Analog Indigo Diary

This is our Indigo Diary for the 40 liter vat. We record what we do to the vat each day, the ph level, temperature, the smell if it's distinct or important, and a color sample swatch. We are also recording the size and weight of fabric we dye along with before and after swatches to see if, when we set up '40 liter vat II' we can be consistant with this kit idea.

We started the journal on May 5th like this;

Day 1: tsukumo (2kg), lime#1(from kit), bran#1, #2 ash water(ph10.1) 65C, 20 liters

Mashed tsukumo to fine, thick paste (1 1/2 hours)

Put into heated bucket, electric blanket set to '5'

When finished--45C/ph10.3 smells like organic fertilizer

The photograph shows pages 4&5 from April 19 through today. We started dying on the 22nd and planned to use the pot every other day but today's sample was still a little weak so we put it off.

Today's journal reads;
4/26. 17C/45%. (This is the temp and humidity inside the barn which houses the indigo vats)
11.6/28C (This is the ph level and temp (celcius) of the vat)

Stirred.

In the sample swatches I think you can see how the color changes. The first swatch on the left hand page, is the day before we dyed the bandana and a 1meter square piece of fabric. The sample of the fabric shows the color after 2 dips of 6 minutes each with an oxidation time of 10 minutes between dips. That darkest swatch two days later (on the right hand page) is after dying that same fabric 3 more times. The following day our color sample was quite pale and splotchy. In a bigger vat the reaction would not be so drastic. I am used to working with vats about 5 times this size so was a little surprised. Today's sample is much better. Still not as dark as the very first sample but a brighter, more clear color. I think we can dye tomorrow.