Description

An ancient Japanese art dating to at least the eighth century CE, shibori has many interpretations. Though there is no direct translation of the word to English, shibori essentially denotes a shaped-resist textile, and is commonly associated with weaving and dyeing fiber. The world of shibori knitting is vast and relatively unexplored.

Shibori Knits highlights the intersection between shibori and knitting, offering 20 patterns that utilize this transformative technique. Internationally acclaimed knitwear designer Gina Wilde guides knitters through three dynamic ways to add shibori to knitting. The first method uses physical resists (marbles or corks) that prevent specific areas of knitting from felting; where there are no resists, the garment does felt, creating unique fabric with bobbles and dimensionality. Another method uses nonfelting fibers as resists—for instance, a silk yarn knit with a wool yarn—to create windowpane effects or even mimic woven strips of fabric when felted. The third method creates ruffles and spirals when the fibers are worked in more than one direction; when felted, the work will shrink differently in the alternate directions. The textures created from each method offer a unique way to redefine felting and bring the beautiful and unexpected world of shibori to the knitter.

Knitters of every skill can explore this exciting method of creating art out of knitting. With detailed information on fibers and their shibori potential, a primer on technical felting concepts, and a thorough resource guide, Shibori Knits shows knitters how to create colorful, sculptural, and delicate projects, transforming knitting into something new.

About the Author

GINA WILDE is an innovative knitwear designer and the creative director and cofounder of Alchemy Yarns of Transformation (www.alchemyyarns.com), known for its luscious colors and range of fibers. Her work has appeared in Hand Knit Holidays, The Knitter’s Book of Yarn, Folk Knits, and Interweave Knits magazine.

Praise for Shibori Knits: The Art of Exquisite Felted Knits…

“An inspired and thoughtfully assembled collection of projects that redefine our entire notion of ‘felt,’ combining the fluid and firm, sculptural and wearable. The results are, indeed, exquisite.”
—Clara Parkes, author of The Knitter’s Book of Yarn and Editor of knittersreview.com

“With Shibori Knits Gina has cast her unique creative genius to the exciting and innovative fusion of knitting with the ancient craft of shibori and she has created knitting gold.”
—Erika Knight, author of Classic Knits at Home and Glamour Knits at Home

“The colors of Alchemy’s yarns vibrate in their own glory throughout this charming, elegant, and intriguing book that explores new frontiers in knitting.”
—Brandon Mably, Kaffe Fassett studio

"At the intersection of knitting and felting lies shibori, and who better to present this technique and the gorgeous, sculptural results it yields than Gina Wilde, fiber artist extraordinaire."
—Debbie Stoller, author of the Stitch ‘n Bitch series of books

“Anyone who’s ever seen a skein of Alchemy Yarns of Transformations knows that Wilde, the company’s cofounder and creative force, has an eye for dramatic artistry. She applies it now to the Japanese practice of shibori, the resistance-felting technique that transforms fabric into movable sculpture.”
—Yarn Market News