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Arashi Again

This is the part of being obsessive that I love.  I spent my July 4th holiday wrapping fabric around poles and then dyeing it in indigo.  I can’t get enough of that arashi. There’s so much variation within this technique.   image11(2)

This is one that I wrapped, dyed, let dry on the pole, unwrapped, re-wrapped and over-dyed.  Whew.  I have to ask myself why.  It’s ok and all but whatever.  I don’t see the point in drying and then re-wrapping.  I must be doin’ it rong.image10(4)I won’t walk you through each one.image9(6)Though I do love this skinny one.  Fun to make, too.image8(7)I did throw in some itajime.  That’s the kind where you cover part of the fabric with blocks.  One cannot live by arashi alone.image7(8) image6(12)Love this.  Uneven pleats ftw!!image5(14)Also cool, if I may say so myself.  I accordion triangle folded it and then wrapped it.  Even fancier than it soundsimage4(13)Hell yes.  1/2 a yard of cotton looking fine!image3(13)Another variation on willow pattern.image2(13)Ok.  So I guess I kinda did walk you through each one

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But I did spend my day with them and perhaps I got attached.

Come and dye with me on Sunday, July 12 from 1 – 4 at Paradigm Gardens!!!  Call them to register at 608/241-3800.  That’s a week away.  Holy Cats Time!  Slow down!

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Willow Pattern

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I had an super awesome fun time making something pretty.  What could be better? First, random circles then…

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…messy pleating.  The messy part is not required but it’s just my way.

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Grab a short length of rope and…

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Wrap string around the rope and pleated piece of fabric.

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Till it looks like a cocoon.

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You don’t have to have a hole in your glove that turns your hand blue but it could happen.

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Dip it in the indigo lots of times so it really gets dark.

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Unwrap it, it’s an adventure!  Use a seam ripper or little embroidery scissors and BOOM you’ve made the willow pattern, my current favorite Shibori pattern.