Weaving Shibori

 

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In the Rigid Heddle Loom Study Group I lead at the Weavers Guild of Greater Cincinnati, we are working on a woven Shibori project. Last week we brought in our projects that we wove with supplemental weft. We got together to pull the supplemental weft threads to gather the woven cloth to create the areas of resist before dyeing. In the photo above I am pulling the blue supplemental threads along one side of the cloth.  I pulled them in small groups that match the block patterns I was weaving into the cloth.  Pull them about halfway across the cloth (be careful not to pull out the threads from the other side) and tie the small group of threads into and overhand knot. Finish one side before starting the other.

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Next as you see in the above photos, I have started on the other side of the cloth.  To make it easier to tie the threads into the block groups again, I snip the loops of thread  as I come to them.

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Pull the group until the cloth gathers against the overhand knot tied on the other side.  Pull tightly and tie into a surgeons knot on this side (not and overhand like the other side).  If you break a thread by pulling too tightly that will just be a variation in the pattern in your finished cloth. Thensecure the surgeons knot with a second knot on top of it instead of finishing with a bow

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Above is the fully gathered cloth after I snipped off excess dangling threads.

Next up will be dyeing the gathered cloth in an indigo dye pot.