#Indigo vat how to#

However, if you want a larger vat, this recipe can be doubled, tripled, or scaled up as needed.

Fructose: 16 liters x 21 grams of fructose = 336 grams (triple the amount of indigo)Ī 16 liter (4.2 gallons) vat is a great vat to start with for dipping small items or to run experiments.

Calcium hydroxide: 16 liters x 14 grams of calcium hydroxide = 224 grams (double the amount of indigo).

Indigo: 16 liters x 7 grams of indigo (for a dark vat) = 112 grams of indigo.

Desired shade of blueĪs an example, let’s say we want to create a fairly dark vat in a 5 gallon bucket with 7 grams of indigo per liter of water (7gpL).

#Indigo vat how to#

How to calculate the amount of indigo, calcium hydroxide and fructose in the vatĪ fructose vat is built with one part indigo, two parts calcium hydroxide, and three parts fructose. For a dark vat, use 7 to 10 grams of indigo per liter of vat liquid.For a medium-dark vat, use 3 to 6 grams of indigo per liter of vat liquid.For a light to medium vat, use between 2.0 and 2.5 grams of indigo per liter of vat liquid.How much indigo to use in your vat in gpL This range of indigo shades was achieved with a 7gpL fructose vat in Aboubakar Fofana’s indigo workshop. If you have made your own indigo pigment, you can experiment to see how much makes a light, medium or dark vat. These amounts are for natural indigo powder, not for fresh indigo leaves, sukumo or instant indigo. Once you know the amount of indigo you want to use in your vat, you can calculate the other ingredients based off of this gpL number.Use these gpL guidelines based on what shade of blue you want to achieve.However, since we need enough room to add fibers without overflowing the bucket, we will make a vat of 4.2 gallons, or 16 liters. Our example is using a 5 gallon bucket, which is approximately 19 liters. Calculate the amount of liquid that your vat container can hold, leaving room for you to dip textiles into the vat without crowding or touching the sediment layer at the bottom of the vat.The amount of indigo in a vat is expressed as grams of indigo per liter of liquid in the vat, or gpL.The example of 7 different shades from a 7gpl vat shows the range of color from one vat. It is difficult to dye a light blue in a dark vat as the fiber is not in the vat long enough for the indigo to strongly attach and the light shade may streak, fade or wash out. However, since indigo dyeing involves layering multiple dips on a piece to build up the color, it’s possible to dye something a dark blue in a light indigo vat, but it will take more dips in the vat and more time to build up the color. We refer to light, medium, and dark indigo vats as a way to talk about the amount of indigo in each vat and how much and how dark a vat will dip. Wear an apron to protect your clothing and gloves to protect your hands from the alkaline vat.įirst, you must decide what shade of blue you want to dye with your vat.You can return the liquid you collect in this tray back to your vat. Use a drying rack or clothing rack to hang them on and place a small tray beneath it to catch any drips. Set up a space to hang your wet pieces after dipping them in the vat.Protect any work surfaces with tarps or drop cloths..You can either dip standing up (using a table or countertop), or sitting (using a sturdy low bench or cinder blocks to put your indigo vat bucket on). Create a work area that is a good height for the indigo vat, so you aren’t unnecessarily stooping or reaching. Wear gloves when dipping to protect from the alkalinity of the dye vat. The vat liquid is alkaline and may be drying or irritating to skin. If using indigo around children, adult supervision is highly recommended. The temperature of the vat water is very hot – nearly 180F (90C) – so use pot holders when heating water for the vat and watch for spills and steam. Gloves and eye protection are also useful to protect eyes and skin. Calcium hydroxide is basic and may be irritating. The ingredients for a 1-2-3 vat are not toxic, but we are working with fine powders and a dust mask is highly recommended. Bucket heater ( optional, follow manufacturer’s instructions if using).A shallow tray to catch drips ( optional).Drop cloths or tarps to protect your space.Drying rack or clothing rack to hang your pieces.A wooden dowel or broomstick to stir your vat.1 quart or 1 liter size) to dissolve ingredients Otherwise, the container may sag or collapse with heat. Make sure it is heat rated to 212F (100C). Check the temperature tolerance of the container that you choose.A 5 gallon bucket works well and is a good choice for experiments.

A container to build your vat in with a lid.Getting Started Ingredients (Amounts are calculated below)