Indigo and Shibori Dyeing

Indigo and Shibori Dyeing

In this hands-on class you will learn the basics of shibori-inspired folding and binding techniques to create beautiful patterns on fabric with indigo dye. We’ll discuss setting up the vat and spend time preparing our materials for dyeing.

The use of indigo dye, or aizome, has a long and cherished history in Japan. The deep blue colors for which Japanese textiles are celebrated come from the leaves of the tade ai, a plant introduced to Japan from China in the sixth century. Shibori is a Japanese technique of manual resist dyeing used to make patterns on fabrics.

One of the most exhilarating things about using resists when dyeing fabric is the unknown result that awaits when you unwrap your piece. Resists can involve folding, stitching, binding, twisting, clamping and compressing the fabric to keep parts of it from being exposed to the dye.

Indigo and Shibori Dyeing will be shared by Harmony Oltman.