Today’s program was focused on three things – Indigo Tie Dye, Time on the Playscape and a BBQ.
Our first order of business was prepping our cloth for dyeing. This included cutting large pieces of fabric into squares, exploring different tying techniques, putting our designs into practice and soaking our fabric to prepare for the indigo bath. As one member of our group stated, “My favorite memory is folding the fabric in different ways and using the rubber bands to wrap it. Especially Julia’s rabbit, it’s so cute!”
Second was putting our tied bundles into the indigo bath. We first donned rubber gloves (safety first!) and then placed our fabric into the indigo. After letting it soak for a few minutes, we removed them and washed them off. As Mr. Newman explained, indigo dye oxidizes quickly, so we did not have to worry about letting them soak overnight. This allowed us to open up our creations quickly, and we were able to see what we had made. To quote another member of our group “my favorite memory from today was unveiling my indigo-dyed shirt.”
Next, we dropped off the luminaries we made with the second graders yesterday. We arranged them in their rooms so they would be there when they got back in from the playscape. Then, we got to spend time out on the playscape with them having fun and getting to be kids. It was awesome when we came out and we heard excited shouts of “they’re here!” and they all came running over to us. As one member of our group said, “I loved hanging out with the lower school second graders. They brought a nice hour of smiles and laughter to my day!”
Finally, we had an outdoor BBQ. While the weather was cold, we enjoyed hot food, delicious salads and good company. It took awhile for the coals to get going, but in the end everyone ate their fill. But, the best part for many was when we were able to warm ourselves over the coals. I think for many of us this sentiment “my favorite memory of today was warming ourselves at the fire,” is one we all felt at the end of the day.
Tomorrow is our last full day of IL. It’s been a fun journey learning new art techniques, spending time together, and having fun!