Lecture: Indigo Dyeing in Japan

I spent nearly a month in Japan, and half of my time was at a wonderful indigo workshop in the country. The rest of the time was spent eating up art, culture, and as much food as possible.

Getting blue hands in Japan

In this talk, I explore how my love of Japanese culture, travel, textiles and “blue and white” came together in a fantastic journey to Japan. In this textile talk, I take you virtually with me to an indigo dyeing workshop in the country near Mt. Fuji. We will explore two kinds of Japanese indigo dyeing processes that use resist: katazome (paste resist dyeing using stencils) and shibori (bound or stitch resist dyeing). I’ll talk about how my particular modern design approach is influenced by Japan, and how I like to incorporate these traditional fabrics into modern quilt compositions.

Besides thoroughly exploring katazome and shibori techniques, I will also give a virtual trunk show of my work, including several indigo-inspired quilts that I designed, as well as paper-based stitched artwork that I created by dyeing paper in indigo using shibori techniques. We’ll also make brief forays into Japanese architecture, cuisine, and shopping for fabric. By the end of the talk, you may be inspired to try some dyeing yourself, or maybe even take a journey to Japan in the future. 

Free Download: Indigo Textile Resources

I have compiled a PDF of indigo and shibori resources that tie in with this lecture. It includes my recommendations for books, dyeing supplies and suppliers, and dye kits that are easy to use at home. Use the button below to download the PDF. You can then open it on your computer and use the built-in links to explore all the resources:

Lecture Details

This lecture is available virtually using Zoom technology, as well as for in person events. It is 1 hour long with up to 30 minutes for Q&A. 

Contact David to book this lecture for your guild.