Indigo - Taking it Further than Ever

At Book Depository

While on the subject of colour, try to get your hands on Victoria Finlay’s fascinating travelogue, “Color”.  Aside from interesting facts about the history and development of various colours (murex – a purple from predatory sea snails), you really begin to understand how important colour has been to us through-out history. 

There's a chapter dedicated to indigo and it makes you really think about how world's collided as the demand for these natural colouring substances increased.  The ready availability of synthetic dyes has certainly changed us.

Why do we love colour?  Mary Schoeser suggests in "World Textiles" that the period between 3000 – 400BC (Bronze & Iron Ages) is more a Dye and Loom Age.  Discoveries reveal advanced skills in both crafts; more than we credit them for having had.  These skills have left a cultural imprint that is still significant and very relevant today. It’s in our bones you see….

In my Indian indigo kurta in Nepal, 2005

Indigo is the oldest known dye, dating to about 2500BC, and the earliest centre for its production and processing is considered to be India.  Indigo, a heavenly blue, has been seen as a sign of wealth and luxury; having protective properties – both spiritually and for health reasons (insect repellent) across many civilizations  and an embryonic motivator in world resource trading (and cross-cultural sharing?). 

Indigo from Hill Tribes in Vietnam, 2007

Hill Tribes in Vietnam continue an indigo tradition to this day. It is a complex mix of highly technical skills learnt over generations and infused religious/spiritual beliefs. In Japan’s Edo Period, indigo dyed cotton was quite possibly the uniform of the masses since silk was a forbidden cloth, unless you were the emperor, of course!  That tradition lives on today and no more so than in our favourite casual wear – blue jeans. We, who work with our hands, call ourselves blue collar workers……

At the Aizome Workshop in Kyoto, 2000

I had the great privilege in 2000 (still looking for my photos) of meeting a 3^rd generation Aizome (indigo dye) Master, Kenichi Utsuki in Aizenkobo, at his family’s aizome studio, itself dating from 1850’s.  Located deep in the fascinating and historic Nishijin textile neighbourhood of old Kyoto, we struggled to find the studio, being waylaid by so many seriously tempting sights.  Not to worry, the smell of the fermenting vats of dye led us to his studio door.  If you love to dye, if you love sensuous shades of blue, if you thrill at the look and touch of traditional hand-dyed fabrics, if you gasp at the skills of a master dyer, then this is definitely the place to be.

Shades of Indigo in Yorktown USA, 2009

So why am I bringing this to your attention?  Well, indigo was eventually a major crop for South Carolina (and thrived in Jamaica and the Virgin Islands) so it is hardly surprising that Yorktown farmers in 1780's were using it to colour their clothes.

Blue glazed tiles from Yorktown.
Blue was a favourite colour

Not an Exact Science

If you want to try some natural dyes yourself
 follow India Flint's instructions. Try Amazon

Getting back to those beautiful natural dyes, early settlers in the Tidewater had 3 dye sources readily on hand – animal, vegetable and mineral.  Mineral of course goes back to 3000BC perhaps when some early artist found that ochres stained his (or her) animal skin cape or twig brushes. 

Over the years, others noted that there were  dyes which left a lasting colour without help (substantive; like beetroot juice on my white shirt!) and others, adjective dyes, which required some pre-treatment of the base fabric with a mordant to help the dyes bite.  The oldest known mordant is urine but alum, tin or iron is more common.  After the dye has taken, it needs to be “set”, commonly with a salt and vinegar mix. 

Aniline dyes were developed in the 1850’s; a chemical process which produced vivid colours.  Procion dye is one I’ve recently played with but along with technical advance, comes inherent dangers and the need to wear a face mask, rubber gloves and big aprons. And be especially careful when discarding unwanted mixtures. I also used a washing machine (heaps of water) and a dryer (heaps of electricity) to arrive at a finished product. 

