Decor

If you've been to a design shop recently, you've probably see exampels of shibori, a traditional Japanese tie-dyeing technique that dates back to the 8th century. In this clip, the guys show you how to get started with your own shibori projects using three different techniques: kanoko shibori, itajime shibori and ne-maki shibori.

[shibori]

The first thing you'll need is a shibori indigo dye kit, which will come with the necessary supplies and instructions (you'll also want a pair of rubber gloves for any dyeing activity).

Kanoko Shibori

Kanoko shibori is basically a tye-die spiral. Here's how to do it:

1. Grab your fabric in the centre an pull into a length.
2. Tie off at random intervals with waxed string.
3. Dunk fabric first into water and then into dye bath.
4. Remove, let dry and snip off the string to reveal a custom spiral design.

Itajime Shibori

Known as the wood-clamp technique, itajime shibori creates repeating patterns and is perfect for large pieces of fabric.

1. Accordion-fold your fabric, and place a pair of identical wooden stencils on either side of the folded fabric.
2. Using a pair of c-clamps, clamp the stencils tightly around the fabric.
3. Dunk fabric first into water and then into dye bath.
4. Remove, let dry and remove clamps to reveal the pattern.
5. Optionally, wash with salt water to help set the dye further.

Ne-maki Shibori

Ne-maki shibori is the so-called "pebble technique," creating an irregular series of dots along your fabric.

1. Use a piece of chalk to draw a path along your fabric.
2. At varying points along the path, take a garden pebble of around 3 centimetres in diameter and wrap with the fabric, tying it off with a length of waxed string.
3. After you've tied off pebbles all the way along the path, dunk fabric first into water and then into dye bath.
4. Remove, let dry and snip off strings to reveal the pattern.