Itajimi Shibori

Apart from experimenting with eco-dyeing (natural dye), I'm also taking Shibori online workshop with Glennis Dolce from Shibori Girl. If you have been reading my blog you would have guessed that I'm interested in dyeing. Yes I have been dyeing for more than 10 years now. My first experience with dyeing was natural dye using Eucalyptus leaves and dyeing spun yarn that I spun myself. Then I went on to dye quilting fabric using Procion dye. Recently I got back to dyeing with natural (eco-dye) again following India Flint's book Eco Colour. This time I'm experimenting with other plants and flowers and dyeing using vintage kimono silks. 

My interest in Japanese art and textiles has led me to Shibori dyeing. In this workshop Glennis shows us all the Shibori techniques using videos and PDF. 

The first lesson is on Protect (Itajimi Shibori). The technique uses shapes and objects to block the areas of the fabric from the dye. I am interested in reusing, recycling and re-purposing material so I have been using shapes from bathroom mosaics tiles, buttons, coins and cut up CD-ROM as shapes. Some of the fabrics were rejected pieces that I had natural dyed previously and wasn't happy with them. 

The above piece was folded and blocked with pieces of mosaic tiles on either sides and secured with clamps. I dyed it using Procion dye in fuchsia and torquoise. The fabric was silk kimono lining.  

These few pieces were dyed using various shapes and colours. You can still see the trace of imprints from the natural dyeing I did previously. It does give interesting prints on the piece. 

These are fragile pieces of silk that I added at the end of the process to soak up the leftover dye. 

These are premixed dyes stored in sauce bottles and kept in the refrigerator ready to be used.  My friend Jacky who is also taking the same workshop joined me last weekend to dye this batch together. We really had a fun day. 

Some pieces in the dye bath. With Procion dyes I have to leave them at least 5-6 hours. For a better results it should be left overnight. 

My trip to Japan is still on as planned and this is what our experienced organiser had to say: "It's my belief that (assuming that we go as planned in safety and that transportation is secured) our travel time there will be doubly rewarded. Japan will want and need people to resume visiting. And as we always do, we will approach our trip doing our utmost to spread goodwill, friendship, and knowledge through our study and exchange with artists, crafts people and researchers along our silk road. It's an opportunity for all."

I totally agree with what she said and of course if the situation becomes unsafe or if the government issues a 'no travel' warning to Japan at the time of the trip, then the trip will be canceled.