kakishibu
for the uninitiated kakishibu is the fermented juice of unripe persimmons (kaki). A very old, traditional dye used in Japan in the making of paper stencils, to strengthen and waterproof washi, to preserve wood, in the production of sake and as a herbal medicine.
with our dye materials all pre-soaked and some arashi shibori wrapped and tied Stephanie is setting up
the powdered kakishibu is mixed with water, skeins of cotton, linen and bamboo are dyed
“painted” sheets of washi 
unlike other dyes kakishibu needs time and strong sunlight to darken and intensify the colour
the dark skein of cotton, on the right is overdyed and then had an iron modifier applied
baking soda is mixed with water and applied as a modifier, giving a warm brown.
we couldn’t wait any longer! the arashi shibori is unwrapped, the colour will darken over time
an old linen damask napkin
Steph folded and tied an old white T-shirt, what’s it going to look like?
Elizabeth gets in on the act. Wow, Mom it’s great!
Wow – interesting results!
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Thanks! it was a lot of fun, my pieces have been baking in the sun!
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lovely! we dyed this weekend in the slippery elm bath as we cooked down fiber for papermaking. the resulting color was lovely… your student (and kiddo) both have such lustrous hair! will you spin the kozo? aimee gave me a BIG piece of hanji to spin.
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I have the paper out in the sun, the colour is getting darker. eventually it will be cut and spun, they are 2 very different weights of Japanese shifu paper and the darker one was dyed last year with onion skins.
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catch up mode here.you’re making me want to go back to work !!
sadly when one goes away for some weeks there is pending stuff that needs to be taken care of when one returns 😦
brought back some windfall lichens and patiently awaiting for the indigo to arrive
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