with Cindy Lohbeck. I’m in Phoenix for an AQS quilt show, enjoying the lovely weather and the company of quilters.
Of course I know a lot about shibori and I have done some Itajime, or folded dyeing, but I thought it would be fun to take a class and play with others. {I really wanted to take her ice dyeing workshop, but it was at the same time as another class I’m taking – of course!} Since I teach dyeing myself and it is tricky in many locations, I was curious to see how Cindy would handle the need for lots of water and mess! And here is the answer – the whole floor had plastic on it and water was brought into the room in garbage bins!
On the table are the amazing kits that she puts together. She had lots of samples to show us and if you check out her website, you will find lots of information and all the supplies you could want for creating shibori on your own.
It was just a three hour class, so Cindy kept things moving! We learned the different ways to fold the fabric and clamped a variety of shapes on them. The dye was applied with squeeze bottles because we had soaked the fabric in soda ash beforehand.
This was my hotel bath tub last night. I needed to rinse and dry my samples in order to get them home – without getting blue dye on the towels or anything else it could dye. Happily this morning all the samples were dry and ready to pack up.
More about this when I get home…
Looks like you’re having fun. And you’re warm to boot!
It’s been a treat because SC was cold when I left – 18 degrees! Plus it’s fun to look at all the crazy cactuses.
Your samples look wonderful! What a neat workshop but the logistics of running it must be a nightmare!
It certainly is an advantage when you’re in a convention center and you can say “bring me buckets of water!” And I usually do immersion dyeing which takes time and is even messier. Speaking of that, the youngish woman beside me Freaked Out when she realized that she had blue dye on her hands! She ran out of the room to the bathroom. Of course it doesn’t come off so the teacher gave her a cream that actually takes some skin off… Guess she has a thing about being clean. ;-D
What a great write up! Thank you!!! I am thrilled when students have so many kind words to share about my kits and classes! I love spreading the joys of fabric dyeing and Itajime is one of my favorite techniques. From the looks of things, you really got some spectacular results out of the class.
I can’t believe you had time to find my blog, read it and comment in the midst of AQS! Thank you. As I said, I have taught shibori classes and the logistics are difficult. You did such a wonderful job with that as well as inspiring us to create. It was a pleasure to take your class!