Shibori is the ancient Japanese art of dyeing fabric to make patterns. There are many ways to do this, from simply folding and dipping (as I have here) to more complicated methods. There is always a random element to the result, but you will learn to control your design to an extent. Once you start, you won’t want to stop, as results are easily achieved. Use cotton sheet fabric to practice, but use good-quality fabrics such as fine linens and cottons with a good texture for finished pieces. Silk is also a possibility, since it’s the traditional fabric often used in Japan. The fabric should not be too thick, as this will make it difficult to fold and it won’t absorb the dye well. It will also be more difficult to make the lampshade because this involves folding the fabric tightly. Most of my paint colors work well, although I have found Napoleonic Blue and Aubusson Blue to be especially good. This may be because they’re similar to the traditional color used in Japan. Off-white fabrics work well with the blue.
YOU WILL NEED
• Small project pot of Chalk Paint® in Napoleonic Blue
• A generous piece of vintage linen
• Large glass bowl
• Pitcher of water
• Mixing stick
• Iron and ironing board
1Put approximately one tablespoon of Napoleonic Blue into the glass bowl.
2Pour in the water and use the mixing stick to stir well, making sure the paint isn’t sitting at the bottom of the bowl. Do a test patch on some spare fabric to check the color and add more paint if you need to make it stronger.
3Concertina the fabric by folding one way, turning the fabric over, then folding the fabric back on itself. The bigger the fold, the bolder the pattern will be.
4Concertina-fold the fabric again, but this time into triangles.
5Fold and then turn the fabric over and fold on the other side. Repeat until you have a complete triangle and tuck in any loose edges.
6Before you dip the fabric, make sure the paint has not settled at the bottom of the bowl. If it has, then stir again to mix. Dip the first edge of the folded fabric in the dye and hold for a second until the dye seeps into the fabric. You need to keep the center of the fabric white. Note that the paint mix will continue to absorb a little after you take out the fabric.
7Repeat this step for the other two sides of the triangle. Make sure there is still some undyed fabric left in the center, otherwise there will be little or no pattern.
8Open up the fabric immediately to see the pattern and hang it up to dry. You can keep the piece of fabric folded, but it will take much longer to dry like this. Once dry, iron the fabric on a warm setting to set the color.
Note: For instructions on making up the lampshade, visit www.anniesloan.com/techniques.
