Saturday 31 December 2016

100 Day Indigo Leaf Fermentation and the Friends who Drop by to Mix the Compost.

It amazes me that the fermenting indigo leaves reach 50 degrees plus centigrade in only a few hours after mixing the leaves. 30 days of the 100 day fermentation have passed. The ammonia indigo smell is intoxicatingly beautiful.  (Momo & Geiger don't agree.) Every few days we fluff up the leaves and the temperature plummets and after covering the leaves with the straw mats it starts to ferment again.












Shunji was here from Amsterdam. One year has passed since he moved there. It was great to catch up.

It takes time to twist all the fringes on a full sized blanket. Once I finished them I put the blanket in a hot bath and washed it for an hour by hand. It filled/fulled out beautifully. The indigo stopped rubbing off and now I can play warm jedi for the rest of the winter.









I didn't manage to put up a Christmas tree this year but did put up the Japanese pine branches at the front door today to welcome the new year. Three hours left of 2016.  Wishing everyone finds peace and helps create some in our crazy world in 2017.








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12 comments:

  1. judib31 December 2016 at 21:42

    Wishing you s very Happy New Year full of love, laughter, creativity and some surprises

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    Replies
    1. Bryan's Japanese Textiles6 January 2017 at 17:17

      Thanks Judi, I'll see you soon enough. Yuwa is so excited to be going to meet you.

      Delete
  2. Peregrinor31 December 2016 at 22:00

    Happy New Year, Bryan! I'm constantly amazed by your breadth of creativity.

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  3. Debbie Maddy31 December 2016 at 23:00

    Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. I love your new scarf!

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  4. Jean in Okayama, Japan1 January 2017 at 05:43

    Wishing you and Hiro a very Happy New Year. It's really interesting to read about the indigo. I look forward to reading more.

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  5. Unknown1 January 2017 at 11:37

    Beautiful textiles- and to wash the blanket for an hour! You don't do anything by halves. The neckband is so interesting, what an intricate pattern, with the best red thread. The subtle pine branch display is perfect, sometimes these smaller gestures are more pleasing.
    Claudia Fisk

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    Replies
    1. Bryan's Japanese Textiles6 January 2017 at 17:18

      The shadow was like an artery and the blood capillaries.

      Delete
  6. Unknown1 January 2017 at 18:31

    all the best Bryan, a lot of nice works like this beautifull blanket, a lot of posts to read!!! and much love in 2017 :-) Anne

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  7. Velma Bolyard3 January 2017 at 02:42

    a lovely way to begin the new year...steaming indigo, friends, and a little pine bough.

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  8. Caustic4 January 2017 at 18:44

    Dear Bryan,
    Happy 2017 with lots of creative and joyfull moments. Love the jedy blanket and Mixer's red sashiko strip. Wonder how she manages to keep the stitches random whilst achieving a kind of natural pattern.S

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    Replies
    1. Bryan's Japanese Textiles6 January 2017 at 17:16

      Sure stitches until she bumps into an edge and does the pool table technique...

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  9. Mirjam4 January 2017 at 19:36

    A very happy new year Brian! I really love to read about the indigo-processes on your farm and to see the beautiful textiles!
    Hope to see it all in real some day!

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