DIY Shibori Tissue Paper tutorial

A few years back, my sister and I went through a tie-dye fever. We were inspired by the amazing work of Shabd Simon-Alexander and we spent a weekend at our parent's house dyeing everything, from teatowels to underwear. Once you get started on this, it can be pretty addictive and you start thinking, "Wouldn't this antique embroidered tablecloth look SO MUCH BETTER if it was ombre-purple with a yellow resist...?" (We didn't, but I'm still convinced it could work...)

Our adventures in tie-dye started with tissue paper and I really recommend this as a fun and accessible way to get addicted. I mean, to get started. Hand-dyed tissue paper is also a lovely way to finish a handmade gift. All you need is some tissue paper and food colouring - stuff you probably have at home already. (A hairdryer is handy too, although you can just leave the paper to dry naturally.)

These instructions are for a shibori-style technique, which involves folding the material/paper and then dip-dyeing along the folds. I have used just one colour in this tutorial, but you can use two colours to great effect. Three colours, however, and things just get crazy.

DIY Shibori Tissue Paper Tutorial

You will need:

• Sheets of white tissue paper (I recommend the single sheets you can buy from Paperchase. They're strong and not waxy. Not all tissue paper will work, but this one does.)
• Food colouring (nothing special, just whatever is in your cupboard at home or your local supermarket. The stuff I'm using is actually out-of-date!)
• A bowl of fresh water and a bowl for each colour.
• Some newspaper or paper towels for the mess.
• Rubber gloves (which I forgot and now have blue fingers to show for it).
• A hairdryer (optional).

1. Start by folding your sheet of tissue paper. Fold it in half. Then fold it in half another three times. You will now have a long rectangle that should divide evenly into three squares. Fold along these lines until you have a square about 10cm big. Finally, fold this diagonally to make a triangle. (If you haven't made a triangle, don't worry. It doesn't matter too much how you fold it, you'll find your own way!)

2. Soak your folded paper in the bowl of fresh water. The paper should be able to take quite a lot of water, so go for it. This will help the paper absorb the dye better.

3. Now dip the edges and corners of your triangle in the dye. Once you have covered all the sides, put the paper back in the fresh water bowl. The dye will start to bleed into the rest of the paper. (It will also go all over your hands!)

TIP: The colour will fade when it dries. Also, the paper folded inside will not get as much dye as the part you can see. So feel free to repeat this step a couple of times to make sure you have enough colour on your paper.

4. Once you are happy with the dyeing, lay your paper (still folded) on your newspapers/paper towels and dry with the hairdryer on a low setting. Be careful that you don't blow the paper across the room! As it dries, start to open up the layers gently. The colour will fade as it dries and the paper will go sort of crinkly - this is normal behaviour. Keep drying until the sheet is unfolded.

5. TA-DAH!! Congratulations on your beautiful shibori tissue paper! Pretty simple, huh? I hope you're pleased with the results. That's the best thing about tie-dye - no matter what happens, it is always exciting and it will always look good!

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