Indigo Dyeing Weekend

To book phone us 4464 3387 or scroll down to the bottom of the listing and click to ‘add to cart’. If tickets are sold out please contact us to be waitlisted. Occasionally places do pop up again.

We are very excited to have Shuji and Alison Yamazaki from Wabi Sabi Designs return with their incredibly popular indigo dyeing weekend, this time as a part of our special COLOUR + CLOTH Event.  Read more about last years weekend event Japan in Berry and how it came to be on our blog post here. Read a wrap up of last year’s event and see pictures of how it unfolded here on our blog.  Read a summary of the planned 2022 Colour + Cloth event- also on our blog here.  

INDIGO DYING WEEKEND

Join us for two days of indigo dyeing with Shuji and Alison. Shuji teaches many methods of traditional Japanese dyeing in a traditional natural indigo vat. Participants will learn how natural indigo is made in Japan and ten or more shibori dying techniques.  You will also learn what you can make in your future projects (bags and quilt tops etc) with indigo dyed materials. Shuji is very experienced teaching this workshop and participants will encounter a wide range of exciting and repeatable creative techniques. 

The cost for the weekend includes a kit of 1 x cotton handkerchief (45cm square), 2 x soft sarashi cotton scarves (36cm x 160cm), and 1 x linen and rayon blend scarf (45cm x 200cm). Plus 2m of PFD fabric for the second day. (PFD means prepared for dying)There is no need to bring any thing special. Just a walk in and enjoy the workshop. Everyone will have free access to natural indigo vats, aprons, gloves, irons + ironing boards and resists (clamps, wood resists, PVC pipes, marbles, rubber bands, Arimatsu shibori threads, needles and scissors).

The first day will cover many of the basic techniques including folding, clamping and stitching. All materials will be provided. There will also be instruction on the second day and loads of free time at the dye vats to make the most of the technique you like the best. 

Please note though that participants MAY NOT bring their own materials for dyeing through out the weekend as we cannot guarantee the results. Your fees include plenty of material to dye and if you need more, more is available to purchase. Towards the end of the workshop you may have a chance to dye some small samples of your own material for testing. 

The $300 cost is for the two days of tuition. We can not give a discount for only one day’s participation. If you wish to attend for one day only it will still cost $300. It is not possible to begin the workshop on the Sunday. Class runs from 10am – 4pm each day with a one hour lunch break. 

COLOUR + CLOTH

The workshop is taking place as part of our COLOUR + CLOTH weekend. There will be a display of quilts in the church hall and outside our shop which focuses on the colourful work of Sheena Chapman. In the display will be many of Sheena’s own designed and made quilts hung alongside quilts made by her students in class. Sheena is a bower bird and loves to mix vintage and contemporary fabrics in projects. Also on display will be some vintage quilts from Sheena and others’ collections that have informed or influenced Sheenas designs or colour schemes. It promises to be a great celebration of Colour + Cloth. In addition to the display and workshops over the weekend, Shiji and Alison Yamazaki will be bringing their Wabi Sabi designs Pop-Up Shop which will be set up in the Uniting Church Hall across from our Berry Shop. They sell an wonderful array of Vintage and new Japanese textiles, indigo dyeing materials and Japanese textile focused books as well as some vintage Japanese wearables. 

COVID 19 DETAILS:  

At the time of making this listing, it is not a requirement to wear masks during the workshop or be physically distanced in class OR to check vaccination status of participants. We will have sanitising equipment but it is up to you to assess your personal comfort zone and in this situation. You will be very welcome to wear a mask if you would prefer. We will encourage anyone experiencing cold or flu symptoms not to come and will offer a store credit if they can not attend at the last minute or a full refund if we are prevented from running the event due to covid 19 regulations changing.

Shuji Yamazaki with lots of wonderful shibori and other traditional dying techniques.

Indigo Shibori Dyed fabrics by Shuji & Alison of Wabi Sabi Designs

Shuji Yamazaki pulling a piece out of the indigo dye bath.

 

Alison and Shuji Yamazaki of Wabi Sabi Designs

Indigo Fun

The Dyeing Team from 2021 with their results

Kate and Alison discussing shibori 2021

Sabina’s fabulous stitched circles. 2021

Julie happy with her piece!

Kate and Sabina with blue hands

Shuji all set up ready to get the girls dying in 2021

The Wabi-Sabi examples of what to do with your dyed fabric.

Gorgeous shibori outside in the sun!