I recently acquired a box full of itajime blocks.  I plan to have them available at the Deep Into Indigo Retreat.  The Retreat is a blast.  This year, to ensure our sanity, we have decided to ask for a $150 deposit due by January 30th.  If we get 10 people by then, the Retreat will run.  If not, we are going to focus on other events. But we reeeeeally want the Retreat to run.  So if you plan to wait until the last possible minute to register, that minute is coming up really soon.

You don’t need access to acrylic blocks to make gorgeous work, simple rubber bands will do the job very nicely. Itajime is a very simple, yet beautiful and sophisticated technique. Like all shibori techniques, it has a bajillion possible variations.

First you accordion or fan fold your fabric.  Then you do it again. I like to use a triangle fold but you could totally use a square or rectangle. My favorite triangle fold is the equilateral triangle. You make it using a fold and a flip.

As you fold it, you need to go on as you began…finally that advice makes sense to me. Meaning, if your first fold is away from you, after you flip it, all of the folds need to go away from you.  Not that “away from you” is the only way, any way is right as long as you are consistent.  Now, that’s some good advice.

It’s easier to show than to tell, though, so I made a quick video about it.  It’s less than two minutes long.

Once you have made your triangle bundle, you get to pick how to place your resists and which resists to use.  This is also half the fun.  Every slight variation you make in where you put it, will totally change the look of your pattern.  Mighty cool.

Let me know if you have questions about the technique or the Deep Into Indigo Retreat.  Happy dyeing!