The Shibori Dyeing Workshop

Hi, I'm Kristi. When I first started doing shibori, I took a lot of my partner's old t-shirts and folded and dyed them. Then I tried kitchen towels and linens, and eventually silk scarves. I love using natural materials and seeing what happens when they come out of the dye.

Unwrapping is my absolute favorite part. To me, it's like Christmas. I could sit there all day taking off rubber bands and opening up the fabric. I'll think the triangles are my favorite, and then I'll open the clothespin one and change my mind again.

In this workshop, we're going to make a set of napkins you can use at home. I'll show you several simple ways to fold and bind them, and we'll see how each one comes out. Some of my folds are uneven. One of my napkins comes out mostly white. That's all part of trying things, and you'll see those pieces too.

Here's What We'll Make and Do

Bound napkins turning from green to blue on the indigo bucket lid

Module 1

Meet Shibori

I'll start with some finished napkins so you can see the patterns we're going to try. Shibori can get very elaborate, but we're working with simple folds and bindings to begin with.

Meet itajime, where we fold and clamp the cloth; arashi, where we wrap it around a pole; and kanoko, where we bind little points for circles. We'll also try a simple kumo variation with marbles.
Choose cotton or linen napkins, or a blend of the two. I use a pack of twelve cotton napkins. Check the label for 100% natural material; synthetic blends can give you a more faded result.
See the supplies I use, including the Jacquard indigo kit, rubber bands, clothespins and a wooden dowel. I'll show you some alternatives for the resists, which are the things we use to keep dye out of parts of the cloth.
Take a look at the green liquid in the vat and see why the cloth turns blue when it meets the air. We'll also talk about washing the napkins before we dye them.

A long spoon lifting green liquid from the indigo vat in a blue bucket

Module 2

Prep & the Indigo Vat

First I'm going to wash the napkins and get the vat ready. I like to give my cotton a gentle scour, but a hot wash in the machine is an option too. I'll show you the way I do it.

Follow my scour with mild detergent and a gentle simmer. I stir the napkins every ten to fifteen minutes and leave this batch for about an hour and a half before rinsing and drying it.
See the optional laundry booster I add. I use a little soda ash because I have it on hand; you don't have to add a booster to follow along.
Watch me mix the Jacquard kit into warm water: soda ash, pre-reduced indigo, then the reducing agent. I use a five-gallon bucket with a lid.
I'll stir gently, cover the vat, and let it rest while I finish preparing the cotton. You'll see the green color I'm looking for before I start dyeing.

Kristi's hands holding an accordion-folded white napkin clamped with clothespins

Module 3

Fold, Wrap, Tie

This is where we get to play with the patterns. I'll fold each style with you, starting with an accordion fold. Your napkin doesn't have to be perfectly square. Mine isn't, and we can still work with it.

Make back-and-forth pleats, then fold them into a square or triangle. I'll show you how I tuck in an uneven edge, and how an iron can help if you want firmer pleats.
Compare two finished napkins to see what the binding changes. Tighter bands hold more dye out and leave more white; looser ones let more indigo into the folds.
Try squares for a grid, popsicle sticks for chevrons, clothespins for irregular marks, and a triangle fold held with rubber bands. I love the clothespins because they leave such interesting shapes.
For arashi, we'll wrap the napkin diagonally around a dowel, scrunch it down and secure it with string. I've used a wine bottle for this before too.
Bind marbles into the cloth for our simple kumo pattern, then try pinching and winding little cones for kanoko. Make as many or as few as you like. I don't plan out every circle.

A gloved hand lowering a bound napkin into an outdoor indigo vat, with a soak pot beside it

Module 4

Dip & Develop

Now we're outside with the pieces we've bound. I've got water for soaking, the indigo vat, and a separate rinse pot. I love watching that greenish yellow turn blue as the pieces come out.

Soak the bundles in water before dyeing. I'll wait for the tightly folded ones to become wet all the way through so they can take up the dye evenly.
Watch the dips I use for this batch: about ten minutes for the first group and five for the second. I'll explain how the dark blue on my sample helped me decide.
See how I handle the pole-wrapped piece, lift out the bundles and rinse them. I also mention the string trick some dyers use to pull pieces out individually.
We'll look at the color as it develops, and I'll talk about repeating dips for a deeper blue. I leave my pieces bound in zip-top bags overnight and unwrap them the following day. Waiting is the hardest part for me.

Kristi holding up an unwrapped indigo napkin with rows of white clothespin marks

Module 5

Your Shibori Reveal

This is the part I've been waiting for. We'll take off the bindings and open up each napkin. Even when I've done a fold before, I still love seeing what it leaves behind.

Unwrap the squares, chevrons and triangles, then see what the clothespins did. We'll look at where the indigo reached the fabric and where the folds held it out.
Open the pole-wrapped napkin to see its wavy pattern and changes in blue. Then I'll turn the marble-bound piece inside out to pop the marbles free, and unwrap the kanoko circles.
See the napkins that came out mostly white because I used too much resist. At the end, I explain that I'm going to wrap them again and re-dye them that afternoon.
Follow the finishing routine I show: a ten-minute vinegar-and-water rinse, then washing the napkins together with ordinary detergent and drying them. They're going to be napkins, so I don't fuss over them.

