Mar 06 2006
Woven Shibori – the beginnings
I couldn’t wait to start my sampling of woven shibori after reading Catharine Ellis’s
I enjoyed weaving the cloth and it came along quite quickly and enjoyably although there are 2 shuttles in use.
The cloth is tencel and the shibori threads are mercerised cotton. This is a strong, smooth thread which will take the pressure of pulling and tying it.
I used a 16 shaft twill for the shibori thread, starting with 4 rows of plain weave between, then 8 rows then 12. I also increased the length of the twill skips as I wove to experiment in the sample.
I don’t like weaving with a plain, white yarn on the loom, and next time I will probably paint it first like this weaver has done.
After weaving the thread pulling was very easy.
It’s now ready to dye.
[...] It’s not all the time that an experimental textile is so pleasing, but this was. Undoing all of the knots after dyeing produced the most beautiful fluid designs on my woven shibori.I used a combination of fibre reactive dyes which I think simulates indigo to achieve the effect. It certainly made my complaint of weaving in boring old white yarn put to rest. I’m going to weave lots of these! [...]
loving your blog