A TECHNIQUE DRIVEN Blog dedicated to mastery of surface design techniques. First we dye, overdye, paint, stitch, resist, tie, fold, silk screen, stamp, thermofax, batik, bejewel, stretch, shrink, sprinkle, Smooch, fuse, slice, dice, AND then we set it on fire using a variety of heat tools.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

January Project-Shibori

I think that I'll focus on Shibori for the month of January. Purchasing supplies will be minimal (most of us probably already have pretty much everything), and it won't cost too much to get the stuff you might be missing. No books are required to be purchased, but you can always get books at the library or on Amazon.com on various shibori dyeing techniques.

You'll need fabric (of course), procion MX dye powders & the stuff that goes along with dyeing:

-dishpan(s) or other plastic containers
-measuring spoons
-soda ash
-non-iodized salt
-latex gloves
-plastic applicator bottles (old dish soap bottles or the kind you can get at a beauty supply company for hair dyeing)

For pole wrapping, you can get a piece of PVC pipe, in a fairly good size diameter, but at least 2 inches. Just poke around Home Depot or your local hardware store and see if they'll sell you a piece that's around 3 feet long. I found an 8" diameter piece at a local hardware store for 50 cents--it was a leftover. You can also try to find a thick piece of nylon rope, again at a hardware store or somewhere, as I've seen some pretty cool pieces done wrapped around rope and want to try it. Just make sure that you tape off the ends of the rope with duct tape so it doesn't unravel. Some stores will cauterize the ends with a heat gun, if you're lucky.

You'll also need some string--I've used really thin cotton crochet thread, nylon string, jute, and twine. They all work fine, and you probably already have at least some kind of string already. Also, if you've dyed a piece of fabric and aren't thrilled with it, put it aside to use for these techniques.

This will be an easy set of projects, but the results will be fantastic. I'm really in a "keep it simple" mood lately!

19 comments:

  1. This looks like fun. I think I remember doing this a loooooooooooong time ago, probably before there was wind. It would be fun to actually remember the process and do it again.
    At least I know where I can find all my supplies. That's a biggie, for me. :)Bea

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  2. Here is a blog that I found very helpful when I started playing with Shibori.

    http://entwinements.com/blog-mt3/shibori/technique/

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  3. That stuff on the entwinements blog looks a little too complicated for someone just starting out w/shibori. I was going to start simple with "a pole and a piece of fabric"--but obviously it seems that everyone has done this more than I have! Should I pick another topic?? I'm not an expert by any means but was hoping to learn more by doing it next month.

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  4. NO Laura! I love shibori and I would love to use a pole. I've only used thread before and I am anxious to get that pole wrapped effect. It will be a great way to ease into the year (after the holidays for those who celebrate). I am very much looking forward to shibor-ying. (new word). If it doesn't come out, I can always set it on fire!

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  5. I love the name of this blog, and the idea... go, go, go, I'll be reading along with you! :D

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  6. Ok, thanks for the feedback, Beth. Sometime around the first of January, I'll be posting some links to videos I've found on the web to show pole wrapping, and also some blogs that explain it pretty well, and of course some blogs & websites showing some great finished products that we can all aspire to!

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  7. I love shabori. Have only done one piece. Can't wait.

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  8. I have done some shibori, including pole-wrapping, but I am always interested in seeing how others do things! I would really love to see a video on the process, but will be glad to see what everyone comes up with. Shibori techniques are a great way to create wonderful designs on fabric or clothing!

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  9. I did some extensive shibori with silk and string several years ago and have been wanting to get back in using some layered pieces. Can't wait!

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  10. QuiltingArtsTV episode 504 has a spot on Shibori dyeing with the pole. Been wanting to try it.

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  11. I'll be following along, too! How fun.

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  12. I don't have any dyeing stuff, and I don't know if January is a good time in Chicago to try to dye. I have found instructions on how to use commercial dyes (like RIT) to do shibori.

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  13. I guess I'm saying I'm going to break the rules already?

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  14. It's not like we're going to be dyeing massive quantities of yardage, the pieces we're going to do will be smaller than a half yard, most probably smaller than a quarter of a yard. You can do them in a dishpan or bowl in your laundry room or even in your kitchen. Shibori is the wrapping/tieing technique, I don't care what kind of dye you use.

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  15. I am so curious about this blog. do you have any pictures of things you've
    set on fire? or is that just a euphonism for something? lol
    I love doing shibori and am always looking at ways to expand my techniques.
    Lori

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  16. Actually, Lori, this is a brand new blog so we haven't set anything on fire as a group yet. But I often use a candle flame to burn a nice edge on my ribbon, and I have melted polyester with a heating embossing tool, and "cut" using a fabric heating tool similar to a wood burning tool, and melted tyvek. Does any of that count?

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  17. I got my Shibori book out over the weekend and re-read the section on pole wrapping. I am getting more and more excited!

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  18. My friend is bringing her poles over today. We are going to try some shibori using paints rather than dye. (It is sort of a practice run for me, so I won't be totally lost when we do the dye project.) I'm excited too!

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  19. Great, I did some over the weekend just to see how they would turn out, and so I had some pictures to post.

    By the way, if you've received an email from me asking for money because I'm stranded in the UK, I'm sorry, and this is the final straw for yahoo mail.

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