A Supply List to Get You Ready

Workshop supplies laid out on a table: cotton napkins, indigo kit, bucket, gloves, rubber bands, clamps, marbles and a wooden dowel

Shibori Dyeing Supplies List

Have a look at what you've already got before you buy your supplies. For the patterns, I use things like clothespins, popsicle sticks and marbles. If you don't have wooden squares, you can cut your own from thick cardboard.

The napkins, indigo kit and equipment we use in the lessons, together on one page.
Ideas for resists you may already have, plus the optional iron for pressing your folds.

Included with the workshop

Join Me for the Workshop

All five video lessons, about 67 minutes in total

Folding and binding demonstrations for the napkin patterns

Preparing the cotton, mixing the vat, dyeing and unwrapping

The one-page Shibori Dyeing Supplies List

One payment. Lifetime access.

$47

Join the Shibori Workshop

Watch the lessons at your own pace. Fabric, dye and equipment are purchased separately.

Five Video Lessons Supply List Included 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

A Few Things Before We Start

Your folds can be a little uneven.

You'll see me tuck in extra fabric, work with pleats that want to spring open, and put clothespins on without spacing them perfectly. I love some of those irregular marks. We're trying a few different things and seeing what we like.

Some of this may look familiar.

If you've tried tie-dye, you'll recognize the pinching and binding we use for kanoko. We'll also fold the cloth between squares and wrap it around a pole. It's fun to see how different those pieces look after they've been in the same vat.

Make room for the wet pieces.

I dye outside with my rinse water and garden hose nearby. You'll want somewhere to fold, a protected area for the bucket, and a place to put the pieces when they come out. I keep my dye pot separate from the pots I use for food.

A Few Questions You Might Have

Can I do this if I have never dyed anything?

Yes. I'll start by showing you the supplies and the finished patterns, then we'll prepare the cotton and make the vat. The folding lesson goes through each style as I make it. These are simple ways to get started with shibori, and you can pause while you work on your own piece.

What supplies will I need?

You'll need cotton or linen napkins, an indigo kit, a bucket with a lid, a long stirring spoon, gloves, and containers for soaking and rinsing. For the patterns, I use rubber bands, squares, popsicle sticks, clothespins, marbles, string and a wooden dowel. There are alternatives in the lessons, so you can work with some things you already have. The one-page PDF lists the supplies. Keep your dyeing utensils separate from anything you use for food.

Are the materials included in the price?

The $47 is for the video workshop and supplies PDF. You'll buy your fabric, dye and equipment separately. Have a look through the supply list and check what comes in your dye kit before you shop. The cost will depend on what you already have and which supplies you choose.

Where should I dye, and what precautions do I need?

I take my vat outside and wear gloves when handling the dye. Set up with good ventilation and protect the surfaces around you. Read and follow your kit's mixing instructions and safety cautions, including how to handle its powders. Keep the covered vat out of reach of children and pets, and use equipment reserved for dyeing. I show my setup in the first two lessons.

Will I finish the napkins in one afternoon?

The process I show continues into the following day. First I wash and dry the napkins, fold them, and do the dyeing. Then I leave the pieces bound in zip-top bags overnight before unwrapping, rinsing and washing them. Allow time for those steps as well as the videos. You can also prepare the cotton and do the folding on a different day.

Can I try this on something other than napkins?

I've dyed my partner's old t-shirts, kitchen towels, linens and silk scarves. For this workshop, we're working on cotton napkins. You can try the folds on other natural-fiber pieces too, but check the fabric label and your dye kit's guidance for that material. A different size or fabric will give you a different result.

What if I do not like one of my patterns?

You'll see a couple of mine that came out mostly white. I used too much resist, so at the end I talk about wrapping them again and putting them back in the vat that afternoon. We don't do that second dyeing on camera. It gives you another thing to try if you'd like more blue in a piece.

Is this a one-time payment?

Yes, it's $47 once for the workshop and supplies PDF, with no subscription. Your dyeing materials are a separate purchase.

What if the workshop is not for me?

You can request a full refund within 30 days of purchase under the workshop's money-back guarantee.

How long can I access the lessons?

The workshop is offered with lifetime access, so you can come back to the videos when you're ready to make another set. Pause a lesson while you fold, or return to a demonstration you'd like to try again.

What format are the lessons in?

There are five prerecorded videos, about 67 minutes altogether, and a one-page supplies PDF. The folding lesson is about 31 minutes, so that's where we'll spend the most time. You can work through one technique at a time.

What will we cover beyond the folds?

I'll show you how I prepare the cotton and mix my indigo vat, then we'll dye the pieces and open them up together. You'll see the results of the different bindings and the final rinse and wash I use. This workshop focuses on those napkins; we don't cover stitched nui shibori or making plant dyes from scratch.

What should I do first?

Start with the first lesson and the supply list. You'll get to see the patterns before deciding which ones you want to try. Gather your materials, wash the napkins, and give yourself some room to fold. That's where we'll begin.

How To Turn Plain Cotton Napkins Into Deep Indigo Patterns

These All Started As Plain Cotton