Shibori for Me & Shibori workshop for Children 8 & up!

I have  begun playing with Shibori dyeing and I'm not quite sure how I got into it at this moment! But into it I am, and enjoying the surprises!

I am preparing for a show with Ronnie Chameau, noted Bermuda water colorist, banana doll maker and basket maker, and Ronnie Lopes, rustic furniture maker. I decided that it was time to take this opportunity to explore the many fiber arts that interest me so Hairlock Paintings will take a back seat this time around and represent only a small portion of the show.

 I have been working on some pillows using various Shibori techniques. The one I am sharing today is a "wrap & cap" technique where small dried beans are bound into the silk with thread, dyed, then wrapped with plastic wrap, bound again and      the balance of the piece is then space died. I actually painted the dyes on. Sound labor intensive? It is! Unbinding the beans took forever but I did get more proficient after the first one. Thank goodness! But, it has given me my favorite results! Doesn't that figure.... Anyway, I'm including some photos of the process and results.

                   

 Though Shibori can be intensive, I thought that it would be a great little project for my older fiber students so I will be offering a special Valentine workshop on February 12th from 4 - 6:30pm.

Students will enter the wonderful world of Shibori Dyeing to create a heart surface design and create a pillow! The "Stitching and wrapping" technique and basic sewing skills and resist dyeing, will be used by students to create a heart design on silk. No experience is necessary and children should wear old clothes!

I'm looking forward to adding Shibori to my regular class curriculum and know that the children will have a great time doing it! I will use Kool -Aid dyes in my classroom since they are non toxic so can safely be used by any age and be heat set in a microwave for quick results. We have been lucky enough to be gifted a used microwave that I will use for both dyeing and wet felting. A microwave is a nice tool to re-heat a felt piece in progress to quicken the felting process; an important factor in keeping children encouraged that their work is progressing more quickly.

These are some photos of the prototype. They haven't been stuffed properly and are only pinned closed for now. I have to go intown to buy filling and I procrastinate driving into Hamilton whenever possible! The backer is some lovely donated fabric that is a nice sueded flannel so very soft and cozy and a nice color match to the red dyed silk.

All for now! Time to go and create!

Until next time.........