Shibori is the traditional Japanese practice of dyeing fabric using knots, thread wraps, and elaborate tying techniques; typically using dark colors like indigo blue or black or blue-black. It’s like the OG tie-dye but with less colors and more geometric patterns. It’s nifty keen, I think.
Two years ago I saw an indigo shibori bedspread and I wanted it so bad. So bad. It was like $1,700 which is like $1,698.34 more than I would ever pay for something that didn’t come with an engine. (Or a litter box). So, as my shibori dreams were put on hold, I would stay up late at night watching youtube documentaries on the subject, eagerly staring at old Japanese women tying knots into fabric with their feet (yes – it’s pretty rad). I thought to myself, I can do that. I can totally shibori. I can dye things blue and make them come out pretty too – can’t I? Can’t I!?!
But I didn’t. I didn’t DIY an attempt at shibori because every month or two some new shibori bedspread or scarf or whatsit would pop up on the internet. Some expensive, some real expensive, some were probably reasonable but just seamed expensive to me. I thought I’d wait for a sale or something and pounce when the time was right.
Well, the sale happened. And I missed it.
So when I was at Ikea last Saturday I went and bought a plain white duvet for $24.95 and went home to make my own.
I used zip ties yanked off tight with pliers and three times the amount of dye recommended. I waited and waited and waited. Then I threw it in the washing machine to final rinse and when it came out do you know what I found?
I found Nemo. That little sh*t.
I found Nemo swimming around in this big blue under the sea poop blue bedspread that looks like this. THIS. I think I found Ariel, The Little Mermaid, too. And maybe Sebastian the crab. You know who I did not find? Those stupid Japanese ladies in the Shibori documentary. I think they are hiding from me, probably behind a blob of sea weed laughing their little delicate Japanese heads off. Bitches.
What is especially disturbing to me about this is that the last time I tried a variation on tie-dye, I nearly poisoned myself on bleach vapors for the better part of a week. Conclusion about tie-dye: it hates me. As someone who is generally pretty crafty, it is difficult for me to accept that tie-dyeing is something that can be easily be commissioned from a toothless and bearded carny in the parking lot of a Phish concert, but not me. Not even close. No matter how hard I try, I cannot tie-dye. And you know what?
I’m okay with that. I’m okay with that.
Nemo – not so much okay with that. He’s going to Goodwill before his little fish butt starts to stink.
At the risk of you boxing my ears, it’s a lovely blue, even if it isn’t Shibori.
Thanks 🙂 Not what I was going for…but for someone looking to decoate on a Mermaid theme (which was me at one point!) it’s great.
Ahahahahaha – I so feel the frustration….Actually I think it came out pretty well, interesting, although not shibori. When I look at the shibori it looks to me like they fold the fabric, and let some permanent stain ink run over the folds. I think when they do the “instructions” they are just screwing with us because no way can I imagine how they tie that shit & it magically comes out in lines. But I applaud your efforts. Now go kill Nemo, fold that bad boy up and try again using the same Goodwill-bound comforter and practice on it!!!! Imagine that if we all knew how to do shibori they wouldn’t be able to charge a fortune for them.
BTW, I only signed in as Anonymous because I’m not computer saavy enough to figure the other options to post….I’m really Alta at altanoel@msn.com and I’m a fan of anyone who can craft, cuss and wrangle possums…now go git ’em and beat them at their own shibori game!!!
Hi Alta! Thanks for coming by. And you are right — if we all knew how to shibori they’d have to sell it cheap. Fingers crossed some other craft blogger can pull it off better than I did.
Thank you so much for that link – I had no idea anything like that existed and I really was fascinated watching their nimble fingers!
Right? It’s a great watch. It’s a multiple-part series — you have to watch them all. Pref while drinking tea. Watching Japanese ladies makes me crave tea.
Like you, I would have had no idea how to do this. I think I would have painted the spread with a brush around the string only. But it would have probably still looked like yours. I have never tried dying because it looks like one should need to know the magic involved.
See, that’s the thing — I DID know how to do this. I spent hours researching how to do this properly. It still came out like crap. Very frustrating indeed!
can you bleach some sort of interesting pattern onto this?
Had I not poisoned myself bleach tie-dyeing last spring, I would probably try it (http://www.auntpeaches.com/2013/05/my-diet-coke-still-tastes-like-pool.html)…as is, I think I’ll give up and try something else. I’m not that hardcore.
West Elm in Australia still has some left. Why don’t you go to your local store and make friends. There might be returns. Also stuff shows up on eBay for years that is brand new. I am still buying the same Target denim duvet. I think I have 5 of them. There are a few West Elm outlet stores, also.
