Eileen spins, weaves, dyes cotton with natural dyes, and teaches internationally. Her specialty is indigo, and she has been doing personal research since 2005 on non-vat techniques with fresh leaves from Japanese indigo. This research approaches storage methods for extending the season and getting indirubin, the pink color in indigo, on cotton.

Colors besides blue can be obtained from freshly harvested indigo leaves. Non-vat techniques safe enough for children will be presented to obtain blue, green, and yellow on silk from a single bath without chemical additions to the bath. With the addition of an alkaline household chemical, indirubin pink can be obtained in a different bath.