Tell us a bit about your business?
I started Bind | Fold around 1 year ago as a way to share
my dye work with other people. I started out Indigo shibori
dyeing silk and wool scarves, and have since expanded my
product range to include a few homewares, with more new
products planned for 2014.
Tell us about yourself and your background?
I live in Melbourne with my husband Brett, our son Miles
and 2 cats. I’m a dyer and for the past year I’ve spent
nearly every day studying and working with Indigo. I’ve also
dabbled with other natural dyes, and have recently started
working more intensely with dyes like Madder and Fustic,
which are red and yellow dyes.
My background is a bit all over the place! I studied Visual
Arts at Sydney College of the Arts in the late 90s, and then
fell off the face of the earth after I graduated. It wasn’t until a
few months after the birth of my son that I once again began
to walk a creative path.
What sparked you to create your business?
A love for Shibori, which in layman’s terms is Japanese tie
dye. Working with Indigo using shibori techniques is at some
times frustrating, but some days when you are working in
the vat, everything just falls in to place and you’re in sync
with the dye, and then really beautiful things can happen. I
love those days.
What processes are involved in creating your pieces?
Everything I make starts out as a white piece of cloth or
yarn. So I begin with the design idea and then I will dye
whatever I am working on using my chosen dye technique
and colour.
Working with natural dyes is quite a lengthy process.
Typically the cloth or yarn first needs to be scoured to
remove manufacturing residue, then in all cases except
Indigo, it needs to be mordanted, which makes the textile
ready to accept the dye. Then the piece is dyed, washed
and then sometimes painted, and sewn or knit into the final
product. Most of my pieces have on average about two
hours of hands on work put into them.
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Left: Indigo Bowls. Inspired by ceramics, each bowl is
unique and the dye work and fabric guide the finished size
and design of each piece. Price $75.
Above right: Bind | Fold designer and owner Vic Pemberton.