Sample Board : Black Walnut, Brazilwood & Cochineal

So heritage or natural dyes seem a much gentler alternative.  Samples at the Yorktown 1780’s farm included dyes made from locally available materials –  black walnut, brazilwood, cochineal (from Central America), indigo (a major crop for South Carolina) or woad, logwood, madder, onion skins and of course, tobacco leaves made up a modest but beautifully soft palette. 

Sample Board: Logwood, Madder, Onion Skins & Tobacco

Preparing a dye pot is also time consuming and requires, even today, lots of chopping, grinding and crushing. Many recipes are closely guarded secrets.  Luckily, India Flint, a talented Aussie, has shared many of her secrets in her book, Eco Colour. Otherwise, there are a few easy recipes out there if you scour the internet.  

Me, I’m off to find a bit of fabric.  I’ve just cut a pomegranate and it has the most beautiful ruby red juice I’ve ever seen!    

Frontier Dyeing on the Tidewater



1780's Farm

Whilst exploring the 1780’s farm in the Victory Center in Yorktown (USA), I discovered something that sent my textile radar into overdrive. 

Now we all love colour, right?  Well, down in a small shed on the other side of the garden was a small basket of cotton ready for carding and a sample board of dyed fabrics.  The colours were amazing – a subtle palette of natural dyes…

Herbs drying in the Kitchen

Jamestown, across the Colonial Parkway, was settled by English colonists in 1607; the beginning of English Colonial America 1607 – 1781. We've all heard of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas?  Yorktown was later settled in 1691 and grew to become a sizeable and busy port in what was known as the Tidewater region. Tobacco was its main commodity, which was grown on small farms surrounding the port.  These farms were generally 2-3 acres and fertile enough to support crops of tobacco and foodstuffs.  Families of 6-8 lived in a one or two roomed cottage. The kitchen, a barn for drying tobacco, a walled kitchen garden and smaller storage areas were located nearby. Self-sufficiency was de rigueur.

Collage of farm shots

This translates into finding time in their already busy schedules to grow their own animal or vegetable fibre (cotton or wool), then prepare it ready for spinning, weaving and colouring.  Once they had cloth, it had to be then sewn (by hand!) into clothing or practical household goods such as blankets.  I wonder how many of our fashion divas would survive this homespun life?

Textile Offerings

Ancient Peruvian Textile

Everyone will tell you that NY is a Fashion City.  Labels are simply everywhere and sold in emporiums like Macy's and Bloomingdales, not to mention those 5th Ave Boutiques.  However, here's a roundup of textiles that interested me.

We stopped in Bloomingdales briefly and discovered, quite by chance, a showing of Batman costumes (on the men's level). Of course, how could you take your eyes off that amazing catwoman outfit worn by Michelle Pfeiffer?  Other stunning outfits included Danny DeVito's Penguin, Jim Carey's Riddler and the very detailed gown worn by Poison Ivy. This display won a quiet gold star from us - no crowds, no noise and a close up view of all that detailed stitchery.  Batman or not, it did not inspire himself to run off and buy a pair of cute, designer undies.

Natural History Museum

The Lion King on Broadway was our next stop.  It is a stunning musical with creative, colourful costumes galore - and we really loved the themed music. The puppeteer's costumes lean heavily on Mbuti mudcloth designs whilst Simba and Scar wear Kuba designs.  The only photo op presented itself at the entrance to the theatre (Rafiki), but at least it's one to take home. There are plenty of web sites out there giving you some idea if you haven't had the chance to see the play.

Lobby Kuba Cloth

Speaking of African cloth, it took me a few days to realise that our apartment building used textiles as lobby artworks.  A nice applique piece of woven raffia Kuba cloth is displayed on the ground floor; the pic isn't good as it was in an awkward position in the lobby and I had to be discreet...  The motif is said to be the most common in Kuba craftwork and is known as "the tail of a dog".  Otherwise, I saw on other floors embroidered pieces of Indian origin.  It would have been nice to know what else was on display.

