steps. Scouring ensures that your fabric will hold maximum natural dye molecules and helps to achieve truer colors.
Q. is your water hard or treated? Water quality is very important regarding the final dye color out come. Hard water tends to supress most dye molecules (exception is weld it becomes more intense).
Q. Which plants do you plan to dye with? Some plants do not yield permanent color so it is important to know this before you start a project, as depending on your plans for the fabric you may not be able to over dye at a later date if your colors fade.
NOTE: Also cotton fabrics don't take certain natural dye colors no matter what you do to the fabric but silk and wool fabrics will suck the color up like no tomorrow.
Scouring PFD Fabrics
Once again it is time to point out the importance of proper fabric preparation when dyeing with natural dyes. I don't say this to be rude but rather to save you much time and effort when dyeing cotton with natural dyes.
Q. Do I have to scour my PFD, Prepared for Dyeing, Fabrics?
A. YES you must scour PFD fabric before mordnating and dyeing with natural dyes, I go as far as even washing BEFORE I scour my fabric to ensure that the dressing oils, all fabrics receive these it's to keep the dust down when the fabric is rolled onto bolts, tubes, etc.. I have scouring instructions on my website and video on youtube. The scouring process is so very important with cellulosic fibers as it helps to force the fibers open before the mordanting and dyeing steps. Scouring ensures that your fabric will hold maximum natural dye molecules and helps to achieve truer colors.
Q. is your water hard or treated? Water quality is very important regarding the final dye color out come. Hard water tends to supress most dye molecules (exception is weld it becomes more intense).
Q. Which plants do you plan to dye with? Some plants do not yield permanent color so it is important to know this before you start a project, as depending on your plans for the fabric you may not be able to over dye at a later date if your colors fade.
NOTE: Also cotton fabrics don't take certain natural dye colors no matter what you do to the fabric but silk and wool fabrics will suck the color up like no tomorrow.
Q. Do I have to scour my PFD, Prepared for Dyeing, Fabrics?
A. YES you must scour PFD fabric before mordnating and dyeing with natural dyes, I go as far as even washing BEFORE I scour my fabric to ensure that the dressing oils, all fabrics receive these it's to keep the dust down when the fabric is rolled onto bolts, tubes, etc.. I have scouring instructions on my website and video on youtube. The scouring process is so very important with cellulosic fibers as it helps to force the fibers open before the mordanting and dyeing steps. Scouring ensures that your fabric will hold maximum natural dye molecules and helps to achieve truer colors.
Q. is your water hard or treated? Water quality is very important regarding the final dye color out come. Hard water tends to supress most dye molecules (exception is weld it becomes more intense).
Q. Which plants do you plan to dye with? Some plants do not yield permanent color so it is important to know this before you start a project, as depending on your plans for the fabric you may not be able to over dye at a later date if your colors fade.
NOTE: Also cotton fabrics don't take certain natural dye colors no matter what you do to the fabric but silk and wool fabrics will suck the color up like no tomorrow.