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Upcycling

Indigo shibori up cycled garnements

It all started as a whim, a wish to cover up a stain on an old favourite linen skirt… and it ended up being a great idea! Soon, one of my clients was asking me to upcycle her lovely white linen dress. Upcycling beloved items of clothing to cover up stains, or defects, or just to glamour them up, gives a new life to quality items of clothing made of natural fibres. I have a small stock of organic cotton t-shirts and linen scarves to create some of the shown products, but you are welcome to send me your item to upcycle. A selection previous orders, all pictures are linked to the relevant item

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Shibori-home, Kuno Hiroaki

Part 3 of a 3 parts training trip to Japan by Tinctoria, November-December 2023 I had the chance of meeting Hiroaki Kuno a few years ago when he came to train us in shibori-zome over a week-end at Couleur Garance. As you those who have been following my work would know, I have since then been extensively practising shibori with natural indigo. With ample occasions to realise how hard it is to get even the «simplest» of these techniques right. Shibori-zome includes an endless variety of reserve technique to produce pattern on fabric when applied before dyeing. Traditional patterns where executed by persons with infinite dexterity and infinite patience. Knot by knot, stitch by stitch, fold by fold, the fabric is crumpled into a much smaller bundle before being…

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More shiboris

A fun shooting on the stone stairs of our place in Vaison-la-Romaine, in the heart of the medieval town, where I open the showroom upon appointment. All photos are linked to their respective product or category By the pool at La Baye des Anges where I dye the linen fabric for the pool loungers and the table runners for the pool dining area Also at La Baye des Anges, a set of placemats that turned out to be an instant hit for our epicurean friends While in the garden, the day bed is pilled up high with the latest in antique hemp and linen cushions at the Atelier inauguration

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Sur la route du Tokaido @ Musée Guimet

Sur la route du Tokaido, Musee Guimet

It seems as I haven’ really come back from Japan… keep looking for indigo everywhere! On a busy day in paris, I managed to stop at the Musee Guimet to catch an exhibition showcasing a flurry of etchings from the famed Tokaido route. The Tokaido is the east and most famous of the Gokaido routes. It started to develop from the Kamakura (1185-1333) period, but reached a peak during the Edo (1603-1868) period. We have heard about it many times during our Japanese workshops as it widely participated to the flourishing indigo economy on that part of the island. Indigo is indeed very present in the etchings, in the landscapes but also on the clothes which are a fascinating sight if you have the slightest interest in indigo reserve techniques! The…

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Itajime shibori

Itajime shibori en Mei Line

Itajime shibori es otra técnica de reserva utilizada para crear patrones. Esta vez la tela se dobla y se prensa entre dos piezas de madera. Los pliegues, junto con la colocación de la prensa, conducen a una variedad de patrones. Siempre estoy asombrada con la magia de esas creaciones geométricas al desplegar la tela, es el mejor momento!! La tela está cuidadosamente doblada y presionada entre dos prensas de madera Para obtener la profundidad de color requerida es necesario realizar una serie de inmersiones en la cuba de índigo. Entre cada inmersión, la tela se oxigena pacientemente abriendo cada pliegue. Luego se enjuaga y el proceso se repite Después de desdoblar… ¡Felicidad! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ-J9QKuRCI

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Arashi shibori

Arashi shibori at Mei Line

The Arashi pattern is created by tying a piece of cloth very tightly around a cylinder and then crumpling down the fabric to form little creases. It is one of the numerous reserve techniques used in Japan grouped under the shibori term. The tradition was to use a very large bamboo section in Japan, but here, we make do with PVC tube. The fabric is dyed in the indigo vat, several bath separated by oxygenation and rinsing are necessary to achieve the desired tint. After the 3 days long process of rinsing and scouring, the fabric is put to dry. The word Arashi means lightning, but to me the pattern evokes water, with an infinity of ideas for it’s future use around the house and body.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzlLxugcTQ0

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Back from Tokushima

In Septembre 2019, along with a group of fellow natural dyers conducted by Leaf organisation (now Tinctoria), we had the incredible chance to attend a 10 day class at Buaisou where along with putting together a Sukumo based indigo vat, we also practised several traditional Japanese techniques to create patterns. The result of this, was over the next year, a mountain of cushions and table runners in many different patterns of indigo shibori. All photos are linked to their respective product or category

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Aizumi-cho historical museum

Another perl in our awesome trip organised by @leafLuberon around the indigo course at Buaisou Set in the former house of a major indigo merchant, this museum traces the history of indigo production, and use: from seed to fabric. The exquisite miniature scenes are a moving testimony or the hardship endured by people working in that trade. Indigo seedlings are protected from pest at night with straw panels They are pulled out and transplanted in between wheat rows, wheat protects the young seedlings from the strong sun Wheat is than harvested, leaving only the indigo to thrive Fertilisation The indigo is harvested and the leaves are cut and separated from the stem The indigo leaves are dried and made into Sukumo, a leaf compost, which is than used…

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Arimatsu Shibori, from tradition to innovation

Was very lucky to attend a workshop with Kuno Hiroaki organised by Couleur Garance. His enthusiasm about traditional indigo shibori and the way he envisions it’s transposition into a XXIe century sustainable and modern production is very inspiring. We trained in Te-Kumo shibori, and realised the unbelievable amount of work needed to create the patterns by this tying method onto a large (or long) piece of fabric… Kuno brought with him some very ancient textiles, some of them created with forgotten shibori techniques that made then real treasures! Endless inspiration…

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