Ammonia Vat II

Well, it seems to be fermenting nicely, now! It's starting to smell very ripe and the colour of the liquor is beginning to change colour, towards a green. I have waited so long for this to happen, that I am beginning to get rather impatient. But I must not wreck the slow process by diving in with some yarn I want dyed blue! I must, I must be patient.

Ammonia Vat update!

Well! What can I say!!

I have only just posted the last post, if you see what I mean. It's been a draft for several weeks! I made the vat as described, but it wouldn't ferment! (Lots of exclamation marks, going on you will see, that's how frustrated I've been!!!)

I tried stirring it every day, to move the sediment from the bottom. I have "fed" it more sugar, more yeast. Not to mention that it is sitting on a heat pad to keep the temperature constant, as it had been rather cold here in Derbyshire in the UK.

Jim Liles book, The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing - Traditional Recipes for Modern Use, suggested that if it hadn't become active in 2 - 3 days it may never do so! Well, I didn't want to abandon all the effort, not to mention, indigo and ammonia, I had put into it. So, I have given it another chance, adding more sugar every day and more yeast over the last two days and Hay Presto! it's started to ferment. I suspect it was because the temperature has risen, here, over the last few days, to be rather unseasonly warm at night. This despite the heat pad, has maintained the temperature a little more consistently.

Let hope this continues, as I have usually used a yeast and washing soda vat, and only used this one because some one said they liked it better! It has been a very good learning curve, though!

Indigo Fermentation Vat

I have been busy organising my work room over the last week, so haven't had much time to do any real "work" such as weaving, spinning or dyeing. But I need to make an indigo fermentation vat so that I can dye some yarn next week. I have to start now, as it takes about 48 hours to work, so that it will be ready for Monday.

It's the ammonia/yeast vat that I am going to make and this is how I am going to do it:

• add 5 tablespoon of powdered Yeast and 5 rounded tablespoons of Sugar to 5 cups (200ml) warm water and leave for 2 hours.
• at the same time dissolve 5 level teaspoons of Indigo to 2 and 1/2 cups (500mls) Ammonia.
• After the 2 hours add the indigo and ammonia to the yeast-sugar mix in a large container and fill to about the 2 1/2 gallon mark. Cover with plastic wrap and use a rubber band to seal. (The fermentation can burst a rigid seal.)
• Leave to sit for several days in a warm place.