S H I B O R I !!!!

or 'Nodules-R-us'


OH MY - How fun is this?

A while back I read about a Japanese technique called shibori.
What is shibori? Glad you asked....

Shibori is the collective term in Japanese for tie-dye, stitch-dye, fold-dye, pole wrap-dye, etc. It is translated into English as shaped-resist dyeing, because no comparable embracing term exists in English. Learn more about the World Shibori Network (WSN) formed in 1992. In other words, Shibori is the Japanese word for a variety of ways of embellishing textiles by shaping cloth and securing it before dyeing. Although shibori is used to designatc a particular group of resist-dyed textiles, the verb root of the word emphasizes the action performed on cloth, the process of manipulating fabric. Rather than treating cloth as a two-dimensional surface, with shibori it is given a three-dimensional form by folding, crumpling, stitching, plaiting, or plucking and twisting. Cloth shaped by these methods is secured in a number of ways, such as binding and knotting.
Okay, so mostly it is related to dying resists, but I had read an article about a year or so ago in Interweave Knits about applying the principle to knitting and
I had to try it as it relates to felting. Then, more recently, more information on this technique is in Interweave Knits, current issue 07/11/06. Check it out - there is a pattern in there for a scarf. Looks pretty fun, not sure about the finished shape as there is a lot of distortion when making the nodes.
Anyway, taking a pre-felted piece of wool, I wrapped small foam disks (about the size of half of a marshmallow) in random places. I wish i would have taken pictures, but it was SUCH an experiment one afternoon I didn't think to do it- next time definately!
This is what appeared. Big bumpy 'nodules' that aren't felted amidst a firm felted backgound. I just recently pulled this bag together, added some needlefelting aroung the 'nodes' and the standard magnetic snap and pretty cool wooden handles. I will definately have to do more with this style of felting.

Reclaimed and Needlfelted - The Updike

Reclaimed & Needlefelted

This bag came to me from a thrift shop find. It had been a sweater and now has been transformed into The Updike. so named, as I was listening to a collectionof John Updike stories while working on it. Lots of needlefelting!
Here is a picture of it hanging in the backyard. This is the front of the bag. Fun beads are hanging off the flap on the front off to the right. This bag all started when I was demonstrating needlefelting on a scap of reclained wool. That demo piece is now the front flap.



"Flaps -up" Here is a peak under the flap.

Turn aound and a sweet spiral of cool colors can be seen.

Inside are no pockets, but the closure is a magnetic snap.
The strap is long enough to be a crossover bag. Most are for me anyway.
It is a nice manageble size of 10 x 6 inches.