Japanese Shibori

I have been making quilts for over 20 years, but have never seen anything like Japanese Shibori. Shibori takes tie dye to another level. Cotton shibori is the best, as silk shibori turns out to be rather flat, whereas cotton Shibori, has a texture that rises and falls. I have used it to add depth to my quilts.

It is said that a bolt of Shibori takes a year to tie, and a year to un-tie.

It is made with with silk ties, and is dipped into shades of color the lightest being the first. Upon first glance Shibori looks like a lacey affair—that I don't have much taste for, but suddenly it became an obsession. In fact, on cheap pieces of fabric, the Shibori dots are printed on.

This fabric, as seen above, was made first with white, then lavender, and finally green.

No one makes Japanese Shibori anymore—it is considered idle work. Kasuri dyworks in Berkley was, at one point, striving to carry all types of Japanese cloth, has moved, and we all miss it. They do major fabric shows, but I haven’t seen this type of Shibori in years. My favorite Shibori depicts animals—a horse, a hawk.

Occasionally a piece will come up on Ebay, but it’s rare, and lifeless.