The Museum of Natural History had some fabulous costumes and other textiles.  I've included a few shots - most are through glass so there's some reflection and, of course, flash is not allowed.  I didn't note the specifics of each unfortunately, so this is my excuse to go back if I want to list them all.  Now that I think back, it would have been interesting to find out where they managed to find those vivid pinks and light blues.  Are they ancient vegetable dye recipes?   Certainly silks for the Korean costumes dyed during the Confucian period must have been.

Even marble can look like a diaphanous textile

Metal Suits for Man & Beast

I didn't follow up on costume in the Met having been so overwhelmed by furnishings and décor.  But these few photos look at textiles from a different perspective. I believe that knights of old used to wear quilted garments under that heavy armour.  And clothing was all hand stitched in those days.

Not textile but lots of gold leaf expertly applied and so inspirational

My favourite guide for textiles has generally been "World Textiles" by Gillow and Sentance, 1999.  What is yours?

Side Orders

Our NY City Survival Guide - more or less!

Look who's out for a walk too...

We purchased a weekly bus pass.  It was an excellent and very convenient way to travel around the city.  

Trusty runners (good walking shoes) were also very helpful.  You really feel less like a tourist on a hectic schedule and notice lots more on shank’s ponies (two legs!).  

We also have folding bikes (on floating home, WJ3), which are very handy when transport is not so common and interesting things are a bit out of the way.  I’m not sure I’d be game to ride in downtown NY.  All that traffic and driving on the wrong side of the road!

No Fashionista but at least dry...

Circle Line Tours or similar hop on/hop off orientation tours might seem a bit twee but are well worth the money.  We usually take them early in our stay to familiarise ourselves with new surroundings and to help in making those all important decisions about our "must sees".  

In NYC we did even better; we had a local guide who knew all the best spots.  

And if he didn’t, he had friends who did…. 

Meals are huge.  Be warned that for Australians abroad in NY, a US entrée is our main and OZ entrée is our starter.  Got it?  Don’t order an entrée size thinking you will be doing a good thing for your waistline.  We also found that ordering an entrée might also mean just a meat serving.  Vegetables or salad then comes as a side order at an additional cost.  Eating out or even ordering a coffee is just, well, part of the scene in NY.  A kitchen - what’s that?

Just everyone eats out!

Another Grump out on the Street!

Avoid tourist hot-spots and eat where the locals eat - goes without saying really!  We wanted to take our host out for a nice dinner.  Lured by the view from a revolving restaurant near Times Square, we were quite unprepared to be stitched over.  The expensive buffet left a lot to be desired.

There are grumps everywhere, aren't there! 

Inside the Frame

Inspiring Guggenheim spiral

His Captainship had been summonsed to a meeting of like-minded blokes, so GS was free….free to wander museums and galleries.  First stop, the Guggenheim, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece.  Inside was a fabulous display - a Kandinsky retrospective featuring almost 100 of his colourful and energetic canvases.  Kandinsky’s works had been Wright’s inspiration for the design of the building some 50 years ago.  It is hard to believe that these modern works were dated between 1896 and 1944.  I could have stayed for a week but hurried on not wanting to miss the Met.

Dizzy Heights

Just a little further down 5th Ave is the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  A vast Gothic structure built in 1874, the Met is credited with being one of the world’s largest art galleries.  It was into this vast space that I wandered; with little time and without a plan of action.   After meandering through the sizable Egyptian section, it slowly dawned on me that this was not a display of collected objects.  Everything, including architectural pieces was real. Overcome, I negotiated my way to the busy café and whilst sipping coffee came up with a plan.  Guided tours had been advertised at the main entrance.  Albeit that would only cover a fraction of fraction of the exhibits, but at least I would understand what I saw.

A Very Grand & busy Met

At exactly 2.15pm our guide expertly led us on a tour of royal furniture and stately European rooms 17th & 18^th C.    I busily admired furniture, fittings, paintings, carpets, textiles and decorative bric-a-brac.  “This is Marie Antoinette’s desk”, said his Guideship.  “Fabulous job of the room”, I said.  “Who does the set designs?  They must spend a lot of time researching to get it looking so real.”  “It is real”, he said.  Gassssssp!  Apparently some “rooms” came to the US by way of wealthy New Yorkers who imported them into their apartments.  Later, they donated them to the Met.  Oh, to have an unfashionable drawing room once used by Louis XIV!  After the tour, I managed to find my way over to the American Wing, recently refurbished to include several period rooms.  Best of all, I could stand in a Frank Lloyd Wright room seeing it as if he had “just stepped out for a moment”. 

