Resource Guide for Indigo Shibori Artists

So happy, it's Friday! Do you feel me? The past few weeks have been filled with creativity but also, extremely fun & busy, so I am looking forward to the weekend to just semi-kickback and relax. 
If you are a Shibori artist, like myself, then this article is my gift to you! My guess is that you are either basically brand new to Shibori and just starting out, or a bit more advanced and looking to deepen you're practice. Either way, you have come to the right place! Today, I am sharing all of my suggestions for supplies and materials so that you can get started having a blast with indigo dyes and creating Shibori patterns. 

Keep reading to see which materials that I have found that work best from beginner to more advanced. 

Keep Reading!

Beginner Shibori Materials

Here are my suggestions about what to try if you are brand new to Shibori. In the beginning, I found this Jacquard Indigo Tie-Dye Kit (mini) helpful and easy to use. I used this for my first couple of projects while I got a feel for Shibori. If you are a little bit more invested then I recommend picking up this ​Indigo Dye Kit by One One Thousand instead. It includes re-usable acrylic shapes for Itajime and reusable gloves. Next, you might consider ordering a mixed bundle of Acrylic Shapes, like I did. The hard part for me was patiently waiting for it all to arrive in the mail! While you wait, I suggest gathering your textiles and anything white that you have laying around the house for you to practice Shibori. You can practice Itajime folds, Arashi binding, and Kumo rings in advance. 

You can learn more about Kumo, Arashi, and Itajime here.  ​

AdVanced Shibori Materials 

​After you have practiced a bit, and possibly fallen in love with indigo and Shibori, as I did, you might want to try your hand at create a 123 Fructose Vat using the natural process that I describe below. This is essentially creating your own vat of indigo, with which to dye. 
​For this you will need: 

• Fructose powder
• Indigo
• Calcium Hydroxide 
• 1 qt wide mouth jar 
• ​a thermometer​
• Stainless steel pot, I use a 16 qt but I would upgrade to a 20 qt pot 

 I recommend trying this, if you are a textile artist or have tried the previous methods and want to achieve a more authentic looking result. I find the color of the natural indigo to be a bit lighter and more natural looking. Also, the Fructose Vat, does not have the sulphuric smell of the dye kits, so that is another pleasant aspect of working with it! You will still want to wear gloves as the indigo does stain. 

Textiles for Shibori

As I am writing this, I realized that I have tested out so many natural fabrics over the course of my work that I should really create a separate and more detailed post. Today, I will share 3 of my favorites textiles to get started with.

• Cotton linen tassel scarves for Arashi and binding to a core. These are soft and summery. 
• Tea Towels for Itajime shape resist. I like the size of these and find that they are easy to pleat. 
• Kid's t-shirts for Kumo or various techniques. This is a good quality kid's t-shirt. 

My larger guide to fabrics is coming soon! Please let me know, if you have any specific questions about which fabrics to use and I will try to get them answered for you. I also highly recommend Dharma Trading, for their rayon scarves, silk scarves, and fabric. 

Books on Shibori Techniques

• Simply Shibori by Fiona Fagan 
• Stitched Shibori by Jane Callendar
• Memory on Cloth: Shibori Now by Yoshiko Wada

Other Indigo Dye Resources

Here are some of my favorite resources that have helped me to learn more deeply about indigo dyeing: 

• Botanical Colors: How to dye with Indigo
• Blockshop Textile workshop that I attended had a focus on indigo, although I believe it changes from time to time 
• Natural Dye Workshop with Michel Garcia

Lastly, I would love to hear from you. Are you just getting started with Shibori? Or do you have some experience and are looking to refine your technique? Let me know in the comments! 

Here are some additional posts on Shibori that I think you might enjoy: 

• Shibori Textile Basics
• 3 Shibori Techniques
• Indigo on Procion dye