Sara Fordy is a textile artist and teacher and is passionate about indigo! This is her website and demonstrates some of the possibilities and challenges indigo presents to the designer. Starting from scratch with a blank fabric, opportunities are only limited by the imagination. If you have any ideas of your own, please get in touch and we can discuss a commission or arrange a workshop to follow the idea through.
I was very privileged in February to be allowed to work at the studio of Mr Nakanishi in Yamashina on the outskirts of Kyoto. I spent five days learning and experimenting with natural indigo. It was fascinating watching, learning and playing with the Japanese natural fermentation method. I was fortunate to be present as a natural vat was created – I watched as the sukomo (natural indigo) was added to the warm water, then soda ash, lye, saki… soon the vat started to work its fermenting magic. I came home with lots of memories and significant amounts of Japanese indigo dyed fabric, vintage fabrics that had left the UK white, were returning home in various delicious shades of blue!