I SAW THAT. And in Australia they sell it for less than it was ever priced here, even with the exchange rate. Unfort, when you get to the checkout, they won’t let you fill in a non-Australian/New Zealand address. I’m on an informal waiting list at my local store — have been for months now — they said it sold very quickly. I think my best hope is that they’ll bring it back. Fingers crossed!
Oh Peaches, I’m sorry I laughed , but fair play to you … I wouldn’t even attempt that much – I’d have the floor dyed perfectly and everything else would come out a total mess. I have a book about Shibori knitting where you knit in marbles (!) into very fine wool which costs a flipping’ fortune anyway and would come out looking utterly ridiculous in my hands. the woman who wrote it said it was like a meditation – 3 months knitting, then throw it into the washing machine …. you’ve got to be joking . Keep on with your wonderful blogs and adventures 🙂
Marbles? In knitting? I can’t even.
Wow.
So sorry to laugh, it’s so funny. Nemo! It was a noble attempt, my poor darling. Maybe you should try a trade with some crafter who does tie dye all the time and would whip this set out.
That would not be me. I tried a tie dye tee shirt recently and it came out stupid and backwards. All the pattern was concentrated right around the left haunch, and everything else was a dim, mottled pink.
Hrm…a trade is not a bad idea. Maybe there is an expert tie dye artist who is in need of coffee filter flowers. Pipe dream — but maybe!
I found a couple of links on DIY Shibori. They both used the same indigo dye kit. Here are the links if you’re interested:
http://honestlywtf.com/diy/shibori-diy/
http://www.100layercakelet.com/2013/07/31/diy-hand-dyed-swaddles/
Yup, that’s the stuff I used. By Jacquard. I did not want to badmouth a product here but since you mentioned it… I would not recommend it. Maybe I got a bad batch, but I found it to be very unstable stuff. *If* i ever try this again, I would stick to Procoin dyes, or just a paste made from good old fashioned from Rit or Tulip.
Thanks for that info, as I was going to buy some for a similar project. I wonder how the projects in the previous links turned out so well?
Honestly WTF mentions that she dipped multiple times and let it dry twenty minutes in between, which could explain how hers came out so dark (not really an option with my squirt bottle method, unfort. Doesn’t explain how her whites stayed white, but I would put that on human error more likely. It’s really hard to get TIGHT-TIGHT-TIGHT areas blocked off when the piece of fabric is very large (like a duvet). It’s just a lot of fabric to bind off. Smaller pieces (like a shirt) would be much easier to handle and the markings would come out stronger. Still worth a try, I would just experiment with an old junky piece before spending money on something.
As the child of a hippie I learned how to tie dye from the best (while listening to Grateful Dead bootlegs). I think your solution here might be squirt bottles as opposed to drenching in the washing machine. I usually stove top it up like stuffing or squirt bottle rather than washing machine dye. Though I do not blame you for not attempting this ever again.
Yup — I used the mustard bottle method. Washing machine just came in for the rinsing. I think I used such a concentrated mix that when it came time to rinse, the rinse water was loaded up too…the dark areas released so much dye that it soaked in and flash dyed the white areas too. Had it not been so cold outside I probably could/should have rinsed with a hose before throwing in the machine. Learning curve…
Aunt Peaches, you’re in good company. I can do a multitude of crafty things, but likewise, I cannot tie die. Big blobs o’brown. Looked like something I used to clean out a litter box. I have never done it since. Filed it away in my FAIL folder, in happy company with cannot-roll-up-crescents, jelly rolls, etc. PJ
Glad to hear I am not alone.
I feel your pain–so– I broke out my shibori book and from what I can gather (pun intended LOL), is that you need to use thin string to do your “liney” bits. Like dental floss or even crochet thread. You need to stitch the design (sort of like basting a quilt, but in whatever pattern you want) and then if you want to go further you have to roll it like tie dye and then tie it again, to get a multitude of patterns. Tie it tight (hence using strong stuff like floss or crocheted thread) Then dye it. I think the zip ties were too thick and didnt cover over the fabric enough. The dye leaked up through the logs of zip tied fabric. You would have to stitch the fabric in circles or straight lines first. Then roll it and tie it again with thinner twine.
If you want to do something different, but have it look sorta shibori (you can even call it that, Sorta Shibori lol), why dont you try batiking? Use the wax as your resist instead of thread and then dye it, Then iron out the wax. It might work? Try it on a small piece first? Figure out your design, wax it, then tie it up like you would tie dye it, then put wax in varying spots on your tied up “logs”? It might work.
