sampling
over years of textile/fibre pursuits many ideas-techniques-designs have piqued my interest
but there is never enough time!
and so they have been relegated to notebooks, scraps of paper and “someday”
Someday Has Come!!
I’ve decided to spend some time exploring those elusive ideas
starting with more woven shibori
warp threads are natural dyes from the endless beige colour range – cotton, cotton/hemp blend and bleached linen
the weft in the foreground is silk and next is shifu thread spun from Japanese washi
the shibori draw-up pattern is a variation of the Summer and Winter pattern from Catharine Ellis’ book,
Woven Shibori
I cut off and dyed the first sample with a linen weft to see if the results were worth continuing
four dips in the vat
I’ve been stirring, feeding and talking to my outdoor indigo vat, it has not really been warm enough but this weekend we are experiencing a record-breaking heat wave
this sample has been dipped 8 times, more samples to come!
at night, I spin. The yak/silk blend is as soft as a cloud and the blanket is finished.
“Questions lead to further questions, and inquiry breeds insight.”
Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Crow Planet
Ooo, this is very exciting…exploring. My notebooks are overflowing, too. Sometimes I think that by the age of 60 I’ll just give up, but probably not. The shibori is really nice, sort of like cracked glaze, and that silk/yak is heavenly. Do you have a plan for it?
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Kristin – working up to this last birthday I hit a bare patch and really did consider giving up — but then what do you do?? So this is my plan for the remainder of the year – then I’ll re-access. I’m spinning silk/cashmere now and I think the two will go together in something?
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I know what you mean…we all need a little down time…can’t live in inspiration ALL the time.
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Kristin – sometimes I think it would be easier if I was the type of person that would be satisfied doing a professional job of the same technique over and over – but it is not to be!
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I love your sampling, it is so interesting to see your experimentation and feel your excitement. Well done Jane, please do not stop!
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thanks, Blandina, I’ve never been much good at weaving samples so maybe I’ll make up for it now.
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oohh the woven shibori is so subtle.
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This looks so exciting, keep going 🙂
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Lis – ever onward
Neki – I love the indigo-kakishibu combo
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this past year I have explored woven shibori also. It is just fascinating the transformation on dyeing the fabric. You had nice results from immersing the piece in dye. I’ve only dyed by painting on the dyes to each side of the pulled piece. I hope you’ll share more.
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Barb – I have been working with woven shibori for several years, weaving several pieces of yardage including taiten shibori. I was lucky enough to take a workshop with Catharine Ellis approx. 5 years ago. If you go back in my blogs there is more documentation of the process.
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