Katazome & Textile Arts
Traditional Craft,
Modern Science
I study and adapt historical stencil dyeing methods with modern chemistry. I seek to improve the dyeing process with scientific understanding, while retaining the traditional roots of sustainability and natural connection.
Stencil dyeing with rice paste resist. The oldest surviving example is from 1300s Japan, over 700 years old. Katazome is versatile enough to work with both indigo and brush applied dyes, and precise enough to capture submilimeter detail. Every piece of traditional equipment is biodegradable, and the process with natural dyes is gentle to the earth. The craft is demanding, weather sensitive, and takes years of long study to master. I find the challenge exciting; my successes have meaning, and my failures are interesting ways to learn.
Article
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Nihon Akane Diary, Pt 2
It’s almost the start of summer here, and the days are getting longer. This journal would be more appropriately titled “Japanese Dye Plants Diary”, but the akane is the most unusual part I’m growing, and I already mistitled the first entry. Japanese Indigo has gotten popular, but we’re all growing it for a reason. Murasaki…
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Nihon Akane Diary, Pt. 1
In December of 2025 I acquiring 6 packets of Japanese madder seedlings. This was done with the help of a friend living in Japan, and the seeds were imported legally through the USDA inspection process. The box arrived smashed, and open, but luckily the seeds hadn’t fallen out. As a note, you must use Japan…
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Indigo Katazome Adventures, Pt 3: Soymilk
This post is part III of a series of posts on learning about dyeing katazome with indigo. It’s the last post for now, until I can dye with indigo again in the spring and summer. It’s common with indigo katazome to brush soymilk on after laying down paste. This does two things: it strengthens the…
Katagami
Antique Japanese paper stencils — collected, photographed and digitized. Many are available as repeat patterns on fabric through Spoonflower.
![[四季の花々 (Shiki no Hanabana)] Flowers of the Four Seasons](https://firerabbitstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_9422-2-1024x439.jpg)
![[芦雁] Wild Geese and Reeds](https://firerabbitstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Black-and-white-geese-1024x454.png)
![[花の縁飾り] Flower Border](https://firerabbitstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Flower-Border-Thumbnail-1024x419.jpg)
![[魚と梅花] Fish and Plum Blossoms](https://firerabbitstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Vector-Raster-copy-590x1024.jpg)
Shop
Katazome work is made to order or available when pieces exist. A noren or bolt of cloth represents a week or more of work and significant materials — prices reflect that. Each piece is documented here with its pattern origins and process.
Resources
Katazome resource guide
Suppliers, tools, dyes and references gathered over years of practice.
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Katagami archive
Antique paper stencils — restored, documented, available as printed fabric.
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Fabric sources
Where to find quality natural-fiber cloth for dyeing work.
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Beginner’s Guide To Katazome
A comprehensive guide to basic katazome techniques.
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