xsilk

Two dresses made with silk dyed with indigo & Sumi ink using Itajime techniques. Three different patterns created with Itajime. This technique can be best understood if you imagine a combination of origami and dyeing.    Although this method creates geometric pattern, the pattern looks quite organic with soft edges and rich coloring. And once you get hang of it, you realize there are endless possibility in the variations of patterns.   Itajime method can be used for both cold and hot dye bath(depending on the dye you want to use).   I used sumi ink and indigo dye on silk fabric. Sumi ink could be omitted if you want to use indigo dye only: simply skip Step#2 below. If you want to use either cotton or linen instead of silk, you may need to boil the fabric to remove glue and wax from the fabric before you dye.   And soy milk needs to be applied onto cotton (or linen) as mordant before you dye it with sumi ink. Supplies needed: Indigo dye bat