Dyeing the Deepest Indigo Blue
Deepest indigo for the foundation colour of the wool blend, three dips of 15 minutes each.
The first step in my Blues Project begins—bringing my wool into the depths of indigo. As I prepare to spin a yarn that captures the richness of shifting blues, I take a layered approach to depth and contrast, ensuring that the final fibre blend holds complexity and movement.
Dividing the Wool for Layered Depth
To achieve a range of tones that will later be blended on the hackle, I divide 100g of wool into three parts:
70g for the deepest indigo—this forms the foundation of the blend, providing the rich, saturated base.
20g for a slightly lighter indigo—a contrast shade to break up the darkest blues.
10g for a medium indigo—just a hint of mid-tone to add complexity.
Range of indigo tones I achieve, by dyeing the wool roving for 3 seconds, to 45 minutes.
Rather than blending these shades evenly, I layer them strategically on the hackle, concentrating darker and lighter fibers in sections to create a heathered effect when spun. This method should add depth, making the final yarn more visually interesting—subtle in knitting, but beautifully dynamic in weaving.
The Dyeing Process
I start with the deep indigo, dyeing the 70g portion in 15-minute increments. After two dips, the wool is already intensely dark, but I extend the dyeing time further to deepen the colour even more.
The 20g portion, destined for the slightly lighter indigo, dyes for just 2 minutes, emerging as a pale royal blue—a lovely, soft contrast to the darker fiber.
Next, I dye the 10g portion for only 2–3 seconds, aiming for a medium indigo tone to round out the gradient.
This layered dyeing process creates a dynamic interplay of color once blended and spun, ensuring that the final yarn has subtle movement rather than a flat, uniform tone.
Looking Ahead
Once all the fibres are dyed, I begin preparing them on the hackle, experimenting with different ways to layer and blend the shades before spinning. I’m excited to see how this translates into yarn—especially how the contrast plays out in both knitting and weaving.
Would love to hear—if you’ve worked with layered indigo dyeing before, what blending techniques have you found most effective?
Helpful Books from My Library
These are some books I found particularly useful during the dyeing stage:
Natural Dyes, by Gwen Fereday. 2003. Unicorn Books and Crafts Inc.
A handbook of Indigo Dyeing, by Vivien Prideaux. 2003. Search Press.