Shibori can be many things. It is the technique of applying a resist, of many or any sorts, to a fabric prior to dyeing, and or felting / fulling. I first saw this technique about four years ago. Jeung-Hwa Park was selling beautiful scarves and shawls at a street fair. Months later, I saw an article about a piece of her work becoming an acquisition at the American Crafts Museum. From time to time, I’d see another small ‘blurb’. I kept my eyes open. I was intrigued. Last spring, Shibori surfaced at the MSW. In the fall, Interweave Knits printed an article describing the process. I finally got on the stick, so to speak. I knitted up the scarf. The holidays barreled down on me, and time did what time does. Then it was February.
Here’s what I did Saturday…
Another Japanese word made it’s way into my vocabulary this weekend…sudoku. Do NOT go there. Be warned….. it WILL cut into your knitting time. I will make you want to drop everything you are doing and do nothing else. Hours will go by. They will feel like minutes. Time will magically disappear, burn up. The 99 cents I spent Friday night on the recommendation of a ‘so called’ friend, (you know I love you) ate up hours and hours of my weekend. Friends should NOT do this to friends. You’ve been warned.
Comments
17 responses to “shibori”
Okay, thanks for the warning – I will resist! But that looks awesome!!
Oy, gads, my husband is addicted to Sudoku. Hey, listen: My philosophy is he could be addicted to worse things.
Your shibori scarves look great! Ive been meaning to try it, especially after I saw some scarves last fall at one of the RISD stores.
Ok, Judy, I know that Sudoku is eating into your time (I have to do one in the morning with a cup of coffee or I am just not right — there’s nothing like the rush of having the last 8 or 10 numbers just fall into place) but, process? I think you machine knit loosely, tied in the golf (ping pong?) balls, fulled, and dyed? Lovely! The colors are wonderful and I especially like the differences in texture between the “puffs” and the fulled scarf…oh…but that’s the point, isn’t it. Very fun pictoral essay 😉
Very cool shibori. It changes my plans for all the Lopi Light in the stash.
Sudoku is evil. Wonderfully evil.
Oh yeah – I got bit by the sudoku bug over the holidays – I’ve been trying to resist. My father, however, gave in rather quickly. I will admit to having a sudoku handheld in my totebag for when I have a few minutes that knitting won’t quite fit into.
It looks so cool!
I bought an easy book of Sudoku this weekend. I have strict orders to only do it before bed BUT, one dreams of squares of numbers instead of knitting!
Gorgeous scarf! I’ve been intrigued by shibori too and I can’t wait to give it a try.
I see people staring intensely at their sudoku books on the train every day, and I just think to myself, “all that knitting time, wasted.” Plus it’s all about numbers, from what I can see; and since math is the enemy, I think I won’t be going there. 😉
Wow!! Very lovely!!!!!! My husband is hooked on sudoku……but it feels too much like a word problem to me, my brain freezes…LOL
Sudoku is an evil thing, going hand-in-hand with numbers. The only thing I will allow math to come into is cooking and knitting.
What a beautiful scarf. I’ve always wanted to try shibori knitting. Well, ever since I saw the article in Interweave Knits. Is it easy? Is it fun? Should I try it?
The scarf is gorgeous. I never realized Shibori could be used with felting. How cool!
Judy, that is just gorgeous! What a great technique for all kinds of items… scarves, hats, blankies…
Gorgeous scarf! Great colours too 🙂 Another thing for me to play with in my copious spare time (ha!)
Your scarf is gorgeous! Do you have a particular book on Shibori, or did you just jump in?
Your scarf is awesome! I’ve never seen that technique, but now I’m definitely intrigued.
The guy next to me on the plane had a Sudoku daily calendar he was working on page by page. He assured me if I liked numbers I’d like that – so I am very very safe, since I not only have numbers dyslexia, but I hate the dern things as well.