It’s been a long, cold few months without my hands looking blue as a cadaver’s. Yes, I know I should wear gloves. But sometimes it just can’t be helped! (Nice use of passive voice, yes?)

I’m eager to try out what we learned in Oaxaca at the 10th Annual Shibori Symposium. We met some of the leading practitioners of natural dyeing—Michel Garcia, Katharine Ellis, to name a few. We’re giving up our lye and getting the religion of the three-two-one vat.

Until then, Kim and I are going to watch the documentary “Blue Alchemy: Stories of Indigo” by Mary Lance, whom we met over the world’s best breakfast at Casa Bugambilias in Oaxaca.