Nui Shibori (Stitched Resist)

I was going through my hand dyed fabrics to select ones to sell at the upcoming Almond Country Quilt Guild's  Trash to Treasures, when I came upon this piece made awhile ago.  It was made using a stitch resist method, which in Japanese is called Nui Shibori.  Mostly I use a running stitch for creating this resist, but occasionally have used a couple other stitches or enclosed small beans or popcorn kernels inside a tightly pulled circle of stitches.  I find this method very relaxing, due to the repetition of the stitching.  You stitch the whole piece, then pull stitching tight and secure it.  Dip in soda ash, place on  plastic wrap, squirt dyes onto the piece and allow to cure 24 hours.  Then do the usual cool rinse out of soda ash, followed by a couple hot water synthrapol wash outs.

After marking with a water soluble marker the lines for stitching, I use buttonhole thread to do a running stitch.

  The stitching is  done and each line of stitching is pulled tight

  and secured with a bead.

Below is the piece after dyeing, but before taking out stitching.  Taking out the stitching is not the fun part.  You need to stand at the sink and be very careful removing the stitching without cutting the fabric. 

Above is the finished fabric and below, a closeup of  one part.  Notice the small diamond shaped light turquoise shapes.  I  tied thread around kernels of popcorn to create those.  I think they make the piece sparkle a bit more.