The dyestuff is called indigotin. To extract it from any of the indigo or woad species, you merely need to chop up the leaves and heat in water to just below 160 degrees fareinheit. Heat for several hours until the liquid takes on an amber tint. The resulting solution can be stored several months.
To create a dye bath you need to free the indigo from the solution by exposing it to an alkali like lye or ammonia. In the old days fermented urine was used. A cheap modern alternative to a fermenting urine pot in the back corner of the yard is to purchase washing soda and a sodium hydrosulfite compound. In the USA you can buy Borax washing soda at the grocery, and Rit Color Remover or Spectralite (sodium hydrosulfite compound) at the discount store.
To dye a pound of wool:
1 0unce of washing soda
a quart of liquid extract or 1/2 ounce of ground powered indigo
One package of Rit Color Remover (or two ounces of sodium hydrosulfite)
Mix washing soda with a quart of water. Pour indigo extract into non-reactive gallon container and add the washing soda mix. If you use powered indigo instead of homemade extract, mix it into a paste and add to washing soda mixture. Add water to make a gallon mixture. Heat to around 130 degrees farenheit. Pour off half this mixture and reserve.
Now add one ounce of the Rit color remover to a pint jar. Add warm water to fill and stir. Take one cup of this solution and add to the indigo vat. Let stand for 30 minutes. Then dip in your cloth or fiber skeins. Squeeze out excess dye. As the skein (which is now a greenish brown) is exposed to air, it will turn blue as if by magic! To get darker blues re-dip the fiber.
Keep the vat well stirred. Add more Rit dye Solution as the vat changes color and it will return to the greenish brown color of an active indigo vat.
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