In the meantime, now that you have me thinking (I am in an art slump right now) I will try a couple of techniques on some white cotton I have. If it works out, I will let you know how it worked. If you want it, I will send it to you. Love Rook xo
Oh gosh, I wish I had the audacity to dream of detail work like thread wrapping! Alas, I was just going for some simple blue stripes. My expectations were low. Very low. And yet, still too high.
I think the problem is the rinse water was so loaded w dye that it absorbed into the fabric under the zip ties. I snipped one zip tie before throwing in teh wash to rinse – pure white. And the blue was navy blue, almost black. Exactly what I wanted. Not sure what happened in the washing machine, but it all turned to blue on blue. I can’t think of a good way I could have flash rinsed it without the same results. Perhaps let it sit in the dye for a week and let the water in the dye evaporate out? Use a dye thickener? Not sure. My hands are still blue so I think I’ll need to stay away for a while!
hysterical laughing my arse off!!!!
I know, right?
Check this interesting and comically named blog out, Peaches…fab stuff… and… it holds a few answers, if you’re still interested. Your result is very under-the-sea pretty, regardless!
http://honestlywtf.com/diy/shibori-diy/
Oh yes, I have been following Erica for years now. In fact, it was on account of this post that I bought the Jacquard brand of dye. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for me. I’m glad it worked for someone else though!
Did you presoak the tied bundle in cold water? If not, try it. That helps keep dye out of the tied areas for clearer contrast. – and less agitation in the washer.
There is an element of surprise in dyeing that happens to even the most seasoned artist, and many variables that affect the results. So your first attempt didn’t come out like the japanese ladies who have spent a lifetime mastering their craft… You did gain useful information observing the results even if it wasn’t what you were going for this time. If you really get going with the indigo it’s nice to have a variety of patterns in the same color family. That piece you don’t like now might be the perfect foil for another.
Give it another shot! -Erica Batchelder
I think I have burned out my tie-dye efforts for now, but I’ll remember that if/when I get back in the game. Thanks!
Totally funny and wise. I have seen so many cool dip dyed items of late, I somehow have started believing that I might be capable of producing something neat. Nemo is probably much more likely. PS – I have a 6 year old boy who would LOVE that duvet.
Two things you could try:
Fold, then clamp two blocks of wood in the same shape on either sides of the bundle using C-clamps. Spaces in between remain white.
Wrap cloth around PVC pipe, lash tightly with cord and shirr as desired.
The key to all this is tightness. Also, soaking it in water first.
yes, yes and yes, this technique really would benefit from the block and clamps which have to be really tight–so working with big flat sheet instead of a duvet is better. This method is folded ‘accordion style’ like a huge paper fan, even going so far as to iron those folds in place. To color it, use only a brush dipped in the dye and run it down the folded edge. Ironing those edges first is also how they get that sharper line going. You can work dry to start, and mist it with a water sprayer if you want more bleeding. Let this big muslin fan shape dry, then re-fold in the cross-wise direction for that grid effect. This is not a tie-dye project (throw out the string!). Also, using spray starch when pressing the folds will really make the edges crisp and hold their shape (but test first to be sure your dye will penetrate thru the starch). When its done, super hot iron pressing with a damp cloth on top usually helps to steam-set the dye without bleeding it out everywhere.
Try this on a small scale (scarf?) and you will see what’s going on here–
You guys sound like you know what you are talking about! Ha. Well, if I ever get up the gumption again I’ll get out the wood and C Clamps. Sounds hard to mess up — I likey.
Can you reverse shibori it, like with some bleachy type thing? Or maybe over dye it with a navy blue? I am tie-dye doofus, too and batik? Ack!!!!
V. Queen
I know this is completely unrelated, but since you are also a crazy cat lady (Hi Lola!) I wanted to link you to my new site: Prepositional Cats. It’s grammar. And cats. How could things be any better? http://prepositionalcats.tumblr.com/
With love,
Tory (and Krieg, Stella, Flick, and Izzy)
Cute idea! Lola’s grammar is better than mine so I feel confident she will approve.
Sorry for laughing at your attempt – but this would so happen to me too! I could never tie dye T-shirts to look like anything other than a mistake!
Thought of you when I saw this: http://www.jaysonhome.com/flea/pillows-and-textiles.html?p=2 And they are having a big sale this weekend!
Oh man…indigo, suzanis and Moroccan wedding blankets…that place is Heaven. Usually very pricey so I’d be anxious to see what a flea sale looks like. Thanks!
I know! I also wonder how low the prices will be. Maybe I’ll see you there, I’ll be the indecisive person petting the indigo lovingly and then leaving with nothing. 🙂
Talk to Melora at Harvest Moon Creations.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harvest-Moon-Creations/78153329830
She’s quasi-local and is the QUEEN of tie dye. She can whip you up just about anything your heart desires and her prices are crazy reasonable.