HOW TO DYE WITH FRESH LEAF INDIGO | SALT RUB METHOD | ORGANIC COLOR | BLUE GREEN | THE COLOR FARM

[@barnbrat7732]

I grew persicaria tinctoria this year and it is the BEST! I have had blue hands on and off since August. I even highlight my hair with it. Like you, I enjoyed playing it in . Great conversation starter too. 🤨😂

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Isn't it the best! Yay to the blue hands 💙 Got more time this summer with my potted friends and at the IndigoFest. Been posting a bit these past few weeks all about it 😊

[@jdmosaics]

Much quicker in a blender!! Such fun!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Very true, but I just loved getting my hands into the mash 💙

[@Chris.Faassen]

Fantastic video!!! 💙

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Thank you, darlin! The blue hands were so worth the days of exploring this timeless dye plant 💙

[@somepinkflowers]

Oh how wonderful ! 💕🌸🌸💕👏🏽🌸🌸💕 Wishing I had access to this plant. 🪴💕 I must attempt to grow some !!! Thank you for sharing. 🙏🏽

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

With your green thumb, you can grown these in a snap! The few stems I put in water to root are now shooting out leaves too 💚 I've heard it truly is like a weed, so get yourself some seeds and test it out 💙😊💙

[@monkamtorn891]

Bautiful

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@monkamtorn891 Thank you so much 💙

[@jhughs456]

Amazing! can’t wait to experiment, I just found out that I am growing one of the lesser indigo plants, the “false indigo” Baptisia Australis. Can’t wait to see what else you do!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

I just loved working with fresh leaf indigo, Jenifer 💙 Now that I have a few stems rooting, I may see about potting them as I've heard they are super easy to grow. Have you tried extracting color from your false indigo? I've read you can still get blue from it, so I would guess it's worth experimenting with 😊

[@samihage1223]

Which weather forecast do they need and where to find indigo seeds please

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You can grow fresh leaf indigo in most any climate - they are very forgiving plants. Certainly any temperate climate will work and you can always grown them in pots. I have purchased seeds from Grand Prismatic Seed in Colorado, Siskiyou Farm in Oregon, Botanical Colors in Washington and Love of Colour in Canada. Not sure where you are located, but you can probably find an on-line seed retailer in your region. Good luck!

[@alinasagai2900]

Can we try this method with other leaves?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

What a cool question - never thought about it! The fresh leaf indigo holds its vibrant color inside the leaves and needs that oxidation process to release it, so this method works perfectly. The liquid that is naturally expressed from fresh leaf indigo might also be specific to this plant, so not sure if other types of leaves that hold color would also release it in the same way. Another colorful leaf I've used for natural dyeing is Japanese maple, so might be worth trying it out to see 🍁 I have expressed color with a simple mashing process from the petal/leaves of the bougainvillea. There are 2 videos here showing that process and it works beautifully 💕

[@Tippler0611]

The initial salting and mashing reminds me of making sauerkraut; I wonder if the fresh leaf could be fermented and the dye saved in the same way? Or would the acid bacteria ruin the dye properties?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

What a fun comparison, Linda! I've never made sauerkraut, but sounds like I would enjoy that 😉 There is a way to extract a reddish hue from indigo mash, but I have not tried this yet. I saved my mash from this video, but eventually had to throw it out because I moved. Hopefully I can experiment with this in the future.

[@katylecocq4746]

Persicaria japonica 😁🌺🌼

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Katy - this variety of fresh leaf indigo is persicaria tinctoria 💙 The japonica variety is knotweed, I believe?

[@katylecocq4746]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest tu as tout à fait raison😁 la renouée du Japon est une plante invasive...la persicaire tinctoriale est celle que tu emploies dans la vidéo

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@katylecocq4746 Bon à savoir!

[@katylecocq4746]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest persicaria tinctoria est très facile à cultiver même en Belgique, j ai aussi ISATIS tinctoria dans le jardin. Malheureusement je n arrive pas à faire pousser Indigofera. J 'ai fait de l extraction à chaud avec persicaria pour avoir le pigment en poudre...ça fonctionne mais très peu de poudre...à froid avec macération de 10 jours pas de résultat 🤔 avec le sel de très beau résultat mais comme je suis artisane j expose les foulards à la lumière....ça éclaircit avec le soleil.🤪 La teinture avec indigofera ( fructose et chaux) est + solide😁😎 Bravo encore pour tes recherches, le partage et ton sourire😁🌼🌺 Sorry but i don t speak in English...i understand a little bit😁

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@katylecocq4746 On dirait que vous avez un magnifique jardin ! J'ai des feuilles qui poussent maintenant sur les tiges que j'ai enracinées, mais j'ai besoin d'un pot pour les planter 😉 Je prévois de créer quelques vidéos sur la teinture en cuve à l'avenir, ainsi que sur la fabrication de pigments de lac. J'ai sauvé le colorant de ce processus pour voir si je pourrais en faire une poudre. Toujours amusant d'expérimenter! J'ai étudié le français à l'école, mais j'utilise Google Translate ici 💚

[@bornfree2916]

😍😍

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

💙💚💙

[@samihage1223]

Can I find indigo natural powder for soap coloring and if yes where?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

I don't make soap, but Suzanne Dekel sells natural dyes for soap making. You can find her shop on-line 😊

[@samihage1223]

Where can I find indigo seeds to plant them

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Check my last response to your question about places to buy seeds 💙

[@jessicabey275]

That looks amazing but I don't think it would work for bigger amounts of fabric 🙃

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

I've seen some larger pieces worked this way. It produces quite a bit of dye 'juice', so you might be surprised. You might have to work it longer and with a single larger piece, but why not try 😊

[@jessicabey275]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest 😄 very true! You are much more of a cup half full person then I am and i am definitelya cup half full! I love it your so encouraging 😍 I was thinking if I ever do manage to get some cuttings or seeds that I could try both methods and see which I like better. Because I think the salt rub with cut pattern pieces may warp and the blender method would be gentler(?) Or just sew up the garment instead of pieces