Shell Wrap Shibori Jacket

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I’ve had this make finished for quite a while but it’s been just too hot to take pics.  I still probably won’t get any wear out of this for a few more months, but I love it!  This jacket was made with the leftover yardage from my Deer & Doe Centauree Dress and while the pink was lovely I didn’t want two pieces in my wardrobe that were so similar.  I decided to try a new shibori technique after collecting tons of seashells with the kids at the beach.  Instead of the traditional stone wrapping I decided to wrap the shells.  I love that if you look closely you can see the prints of the shells but from a distance it’s a bit more abstract.

When I first showed this off to my husband and family they really thought it was hideous.  Mainly because I tried it on with what I was already wearing that day, a long dress, which didn’t help the boxy shape.  I knew this silhouette would work with the right look, it just needs a slim pant and a bit more structure.  I love the boxy shape and the seaming details on this Burda blouse.  I wanted to use this pattern more like a jacket mainly because I knew it would need to be layered to work for me as the v-neck is quite deep.    I’m looking forward to making another version, maybe in a voile, to give it a completely different look.

Shell Wrap Shibori Jacket Burda 117 02/2014

Here is the fabric after the first madder dye, a light pink:

Shell Wrapped Shibori Natural Dye

I used 298 shells for this project!

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And here’s what the fabric looked like wrapped before entering the dye bath:

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And the results:

IMG_5304Shell Wrap Shibori Jacket Burda 117 02/2014

Fabric:  Colorgrown , Island Maze, 100% Organic Cotton grown in the US, from Organic Cottons Plus, leftover yardage after making my Centauree Dress.

Natural Dyeing:  The fabric was mordanted with Tannin, then dyed in the excess from my Madder dye bath, and then over-dyed after shell wrapping in a mixture of hibiscus tea, vinegar and henna, what I had lying around in the house.

Pattern:  Burda Deep V Neck Blouse 117  02/2014 in a size 40.

My favorite part of this jacket are the back yoke and pleats but I want to adjust the sleeves If I make this again since they are just so voluminous.  This is a perfect Florida jacket as I rarely need anything heavier than this except maybe two weeks or so out of the year.  In these pictures I’m also wearing my favorite pants- my indigo dyed jeans.  IMG_7690 IMG_7685 Shell Wrap Shibori Jacket Burda 117 02/2014

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!  I have quite a few projects in my queue.  I’ve *almost* finished my dress for my grandmother’s funeral (sneak peek on my Facebook page) and decided to go ahead and make a matching jacket with the extra yardage.  I also just got in some new organic knits for some much-needed yoga pants for our morning walks to school.  Happy Sewing!IMG_7703 Shell Wrap Shibori Jacket Burda 117 02/2014

9 responses to “Shell Wrap Shibori Jacket”

  1. Diane Carel Avatar
    Diane Carel

    It’s really interesting to see the dying technique. And the contrast between the jacket and the pants makes the jacket look even more stunning. The back is divine!

    1. Rebecca Avatar

      Thanks Mom! I’m glad I was able to make this jacket work :)

  2. crab&bee Avatar

    The shell dyeing looks beautiful! I wouldn’t have thought it would look too different from similar shibori techniques but it does.

    1. Rebecca Avatar

      Thanks! I think because the shells were all so irregular in shape and size it really made for an interesting effect. I’m excited to try this again with a darker dye for more contrast.

  3. anniehanks Avatar

    I love how you transform fabric. It always grabs me and I need a second look!

    1. Rebecca Avatar

      Thanks so much Annie! :)

  4. Helena Avatar

    Wow! I am amazed at how the shells made the fabric look. It’s truly stunning.

    1. Rebecca Avatar

      Thanks Helena! I love the results from using the shells, looking forward to trying this again. :)

  5. […] my earlier skater dress and my Centauree Ava Swimsuit(for the hotel pool), my indigo dyed jeans, My Shell Shibori Jacket, Marcy Tilton Pants, plus a new pair of black leggings using V8859 from Marcy […]

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