Stitched Shibori

Jane Callender is possessed of a unique talent. Since she was a student at West Surrey College of Art and Design, she has dedicated herself to the subtle arts of shibori and indigo dyeing. She is an acknowledged master of her craft. Her innovative award-winning work, admired both for its artistry and high level of technique, has been widely exhibited. A patient and accomplished teacher with all the necessary technical skills at her fingertips, she lectures and conducts workshops across the globe and through her website 'Callishibori' supplies shibori materials and tools to a worldwide audience. Well known as the author of the seminal 2000 Pattern Combinations, she has now written this superlative book. Clear, concise, instructive and inspiring, it is destined to be an essential manual and classic work of reference for both beginners and advanced practitioners for many years to come. John Gillow May 2017 Shibori is a technique with its roots in Africa, China, and Japan. I've seen some pieces that are as intricate and delicate as a snowflake and as such I've rather filed this technique in the box marked 'advanced' i.e. not for me. Jane is a highly respected Shibori artist, teacher and speaker and so used to breaking down the technicalities of this centuries-old tradition into practical steps. The book is laid out intelligently, starting with the process of sewing in a single line of straight stitch with clear illustrations and photos showing the results that can be achieved. You can progress quite quickly by introducing more lines and layers or with folds and curves. Finished patterns can quickly become quite kaleidoscopic and for anyone interested in designing their own fabrics this could possibly get quite addictive. I was particularly drawn to the chapter on Wrapped Pattern, which combines stitching on the fold with binding the cloth around a cylinder for its more unpredictable results (but that's me all over: living on the edge!). As with any technique involving dyes, you've got to have a certain amount of space to experiment and be comfortable handling chemicals. There are safety guidelines and recipes for all manner of dyes, both natural and synthetic, at the back of the book and some amazing colour combinations can be achieved with practice. Marigolds at the ready! Popular Patchwork Issue 40 Stitched Shibori is the Japanese art of immersing textiles in a dye bath and creating pattern using a range of stitched resist techniques (think tye-dyeing but on another level!). In this practical and beautiful guide , renowned expert Jane Callender showcases techniques, patterns and dyes in three comprehensive sections. Complete with full instructions, illustrations, photographs, designs, tips and advice, her guide features ideas for using grids, folding, pleating, motifs and stencils (plus other techniques) to create beautiful designs. It includes due recipes and useful advice on which fabrics to use. We believe it is a wonderful handbook for beginners and experienced textile artists alike. Reloved Shibori is a resist dye technique often associated with indigo. In its most basic form, stitches and/or pleats are applied to cloth before dyeing to create undyed, neutral marks or areas of pattern. Jane Callender, as Jenny Balfour-Paul explains in her foreward, is one of the few British shibori practitioners whose work can be considered a match to the foremost Japanese artists and in this book, the author brings to bear more than three decades of expert knowledge in this ancient craft. Callender wastes no time delving into every aspect of creating patterns using stitch resist. She begins with a brief introduction to shibori, before explaining the basics of preparation, tying knots, pulling threads and simple stitch arrangements. In pages 22-122 she explains all the key stitch-resist techniques needed - how various lengths, directions and rhythms of hand and machine stitch produce different marks. When combined with folds, pleats, binding, capping, wrapping, applique or multiple layers, the possibilities are endless. A second chapter reveals how to create intricate patterns. Finally she provides tuition and recipes for natural and synthetic indigo dyeing, as well as natural dyes and throughout, the instructions are explained clearly with helpful diagrams and photographs. Jane Callender has condensed a lifetime of practical expertise to create what can be best described as the shibori's artist's 'best friend', packed with both traditional and inventive stitch-resist techniques, designs and inspiration, including examples of her own work. Readers of this book will not be disappointed - both beginners and experienced makers will benefit from this guide, which at this price provides incredible value for a reference book you will return to again and again. Embroidery Magazine This is a lovely book, with a new technique I haven't tried before. I must admit I am more of a knitter and crocheter than stithcer, but the running stitch technique is easy to master, and the effects are amazing! What interested me most about the book was the section on natural dyeing (with yarn in mind!), and I found the step by step instructions really interesting and easy to follow. I have already ordered some indigo and alum, and intend to go foraging for some other natural products to continue this experiment! I honestly don't know how much shibori stitching I can see in my future, but I can see this book being pored over with regards to the fantastic dye section Natasha Field At its simplest, shibori is the art of folding and pleating fabric, so distorting it before immersion in the dyebath. But it is so much more than that and eminent artist Jane Callender, who has devoted her working life to the art of shibori and indigo dyeing, presents, what will surely become, without doubt, a reference work for future generations of devotees of the craft. The book is divided into three sections - technique, pattern and dyeing, each meticulously explored with both lavish photography and highly detailed diagrams and explanations. A huge range of different stitch techniques are illustrated, used to create a myriad of specific designs and effects, together with the recipes for indigo and fibre-reactive dyes. This is an invaluable and inspiring resource book for both the beginner and the more experienced - highly recommended. East Kent Embroiderers Guild A beautifully presented book, with lots of information on the history of Shibori.Lovely projects, though not for the complete beginner to embroidery. The techniques are very clearly explained and illustrated , with step by step instruction,Definately a book i will use and reuse multiple times Jane Johnson At first glance I thought this was going to be a little too technical and difficult for a beginner but I was so wrong. There is a section on the fascinating history of the craft, lots of different stitches to try and also details on how to make your own dye recipes. You are guided through each step with diagrams and photos which makes it very easy to follow. Its a very comprehensive book on this subject and I would recommend it to an enthusiastic beginner right through to the more accomplished crafter. Karen Painter March 17 Master the art of Japanese stitch-resist dyeing through both traditional and more innovative techniques of stitching and staining fabric. This book guides you through the process starting with detailed explainations of how to create patterns with stitches and offering helpful photos of each finished effect. It contains all the information you need to get started, while its inspiring content ensures that it will remain a fruitful resource as you become an experiened textile artist. Sew A very technical book, which is also very informative. I would recommend it to students genuinely interested in Shibori and dyeing techniques. There is lots of imagery to inspire and whet the appetite. Written in a somewhat prescriptive manner which helps students to learn the techniques precisely and leaving room for further exploration. As always, excellent photography by Paul Bricknell adds value. Jane Callender brings her many years experience with this technique to bear in a way that will enable much learning to take place, for students of little or no experience and also for those in the know! I love the recipe charts, these make it all much easier to digest. Valerie Hughes This book is a very informative & inspiring guide to the Japanese art of Shibori. It is well illustrated both with photos & diagrams. The results are stunning but the book guides you through the processes so that you feel good results are achievable even for a beginner. Shibori does not need a lot of specialist equipment & I think anyone with an interest in textiles would find this a very useful addition to their bookshelf Nicola Urmenyi Although on first look the book looks very complicated however after reading the book the instructions are very clear and precise with handy little tips Jennifer Brain Very informative book with lots of photos to guide you through this embroidery craft, I'm looking forward to trying this out for the first time! Donna Hall Very comprehensive book on many aspects of this craft. At first look the book seemed quite complicated but once I started reading about this fascinating craft I now can't wait to get started. There are chapters on the history of Shibori. Plenty on the different types of stitching and dye patterns and a lovely section about natural dyes and how to recipes for them I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in this craft or anyone looking for a different craft to try Sharon Raglan