Stitch design

[tiedyejudy]

Has anyone done this design on a shirt? 
I have wanted to learn this technique for ages, and stumbled across a blog post with this picture.  I was trying to do the stitching on a piece of fabric the other day, but it's really awkward when you change directions.  Would love to find instructions somewhere!  Any suggestions?

Judy

[ktaltre]

This cloth almost looks like it was folded in half before stitching. Maybe. And then dyed different colors on each side?
Nice piece of shibori (hira-nui? mokume-nui?).
There's a really good book called "Shibori The Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing" by Yoshiko Wada, Mary Kellogg Rice, and Jane Barton.
This book has a great many illustrated stitches and folds and pics.
Instead of changing directions with one length of thread, maybe start a new length of thread.
I've just started doing some stitched resist.

This was hard fought; the tank was LWI dyed three times and stitched/tied twice. Next time will be better.
k. taltre

[tiedyejudy]

Thanks for your input, Katherine.  I have stitched two versions to test: one where I acordion folded, then did a running stitch, changing directions a few times; the other, I used running stitches in rows, then pulled the thread to gather, changing directions a few times.  I think the latter will probably give me better results.  The fabric is drying out a little from the soda soak, then I plan to apply some dyes using an eye dropper.  These are small pieces of fabric, just to test the stitching.  I hope one of them works, because I love the pattern!  BTW, I also love your stitched design and dyeing!  And I will look for the book you mentioned.  I have a shibori book I bought several years ago, but it is mostly demonstrating pole wrap on silk... lovely, but hard to do on a shirt with any success, I'm afraid.
More to come...
Judy   

[zeppenwolf]

Does the blog post specifically mention that it was "stitched"?  ( As opposed to just kinda partly accordion folded, partly scrunched? )  I'm having trouble seeing the "stitch" part in the result. 

It's a nifty effect though, I hope someone here figures it out, whatever it is!  It would be a great addition to the arsenal.  Reminds me of some kind of leaves, can't remember which. 

[Jaja]

Judy, if you do this design on silk, you get better details than in thicker t-shirt.
I'd say that it was done on silk as a arashi shibori - when you kinda scrunch it on pole, not trying to have it neatly in place, you get something like you have on the picture.

This is one similar example from Diana
http://www.1000markets.com/products/19864

Here is one example with silk
http://i.ixnp.com/images/v3.79/t.gif

Apply one lighter color first and then thickened darker dye on top and you'll get what you want.

(one variation for arashi is if you leave it as it is or if you twist it during compressing, this one was left untwisted, IMHO)

[tiedyejudy]

Here are my first two tries:


The first picture is of the piece where I accordion-folded, then ran a running stitch over the sides of the fold.  The second picture shows the piece where I created parallel rows of running stitches, then gathered the threads up and tied off.  I tried to get my stitches to go up and down approximately the same place on each row. 
 
I found basic instructions here:
http://www.burdastyle.com/howtos/show/658
I was trying for the 'wood grain' stitch.  My results came out too straight, I think.  I have an old t-shirt of my hubby's that I am going to experiment on, and this time I will try to not have such straight lines.  Also, with the thicker material, I think that will add to the organic look I am trying for.
Jaja, I think the arashi does work better on silk... I have tried this on t-shirts and don't get the results I have seen with silk or even cotton yardage.  I love the pattern, but I'm thinking I will get a better look on shirts with the mokume technique.  I will post more pictures when I have tried with t-shirt jersey.

[Jaja]

I've searched through my archive of experiments:
I have found only this example as closest to what you want with arashi


And here are some designs made with stitching

[tiedyejudy]

Here is experiment #3:

I threw in a medallion on this one to take up some space.  I don't think I'm getting what I am trying for, although I do like the designs.  Katherine, I sent off for the book you suggested... I'm sure that will help me to improve my skillset, meanwhile I plan to graduate to a whole shirt to see what I get.  I can see that this method requires more time than I have spent in awhile, but I like the look, so what the heck?  I'll post more pix as I progress.

Judy   

[ktaltre]

Those are nice shirts, Jaja........
Judy, yes the stitching takes a great deal of time; my needle hand starts to hurt and tingle after awhile.
Here's a recent book on shibori - I don't have it (yet). I'm thinking about it............
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1844482693/ref=pe_606_11838240_pe_ar_t4
k. taltre

[fiberartist219]

First of all, notice that the pics on the burda site offer fabrics that are dyed with one color. It is probably hard to see the patterns with all the colors floating around. Try practicing the stitches and then dyeing with just one dark color. You might be able to see them better.

Secondly, my favorite shibori book is by Karren Brito. I think it's just called, "Shibori". I have it and the pictures and instructions are gorgeous. She mostly uses silk and lanaset dyes, but the same concepts can be used with MX dyes and cotton.

I agree that the original piece you posted was probably arashi shibori. An accordion fold is beautiful in it's own right, but I think the arashi is done with a huge pole.

The wood grain, or Mokume, requires much smaller stitches than you probably used just from looking at the picture. Of course, it's hard to tell since it's both blue and yellow where the resists were. The yellow is lighter than the blue, and it could very well be tricking the eye.

Anyway, I think your work is beautiful, and I enjoy the experiments that you posted.