Opening the second set of knots reveals sections of thread that have received neither dye and will be white in the woven textile. A pure blue is obtained by returning the threads to the warping frame and tying a third set of knots over the indigo work before the red dye process begins. To obtain a light blue this must be done part way through the indigo dying process. In traditional work, only natural dyes are used. Blue and red predominate.
Indigo is only collectable during the annual monsoon when new growth blooms.
Conversely, morinda root is harvested during the dry season when the dye-bearing sap retreats into the roots. To achieve a deep saturation of color the dyer will often need to work through several seasons across a number of years. Time consuming though the tying and dyeing processes are, it is the slow curing of the dyes that takes the most time. Dye lots are often stored for many years while waiting for these colors to mature. The weaving itself is done on a continuous-warp backstrap loom.