Join us!

Learn how to warp, weave, and dye a woven shibori project. Woven shibori creates fabric that has unique dimension and movement. Catharine Ellis developed this technique that weavers can use on many types of looms. You'll weave and dye a set of coordinating placemats that will add a fun twist to your mealtime table.

Is this course for you?

This is the perfect project to advance your skills if you have a little weaving experience. You should be comfortable warping a loom (though we also have a refresher if it's been a while), reading a weaving draft, and following a treadling sequence in a draft. This is not a course for an absolute beginner, but if you have woven a few projects, this course will challenge you in new ways. No dyeing experience necessary--we'll walk you through the process.

Accessing the Course

This course is a self-paced online course. You'll be able to work through it whenever is convenient for you. There are videos, written instructions, and diagrams to guide you through every step of the process. There are discussion pages for your questions, and you can always email us at [email protected].

What You'll Learn

  • Designing

    Begin the course by looking at some of Sienna's woven shibori samples. Learn what types of patterns you can use and how you can vary them in your own projects.

  • Weaving

    Discover the process of weaving the fabric for woven shibori. We'll weave a plain weave base with pattern weft throughout.

  • Dyeing

    We'll scrunch up the fabric to prepare it for dyeing. Then we'll mix up the dye and use a simple immersion method to dye our fabric.

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome

    2. Woven Shibori Samples

    1. What You'll Need

    2. Downloadable Project PDF

    3. Warping the Loom

    4. Warping Refresher Part 1

    5. Warping Refresher Part 2

    1. Placemat #1

    2. Placemat #2

    3. Placemat #3

    4. Placemat #4

    5. Checking and Fixing Mistakes

    1. Creating the Resist

    2. Dyeing

    1. Finishing

    1. Thank you!

    2. Resources

    3. Survey

About this course

  • $49.00
  • 18 lessons
  • 2 hours of video content

Featured Product

Throughout the course, Sienna uses the Wolf Pup 8.10. You can use any 4 shaft loom with at least a 15" weaving width.

Weaving Equipment and Materials

  • 4+ shaft loom with at least a 15" weaving width and a 10 dent reed

  • 2 boat shuttles and bobbins, tapestry needle for hemstitching, rotary cutter and mat

  • Warp and base weft: slub cotton—I used Maurice Brassard Cotton Slub Yarn in Blanchi (601)

  • Pattern weft: 5/2 perle cotton (similar or smaller in size to your previous selection) in a contrasting color to the warp and base weft. Avoid really dark colors, like navy, black, or dark gray, as these could bleed onto the fabric.

Dyeing Materials and Equipment

  • 1 tablespoon of fiber reactive dye in your preferred color—I am using Dharma Trading Company Fiber Reactive Dye in Wasabi

  • 1/3 cup of soda ash, necessary for adhering the fiber reactive dye to the fabric

  • safety equipment: rubber gloves, dust mask or respirator

  • dish soap, small containers, measuring spoons, plastic spoons, 2 buckets large enough for fabric to move freely

Testimonials

she was very clear and easy to follow and with helpful hints when mistakes happen

Brenda

Clear instructions.

Jane

Instructor

Sienna Bosch

Sienna grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado. She grew up in a family of craftspeople; her father is a woodturner. Sienna learned to weave while working towards her Bachelor's of Fine Arts at Colorado State University. She went into school thinking that she would study sculpture, but after one project on the loom, she discovered a passion for weaving. Alongside fiber art, Sienna studied art education. She was a summer intern for Schacht Spindle Company during the summer of 2019. She warped and wove on many looms in preparation for the Schacht's 50th Anniversary. Now, Sienna is back at Schacht as the Content Developer and Education Specialist.