‘Making of’
Yarn
Hand spinning, Silk yarn
A caterpillar or larvae is hatched from the eggs of a silk moth. The silkworms feed on leaves.
A weave is netted around by the silkworm to hold itself. After that it swings its head, essentially spitting in a circular formation around itself, spinning a fibre made of a protein and becomes a silk fibre. This forms a protective layer covering known as the cocoon.
ONE
Gather cocoons.
TWO
Place in a wicker basket.
Material interactions here are important as cocoons are sensitive.
THREE
Take off some excess fluff by hand, but not all.
Placing the cocoons in boiling water softens them. This is called degumming, and separates the fibres (fluff).
FOUR
Boil for 4 minutes, hold them submerged underwater using a collider tool.
FIVE
Take out and place in lukewarm water in a wide and open top bowl.
SIX
Allow them to be in the water for a minute to allow fibres to soften within their cocoon form.
SEVEN
Pick up fibres with a textured sponge instrument (much like a kitchen sourer) by softly running it through the surface of the water.
EIGHT
Repeat until you have gathered a visible quantity of fibre strands in your hand.
Silk is generally spun in two weights - 30 fibre thickness / 70 fibre thickness.
This quite literally means either 30 strands of silk strands or 70.
Consistancy is measured by sight and weight. Each strand weighs next to nothing, so tension is also a key tool for measuring the consistency of what will form your silk thread.
NINE
Gently catch these fibres in between your index finger and thumb.
TEN
Depending on which is your dominant hand, (right handed:) extend your left arm slowly, holding the silk strand in the crevice of your index finger when its coiled up, so as to not apply excessive pressure. While doing this, perform a light twist between your index finger and thumb in your right hand. While you should not apply too much pressure as to damage the fibres, enough rub should occur to twist the fibres together, forming your yarn.
Keep a continuous thickness. Consistency is key to the stability of the yarn.
ELEVEN
Continue to pull softly with one hand you spin them together with a slight twisting motion of your thumb and index finger in the opposing hand.
TWELVE
Work your yarn onto a sheet of clean, textured paper.
THIRTEEN
Date it. Remember this is a natural material.
Your cocoons will finish at different stages, you can tell when a cacoon has been finished as a small brown / black bean like shape will appear, sometimes still held by a thin layer of cocoon, you do not have to finish the whole cacoon as it can become very fine.
Some people eat the silkworm as it is high in protein.
FOURTEEN
When one silk filament runs out, join another by overlapping the ends and gently twisting them together to create a seamless join.
It is important you pay attention to this as the thickest is key to strength and continuity for weaving.
You cannot rely on solely the number of cacoons you are spinning from in the water, as the thickness of fibre will vary, so you must tell by sight and weight if the thickness of your single yarn is accurate.
Some practitioners wind directly from the canon to a spinning wheel or spindle.
You can do this, however if you allow your yarn to settle on paper, and dry, and then you collect it from this, it will allow your yarn to retain more of its natural twist inclinations, and encourage a bounce character within the yarn.
FIFTEEN
You can now spin your yarn into a hank, ready for dying.
Harvesting, Indigo
Indigo’s growing conditions are not exactly flexible, many plants contain indigo, however the most natural indigo was obtained from the genus Indigofera, which is native to the tropics, notably the Indian subcontinent, but now grows across Asia.
Practitioners techniques and processes may vary, as everyone has their own unique tradition, but this is what I was taught by a Japanese practitioner in India, in the penultimate stages of Monsoon season.
ONE
Identify mature indigo plants. The leaves of the plant contain the highest concentration of the pigment. Harvesting is typically done just before flowering.
The time for harvesting is important not only for the dye but to keep in mind the plants lifecycle and regrowth potential.
TWO
It can vary depending on the height of the plant, however traditionally cutting just above the first leaves is ideal. At the top portion of the plant, the leaves are the most mature and contain the most pigment.
Collect and harvest only what you need.
Dying vat development, Indigo
ONE
Crush or tear the harvested leaves to release the pigment.
