Shibori handwork

In traditional shibori crafts, artisans have long been known to devise ways in which the handwork finds the most efficient route to achieve its production goal. They attend to the smallest detail, such as the choice of a tying thread. For miura shibori they use a loosely twisted medium-fine cotton thread wound on its own ball; for boshi shiborithey use a tightly twisted medium cotton thread wound on a wooden dowel; and for kumo shibori a medium-heavy linen thread wound on a wooden dowel and soaked in water  (see details below). Sometimes, the thread is deliberately changed to a different size in order to create a specific design effect.
In traditional arashi shibori, a slightly tapered, 12-ft long, polished wooden pole is used to wind a narrow, long kimono cloth (14 inches by 12 yards) diagonally upon itself. The cloth on the pole is then wound with a tying thread that contributes to making small, puckered creases where the cloth is pushed and scrunched on the pole.


Dyeing of these bolts of shaped cloth on the long heavy pole takes two strong men and a large trough-like vat. This esoteric process has been modified to suit the lifestyle of artists in both Japan and the U.S.A. In shibori there is a “right way” to do things, but, at the same time, there hardly exists a wrong way. The traditional way gives contemporary artists a framework not only to explore shaping methods but also to modify the materials and tools.

Etajime Shibori by Amy Nguyen