I have vowed to come back......

Great Design everywhere you look

 

Circling Manhattan

The Real Thing

Monday began our Circle Tour experience.  Hmmm!  We took an uptown tour with a guide we could barely understand.   Despite this we were taken good care of, issued with capes in case of precipitation and thoroughly entertained.  The tour wasn’t too bad either…   Then it was time to hit the waves again.  Down in Hell’s Kitchen, we boarded a large Circle Line ferry for a 3 hour cruise round Manhattan.  Somehow, and I’m still not sure why, we ended up at the bow (the pointy bit at the front) doing a titanic, jostling with crowds and freezing our butts off.  Afterwards, we made a B line for Finnegan’s Wake for more comfort food and warming reds.  As you do!

  

World Trade Center Re-Build

Day two of our Circle Tour began at Central Park South waiting for a downtown bus.  Although our guide was very good, we wanted to see the World Trade Center site/memorial and pay our respects to colleague and friend, Yvonne K, who was tragically killed in 9/11 (Flight 77).  We searched for a “temporary” memorial but found instead a tourist pay-for-view; very tacky indeed given the circumstances. 

OK, so who let Skippy out again?

Back on the bus, we crossed town for a whirlwind Brooklyn Tour. Departure was delayed as we became embroiled in a stop work/pay dispute.  Our guide was not happy with Management’s managing and had staged a walk-out.  We waited and waited for another bus to arrive.  No such luck.  Cues just got longer and became even more fidgety.  Finally, he decided we could get underway.  Being on board though resembled a trade union meeting attended by a bunch of vocal brickies labourers.  Some fellow travellers fled the bus, others sympathised and we wondered if it was all just good, blue collar theatre. Fair Dinkum!  All I could remember of Brooklyn afterwards was a sign near the zoo with a few bouncing kangaroos.    

 

The sun was setting and we made a dash for the Rockefeller Center which had been suggested by locals as worth a visit.  It was not crowded, had nice views over Central Park and nearby Empire State Building and was quite an architectural gem in its own right.  It was breathtaking.

After taking too many photos, we moved on downtown to Times Square.  We had booked ourselves in for a Broadway treat, The Lion King.  That too was spectacular.

The Cap’n and crew wandered homeward, stopping at JG Melon on 3^rd for a bite to eat.  On the wall was a photo of Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep - sitting at our table, sorting out their divorce!  JG Melon’s had been used for filming some scenes from Kramer Vs Kramer (1979). 

Ahhh, fame is never really far from you in New York!

And so to New York

NYC Skyline

You hear so much about New York.  After hauling out and spring cleaning WJ3, we were finally on our way.  The Cap’n wasn't nervous.  We knew at least one person there, and better still, Alan was also our host!  We dropped our bags in his apartment  admired panoramic vistas and then headed out to sample the nightlife of this bustling city.  Cortina on 2^nd Ave (Upper East) – I’m speaking like a local already – was a much needed dinner stop and then after, just a block away, a tiny, bustling bar.  Given the rigours of previous weeks, its name escapes me. 

A Reflective UN Building

The next day, sea legs recovered, the Cap’n led us on a merry orientation walk all over downtown Manhattan.  We passed by the Chrysler building, Grand Central Station, NY Library, Empire State Building (didn't go up – the cues were too long), Macy’s and the UN Building.  Due to a meeting of the General Assembly, security around the area was tight.  We dined at Smith & Wollensky on 3^rd Ave in the evening.  It’s something of an institution; steaks as big as Texas (almost)!  We needed to walk off dinner but were waylaid by yet another bustling corner bar…. Starting to fit right in!

