Indigo Dried Leaf Dye Vat with Judy Saye-Willis

Fee: $15 members, $20 non-members
Registration: Please call (507) 332 - 7372 (ext 1)

Demonstration for making an indigo vat from the dried leaves of Japanese Indigo (Polygonum tinctorium). This fall Judy worked with Michel Garcia in his lab in Brittany to develop a process for making an indigo vat from the dried leaves of Japanese Indigo. Japanese indigo is an annual and grows well in Zone 4. Tweihoffs let Judy grow indigo at their Garden Center in Faribault this past summer and it proved to be a very good year. When the indigo plants were ready, she used hot and cold fermentation methods to extract the indigo pigment from the leaves of two cuttings. Judy did not have enough time or leaves to compost the indigo so she dried several bags not knowing how she would extract the indigo. Judy will use those dried leaves to demonstrate making a new vat and will also bring the vat she made in November. Tweihoffs also let her dead head their marigolds throughout the summer. While students are waiting for the indigo vat to be ready Judy will demonstrate making a dye bath from marigolds. Visitors will also have the opportunity to ask questions about natural dyes, the processes, what other dye materials are readily available and discuss interest in future classes. You will take home a blue indigo sample, yellow orange marigold sample and a green sample dyed in both.