Shibori tie dye art: the story of infinite possibilities

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The tie dye art of folding, bunching, bundling and binding the fabric to create magic.

What is Shibori

The word shibori is derived from the verb root shiboru which means to wring, squeeze or press in japanese. It is a tie dye art which produces numerous different patterns on the fabric.

This indigo tie dye is one of the oldest indigo dying techniques in Japan. The earliest known example of cloth dyed with a shibori folding technique dates from the 8th century; it was among the goods donated by the Emperor Shōmu to the Tōdai-ji inNara Buddhist temple in Nara.

The fabric can be manipulated in countless ways to make shibori- tie dye art, including binding, folding, twisting, compressing, stitching, clamping, and knotting. The intensity of the dye bath, the composition, and thickness of the fabric are all equally significant to the final pattern because each process produces a different pattern depending on how the fabric absorbs and resists the dye. However, the artist can never be certain of the final appearance of the shibori pattern and this uncertainty is a part of the mystique and beauty of shibori. Although it is a laborious procedure,there is always an element of surprise as after the cloth has been dipped into the indigo vat, it is impossible to predict the results. Each work is given life by the interplay of colours, patterns, and hues, which guarantees unique results every time.

The resulting designs are treasured for their uniqueness and striking beauty, and are frequently representative of Japan's appreciation of the beauty of imperfection, or wabi sabi as it is known there. While most Shibori seen today are created with indigo dye to yield a deep blue result, but traditionally purple root and madder plants are also used in the dyeing of shibori as well, to produce varying shades of blue, purple, and deep red.

The tie dye art, Shibori's current appeal has emerged alongside a renewed focus on slow fashion, craftsmanship, and functionality. Explore a wide range of shibori products at Lal10 website.

Shibori folding techniques

There are various shibori folding techniques to produce different shibori patterns. Itajime, Arashi, Kanoko, Miura, Nui, and Kumo are the six major Shibori folding techniques as discussed below:

Kanoko shibori

Tie dye is the term used to describe kanoko shibori in the West. To create the desired design, it entails binding specific portions of the fabric with thread, generally an untwisted form of thread. The pattern that is produced by this shibori folding technique is determined by how firmly and where the material is bound. As an example, if random sections of the fabric are bound, the outcome will be a pattern of random circles. Similarly , if the fabric is folded in a certain manner before binding it, the resulting circles will be in a particular shibori pattern depending on the shibori folding technique used. Explore shibori products here.

Miura shibori

Miura shibori is another fascinating shibori folding technique which is also known as looped binding. It is made by using a hooked needle to pluck out different sections of the fabric. After that, a thread is wrapped twice around each section. Tension is the only thing which holds the sections together as the thread is not knotted. A pattern resembling water is created on the indigo tie dye fabric. Miura shibori is a widely used technique since there is no knotting involved and it is simple to bind and unbind it.

Kumo shibori

Kumo shibori is another beautiful indigo tie dye art which is often referred to as the pleat and bind resist technique in the shibori folding techniques. It involves tying the cloth in incredibly small parts, creating a variety of patterns resembling spiderwebs. There are a variety of ways to experiment with this method, including this one. Begin by accordion-folding the fabric. Divide evenly by pinching and binding. Play around with different-sized objects or try using several rubber bands or river rocks to extend your fingers. Explore shibori products here.

Nui shibori

The same resist technique is employed in nui shibori as in kanoko shibori folding technique, however basting stitches are used in place of a rubber band to add diversity. The material is stitched with a straightforward running thread and then tightly tugged to gather it. To get the thread sufficiently tight for it to work, a wooden dowel is frequently used. Before being dyed, each thread is tied in a knot for security. This method takes a lot longer, but it gives you far more control over the pattern and a wider variety of patterns.

Arashi shibori

Pole-wrapping shibori is another name for this shibori folding technique as arashi shibori involves wrapping the fabric diagonally around a pole. After wrapping it, the fabric is tightly bound with a thread up and down the pole. The fabric is then crumpled on the pole. The end result is a pleated fabric with a diagonal pattern. Arashi is the Japanese term for storm, and the indigo tie dye patterns of arashi shibori are always on the diagonal, suggesting the driving rain of a strong storm. When used with conventional indigo hues, this technique produces a "storm-like" pattern. You can explore a wide range of beautiful shibori products here.

Itajime shibori

Itajime shibori is a shaped-resist shibori folding technique. The fabric is typically positioned between two pieces of wood, which are fastened together with string. The shapes are held with C-clamps by more contemporary textile artists who use acrylic or plexiglass cut into the desired shapes. The shapes resist the dye from penetrating into the fabric. The result is an intriguing repeated square-like pattern. Variations can be made in the patterns by the use of larger wooden blocks for a larger pattern (just make sure you have a bucket to match!) or blocks of a different shape (any fabric that overlaps the edge of the blocks will be dark/dyed). You can explore a wide range of beautiful shibori products at Lal10 website.