Kyoto Kanoko Shibori This form of sophisticated tie-dyeing is characterized by the appealing textural quality of the finished cloth, parts of which are dyed separately to create a multicolored effect, and by the delicacy of the tying. Two of the most representative methods of tying are hitta shibori and hitome shibori. What also makes it special is the way that patterns are expressed using a combination of shibori techniques and the kind of warmth and charm that can only be achieved with a handmade craft. Although it very much depends on the complexity of the work, a piece of shibori dyeing from the point at which the design is settled until the cloth is finished takes a few days longer to complete than the average piece of dyed cloth. In the case of a complex, composite piece of shibori, on the other hand, it may take up to a year to complete. It is not unknown for a piece of cloth for a 'best' kimono to be worn on special occasions to take more than two years to finish. Stage One Design: A design is agreed upon between the artist and workshop. It is then the responsibility of the artist to draw out the design to fit the components of the kimono. Stage Two Transfer : The design is transferred to stencil paper and expressed either with small holes or with narrow lines cut into the paper. Stage Three Stenciling: The design is now stenciled onto the cloth using a brush. The dots and lines are arranged in such a way that it is possible to tell what technique of tying will be required and where it is to be done. It is, in other words, an 'instruction drawing'. A design can also be sketched out freehand. Stage Four Tying: One of the most commonly used tying techniques is called hitta shibori, which can be recognized as a fawn-spot pattern. Simply using a silk thread and the tip of a finger, the thread is wound around a point of cloth three to seven times. This is repeated over a whole bolt of cloth and, of all the techniques used, it is the one which takes the most time to do and requires the most skill. There are some 50 individual shibori techniques, and work on each one is done by a specialist. Stage Five Bleaching: The cloth is bleached to remove and dirt or stains as well as the blue fugitive dye used to mark out the design. Stage Six Divided Dyeing: Because the cloth is vat dyed, it is separately dyed according to the number of colors required. The two main methods of achieving a resist for large areas are 'tub-stuffing' and 'hat shibori'. For tub-stuffing the part of the cloth that is not going to be dyed is stuffed into a special tub with a tight fitting lid, leaving the part of the cloth to be dyed hanging outside the rim of the tub. The whole arrangement is then immersed in the dye. For hat shibori, the part of the cloth to remain undyed is completely covered with bamboo skins and then tightly bound with thread to effect a proper resist before dyeing. Recently, vinyl has replaced the bamboo skins, which are shed as the bamboo shoot emerges from the ground. Stage Seven Dyeing: Because only one color can be dyed at a time, it is necessary to make a number of separate dyeings in order to achieve a multicolored design. Having tied the cloth in special ways and having effected a resist for other areas, the cloth is vat dyed. Stage Eight Finishing: The cloth is steamed and stretched by hand, and finished in such a way as to make the most of the shibori texture.