TWO
Place the leaves in a container with water, ensuring they are fully submerged.
THREE
Allow the mixture to ferment for up to 3 weeks, minimum 1 week within a closed container, stirring occasionally to promote oxidation and pigment extraction. Leave in a warm and moist contained atmospheric space.
This time period will depend on the current climate in the surrounding area. If temperatures are lower, it will take longer, if temperatures are higher it should speed up the process
You can also tell when your vat is ready by the substantiality of foam one the top layer of your vat.
Interestingly plastic containers are preferably over ceramic containers. During this period of fermentation, the pigment molecules undergo a chemical change, turning insoluble into soluble form.
The liquid will gradually turn from green to blue as the indigo pigment is released.
FOUR
Now you will strain the liquid, by picking out the plants, squeezing them as you go along.
FIVE
Sieve your mixture to rid of smaller excess plant fibres
SIX
Compost your fibres
SEVEN
There are many things you can do to your Indigo vat to affect your yarn. Honey and lemon are added to the vat in small quantities, a cup for example for a large (knee height tub) vat of Indigo, or a tablespoon for a large jar (just above hand size) of Indigo. Adding these sour Fructose ingredients brightens your final dye colour.
This process converts the insoluble indigo pigment into a soluble form that can bond with natural fibres.
EIGHT
In order to prevent contamination of the vat, you can rub a little rum around the edge and surface of your container lid, not so it is dripping, just coated. This will prevent bacteria from thriving despite the moist, warm environment
NINE
You should be continuously checking the pH levels of your vat, this should be between 9-11pH.
If pH is too low add 1tbsp of lime, dissolve it fully, stir and let it sit. If the pH is too high add 1tbsp fructose, stir and let it sit
Another way to tell if your vat is ready is by running your hand through the vat, but not too much, and seeing how long the dye lingers on your hands when washed.
Curing Ash Water
ONE
Collect ask from underneath a purely wood burning source.
TWO
Place ash in large tub of water and allow to settle for minimum 48 hours.
When you touch it, you will feel a dissolved grain like texture within the water, which is almost unidentifiable but nevertheless undeniable.
This can be used to fix your dyes.
Dying, Indigo
Natural fibres absorb indigo dye most effectively.
ONE
Wash your hank of fibre / yarn thoroughly
TWO
Wet your hank.
Avoid the foam when placing your hank of yarn / fibre into the vat as collecting foam will use up the dying potential of your vat unnecessarily.
THREE
Carefully dip the fabric into the indigo vat, making sure it is fully submerged
FOUR
Gently run your hank through your hands in the indigo tub for about 45 seconds at a time
FIVE
Remove the fabric from the vat slowly, allowing the indigo to oxidise and cling to the fibres. The fabric will initially appear green but will gradually turn blue
SIX
Stretch and beat the hank between your hands for about 10 minutes in between dips
SEVEN
Leave to dry for 20 minutes
EIGHT
Re-dye
NINE
Repeat the dipping process multiple times to achieve the desired depth of colour. Each dip adds another layer of dye to the fabric.
TEN
Stretch and beat the fabric between your hands for about 10 minutes in between dips
ELEVEN
After your final dip, rinse the yarn by holding it at one end of the hank and thrash the water around in a clean running water source.
TWELVE
Fix in ash water
“Tsukidashi Ai”, “Aizome”, Dying by Moonlight, Indigo
Many Japanese cultures live by traditions in which the moon is believed to have a special influence on the indigo dyeing process, particularly during specific phases such as the full moon. The practice of dyeing with indigo under moonlight is thought to imbue the fabric with a subtle, ethereal quality and enhance the depth of the blue. This practice of indigo dyeing by moonlight reflects a deeper connection to nature and the belief in the mystical properties of the moon. One occasion which was recounted to me was a night in which a lunar eclipse occurred in Dehradun, this takes place only once every 144 years. Chiaki Indigo-dyed a hank of silk yarn by moonlight on this night at approximately 2 am, and the next day it was said to have retained an iridescent quality much unlike a typically dyed Inidgo hank.