Lunch in Bryant Park

To avoid doing the dishes we breakfasted at Cinema Café (70^th St) on Saturday morning.  Now there’s a place I could recommend – the French toast was to die for!  Again, we walked Manhattan, taking in a more detailed inspection of Grand Central Station, Bloomingdale's and Times Square.  After a coffee to revive ourselves at the Ark in Bryant Park (a skate park in winter), we bused down to Battery Park and walked some more along the waterside boardwalk.  

The Statue of Liberty looked glum on this grey and chilly afternoon, while several smaller versions of the Lady roamed the park looking for cashed up tourists. We were starting to feel the New York chill after Deltaville’s scorching humidity, so opted for a hearty supper at Finnegan’s Wake, Alan’s local.  Over lamb shanks and mash, and a warming red or two, we realised we were missing home.

Just too many Gorgeous Ladies

By Sunday it was raining.  Never let that get in the way of a vigorous walk in the Park.  Yes Central Park.  It was certainly a good way to avoid the crowds and walk off yet another foodie extravaganza.  Our day began meeting friends over brunch in a cosy PJ Bernstein’s Deli on 3^rd.  The food was traditional European; lots of meats, breads and cheeses.  Even chicken livers for breakfast!  I’d have killed for some fruit and cereal.

Inside a bustling Grand Central

After circumnavigating the Park (that’s what it felt like!), we joined kids getting lost in the expansive Natural History Museum and stayed to play among their many exhibits. 

Somehow we stumbled into a supermarket on our way home.  The end result was our first and only dinner cooked in the apartment!  Sure hope Al wasn't hankering for some gourmet home cooking!

Textile History along the ICW

Upstairs Parlour Murat House

My first quilt siting had been at the Halifax Historical Museum in Daytona Beach.  It's quite an interesting museum covering Daytona's diverse history, especially auto racing. Many land speed records had been set on the beach between 1903 to 1936.  Upstairs in Grandma's Attic, I found a lovely display of old toys, clothes, books and bric-a-brac and even a well cared for old quilt; perhaps a single Irish chain in red & white from memory.... It seems so long ago since I saw it now!

Flagler College Mosaic

Further north along the ICW is St Augustine, a very popular tourist town. Out of the hustle and bustle, you can find the splendid Dow Museum of Historic Houses.  Keep walking up Cordova Street, it's just behind the Lightner Museum (once Flagler's resort casino & hotel).  The Dow Museum is a town block of nine homes covering the period between 1790 to 1910.  I found a lovely quilt in the Canova House (1840) (I think) and another crazy patch in the Worchester House (1906).  I've included a view of the ravishing bedroom and attic (for ladies to languish) of Prince Murat House. The house is named after Prince Murat, Napoleon's nephew, who boarded in this modest home in 1824 soon after he "moved" to America.

Dow Museum Finds

We discovered some lovely mansions in Charleston SC now open as museums.  However, photography was not allowed, so no pics!  The Haywood Washington House (1772) did have a delightful feather bed in a room said to be (most likely) used by George Washington during his stay in this attractive city.  Charleston just screams of applique quilts, feather beds and pineapple designs. Charleston is also known for its traditional sweetgrass baskets woven by Gullah families and sold in the marketplace.

Pre-Coloumbian Textile Chrysler Museum

Lastly, I did find an antique quilt for sale whilst browsing in Portsmouth VA.  No - I didn't buy it....  Shrinking luggage allowances on international flights and strict quarantine rules (thinking of grass baskets) limit a credit card blowout.  On the other side of the Elizabeth River, Norfolk's Chrysler Museum of Art had a few sensational textile finds - both very modern and very ancient. I also loved the City Logo; a playful set of lavishly decorated mermaids who inhabit downtown.  I want one for my garden!

Chrysler Museum of Art

I have just been reading about Norfolk and Portsmouth's role as sites in the underground railroad (1850's). (The existence of the underground railroad is somewhat contentious.) This network of houses known as stations, guided many slave runaways to their safety. Quilts may have played a role; various patterns were said to be codes to help slaves find the freedom they sought.