Let's Twist Again!

Amy Grief agreed to spend part of the workshop helping me to do a photo essay of Arashi Shibori, or the pole-wrapping technique.  She provided a piece of cotton eyelet material, and we set about documenting each step so that beginners could learn this technique.  I hope you like it.

Amy is holding up the piece of white cotton eyelet material that she has started to fold into 4 even folds before wrapping,.

The folded fabric laying next to the 4" PVC pipe on which it will be wrapped on the diagonal then tied and compressed before soaking and dyeing.

Begin and end the folded, wrapped fabric with pieces of painter's tape to anchor the ends while it is string wrapped.  Once the string is wrapped on an angle from top to bottom, the piece of fabric is pushed toward the bottom causing it to accordion pleat itself.  It is then thoroughly soaked in water to help the dye penetrate the interior folds.

This phto shows the wrapped, tied and compressed fabric after soaking a dyeing in the indigo vat.  It is allowed to fully oxidize before removing the wrapping string.

Amy is removing the wrapping string after the piece oxidized on the pole.

Amy is allowing the fabric to slighty expand after removing the string to show how the pattern is forming.

String removed and fabric removed from the pole.  first fold opened and it reveals the chevron pattern.

All of the fold are now open, and the piece has been rinsed.  Nice work and thank you, Amy Grief.