I've ventured down the Shibori path before ... I tried some Arashi Shibori (pole wrapping) a while back, loved the resulting fabric but found it very hard to incorporate into my work!

Recently I have been looking for ways to build different textures and variations into my surface design, especially when using natural dyes ...so I've been looking again at Shibori techniques and in particular stitched shibori. I was delighted to find Jane Callender's book "Stitched Shibori - Techniques, Innovation,Pattern, Design" ... which provides a comprehensive reference to stitched shibori. Jane describes stitched shibori in the following terms ....

"Pulling up the threads of hand-sewn rows worked with small stitches creates tiny folds, and as a row of stitching can follow a drawn line, specific shapes, motifs, patterns and designs can be composed."

I've experimented with a range of traditional stitched shibori designs ...

and tried out a stitching technique on a wool scarf - for fun ..... here are the stages in the stitched shibori process...

but it's the flexibility to stitch freeform designs that is exciting .... I've been stitching my own designs using an oversewing technique called 'guntai shibori' which creates a lovely effect.

I can see lots of possibilities ...... Thanks for reading and for your interest in my work ...CC