Thursday 22 December 2011

playing the blues

my rule for myself is not to use imported dyestuffs. but i love blue. so when i was in France earlier this year and was assured by Charlotte Kwan of Maiwa that their indigo comes from a sustainable source and that the grower receives proper recompense for their trouble, i permitted myself an indulgence. and bent that rule.

so now that i have the luxury of being at home for a time i'm playing the blues. in the dyepot, at the cocktail hour and on my tenor saxophone. redgum ash and reject honey [yes, there IS such a substance] are the reducing agents, in a local variant on Michel Garcia's indigo methods.

and next year we'll be deep in blue and deep in the woods at the same time.