Ceramic & 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 traditions of sustainability and natural connection.

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Stencilled cloth on outdoor stretcher rig, dye garden beyond Katazome — outdoor stretcher
Cloth in the indigo vat, accordion folds Indigo vat — accordion fold
Double Sided Procion Hikizome Double Sided Procion Hikizome
Double Sided Procion Hikizome Double Sided Paste Laying
Cutting Katagami with a Siser Die Cutter Dye swatchbook

Articles

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    Japanese Dye Garden Journal, Pt 3

    I’m officially renaming this post series to the Japanese Dye Garden, because I talk about more than just akane. It’s almost September now, summer passed by very quickly. I should have done an update for the solstice, but I was so busy harvesting indigo and experimenting with madder that I neglected the diary. Fortunately, I…

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    Fiber Reactive Bingata Dyeing

    How to use procion fiber reactice dyes to make modern bingata (katazome) with shading and fine detail.

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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…

Katagami

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Antique Japanese paper stencils, photographed and digitized at high resolution.

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Shop

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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.

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Indigo noren — chrysanthemum

Katazome on linen, antique katagami pattern

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Spoonflower patterns

Digitized katagami as printed fabric

From $28/yard
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Commission a piece

Custom katazome work, pattern by arrangement

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Resources

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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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