Shibori 101: Japanese Tie-Dye (Itajime Folding Method)

Hildy has been a textile enthusiast since she was a child and learned sewing from her mother and knitting from her father. She received her BFA in Fibers at the Massachusetts College of Art and specialized in weaving and surface design, including silk screening, batik, and shibori; dyeing fabric and yarns still holds a special interest for her. In addition to her formal studies, she arranged to learn indigenous backstrap weaving in Chiapas, Mexico, which led to a gig giving weaving demonstrations at the MFA in conjunction with an exhibit of pre-Columbian weaving (best job ever!). While visiting Japan, she took a workshop at the Museum of Shibori in Kyoto and now actively teaches Japanese tie-dye methods independently in the Boston area. When she teaches Shibori, she wants the students to honor the tradition and its techniques while at the same time feeling free to experiment and create designs of their own.

Itajime Shibori is one of the simplest and fastest methods of Japanese tie-dying. It consists of folding fabric into a grid of repeating geometric shapes and either binding or clamping it between objects before putting it in a dye bath. The folding and binding prevents the dye from penetrating the fabric completely, and the manner in which it is done will result in a wide variety of beautiful and surprising patterns.

The materials fee for this class is $25. This is separate from the ticket price and is to reimburse the instructor for any tools or materials used in this class. This will be paid once, directly to the instructor at the start of the first class meeting. This instructor accepts payments in cash or through Venmo or Paypal.

Students will learn:

-Multiple fabric folding techniques

-Clamping, tying, binding of fabric

-Dip dying

-Creating useful accessories for wardrobe and household use

-Analyzing and understanding the design process for future creations

Pre-hemmed fabric napkin blanks; procion dyes; clamps, blocks, and other materials for binding fabric; rubber gloves; containers for dying; zip lock bags for bringing still wet projects home.

Participants should wear clothing that they don't mind getting stained or wet. Non-slip shoes are a must in the event of spills.

Students must be 12 years old or older. All students under 18 must be accompanied by and under the direct supervision of a responsible adult.

Learn more about our class and ticket cancelation policies Here.

Please email [email protected] with any questions.

*Sales end 4 days before the start of the class to allow the instructor and staff time to prep.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Artisan's Asylum, 96 Holton Street, Boston, United States