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Fibres need to be washed well to remove the lanolin, and soaked in clean water before being added to the dye bath.

For a 1 gallon dye vat, tear 250g of fresh woad leaved into small pieces and put them into the dye pot, until a cherry colour appears.

Strain it and allow it to cool to 50c. It must not be hotter.

Add some washing soda to hot water and dissolve it.

Add the dissolved washing soda to the vat to turn it to a greeny brown colour.

To check the colour, the pH should be between 9 and 10.

Whisk the  liquid until blue bubbles form on the  surface. It usually takes 10 minutes.

Heat back to 50c.

Sprinkle on about 1 tablespoon of colour run remover (sodium dithionite Na2S2O4) over the liquid. WEAR A MASK.

Take off the heat, cover and allow to stand for about 45 minutes, until the liquid has turned a yellowy green colour. DON’T STIR – will introduce more oxygen and it won’t work.

When it is ready, place gently the  soaked yarn into the vat and leave for approximately 20 minutes.

Remove the fibres very gently without dripping into the vat.

Plunge them into a bowl of clear water and then lift them up and expose them to the air.

The yellowy green colour should change to a beautiful blue.

On Friday we were taught two methods of dyeing using the woad pigment and the woad leaf. It was interesting to see the difference in colour and shade between the two processes of dyeing.

Tearing the woad leaf.

Torn woad leaf in boiling water.

Measuring out the pigment.

Different stages of the woad plant: alive seeds, leaves, dead seeds and pigment balls.

Different colours that can be achieved from the woad plant.

Carefully placing yarn into the pigment and water, making sure no oxygen goes into the dye.

 When first taken out of the dye, the yarn and fabric appear a yellow colour. Once the dye reacts with oxygen, the colour develops into a blue.

Different shades of blue yarn created from the pigment dye.

A turquoise shade is created from the woad leaf dye.

After being introduced to my textiles partner which reminded me of a an episode of blind date, the only thing missing was Graham with his quick reminder!

Myself and Hannah met up for coffee to discuss each other’s projects and any initial ideas we had.

Hannah showed me samples of her previous work which gave me an insight into what was possible with weave.

As we slurped our way through a caramel macchiato and a calorie free tropical juice drink, we both came up with various possibilities on what to do.

I was interested in perhaps looking at police uniform and incorporating the woad in it somehow.

Early stages, but a good first introduction.