12621 S20C 409120813161

surrender to shibori

elegant explorations in shibori possibility

This rhapter is about ietting go. Froni a tcchnical knitting pcrspcctive, it's about dropping preronreived notions of what ronstitutes feiting fiber and discovcring whichfibcrs arc good for Lhc shibori purpose. It's about understanding a new kind ot feJted fiber—an etherca 1, light fabric Lhal is crcaled using a blend of ancient and contemporary techniques. The rhapter is also a synthesis of sinrple shapes, sound advicc on understund-ing resist shibori, and hamessing the na tura 1 tendencies of fiber to create absolutely original knit dcsigns. The picces are fun, functional, and, generally speaking, use minima) fiber.

From a meiaphoncal perspective, this rhapter is about surren-dering to not knowing. The human animal seems to have a need for control, order, and organi7ation—some of us morę than oth ers. There is an understandable desire for knowing the place of things and the outeume of situations. We like to measure space and time, and we like to know what is going to happen—at lcasl \vc do for many events and drrumstanres in our lives.

Yet, despite our longings, we don'l know cverytliing. There are surprises, changes, unforesecn events, disasters—really, life is one surprise after another.

Simultaneously, there are the happy chanees and beautiful arri-dents tłiat keep life fuli of wonder. Not knowńng the outeome is what makes going to the movics or rcading a novel so excitmg. Chance creates the unmitigated thrill or being in a nuiseum in a foreign city on exactly the same day and at precisely the same time as someone you hnvcn'l scen in Iwcnly years. It's the mys-tery of why my oldest daughter was bom cxactly on her due datę—my parents' wedding anniversary. Or why my youngest cliild was born in a swirl of family Fiuctuation and ritual that included a wedding, a dcalh, a funeral, and a birth within the span of five days. Chance or divine inspiration—1 don't know.

The beauty of not knowing allows us to experience what is ncw, exciting, and uncxpected. Obviously, with risk romes reward; adventnre romes in such a cloak, as well. This chaplcr is about going on an adventure. The shibori adventure is like a well-planned and exciting boat tour down a beautiful river in South America with a very skilled guide: There are ample provisions on board for a smali grotip of friendly passengers, lhc dcparlure and arrival Limes arc ncatly met, and yet there is unexperted beauty around every twist and tum in the rivcr. Shibori is not meanl to bc lhc knitting equivalent of being lost in the wild alone, with dusk approaching and strange sounds rustling in lhc grasses nearby. It's an adventure, yes—but a controlled adventure. There are safe perimeters wilhin which you can cxplore shibori in all its glory, but you won't fali off the boat. On my studio walk i wrote in big Icllcrs: Conceive, bdicoc, nabierz. By following a few simple guidelines, you, too, can conceive bcauti ful shibori knitting, bclicvc in your ability to make such work. and achieve success.

Ifi shibori lar'*;-