Aizome Studio | suzanne connors

Advanced Shibori: Cloth, Lineage & Indigo Discipline

A Two-Day Intensive in the North Carolina Mountains

Shibori is not simply a technique.
It is a practice shaped by generations of disciplined hands.

This two-day advanced workshop is devoted to honoring that lineage through precision, patience, and technical refinement. Designed for experienced makers, we will move beyond introductory folds into the deeper architecture of stitched and bound resist.

Over the course of our time together, we will study and execute two distinct traditional Japanese shibori patterns, approaching each with intention and respect for its historical structure.

This is slow work.
This is deliberate work.

What We Will Study

• The discipline of thread tension and its impact on line integrity
• The use of buffers and compression to protect negative space
• Traditional methods for achieving multiple shades of indigo
• The importance of many slow dips, allowing oxidation to build depth
• The relationship between cloth memory, stitch rhythm, and pattern clarity

Rather than rushing toward results, we will allow the process to unfold — stitch by stitch, dip by dip — building luminous blues through repetition and patience.

Authentic Materials & Tools

Participants will work with:

• Japanese shibori cotton
• Traditional shibori thread
• A living indigo vat
• Authentic Japanese shibori tools and equipment, used to create proper compression, tension, and pattern definition

Using traditional tools connects us to the historical discipline of this craft and allows for technical accuracy that modern shortcuts cannot replicate.

What to Bring

Students need only bring:

• An apron
• Long dishwashing gloves
• Small hand tools (scissors, seam ripper)
• Hand-sewing needles

All specialty materials are provided.

The Mountain Setting

Held in the quiet of the North Carolina mountains, this workshop invites contemplation. Surrounded by forest and fresh air, we will practice shibori as it was meant to be practiced — with focus, stillness, and respect for the material.

You will leave with two completed pattern studies —
and something less tangible but more important:
a deeper understanding of indigo as heritage, not trend.

Note: this is part of my Advanced Shibori Series and these will be different patterns than the ones taught in June)