What Is Katazome?

(reprinted with permission) Katazome is a form of paste resist surface design. That is, a paste made from very sticky ingredients (in this case rice flour), that is pushed through a stencil to define a pattern on a piece of white yardage. Wherever the paste sticks to the cloth, it will resist, or prevent, any color from staining that spot. So the rice paste is resisting the color to create a design on the fabric. First a design is transferred to a piece of hand-made mulberry paper called "shibugami". Shibugami has been treated with persimmon tannin and smoked as a preservative, and has a deliciously nutty aroma to it. The design is cut into the shibugami using a very sharp traditional knife and a variety of hole punches. Silk netting is later attached to the front side during the lacquering process. Notice how the areas that have been cut away allow the paste to go through the stencil and stick to the cloth, and how the paper portion of the stencil blocks the paste, forming the basic design on the fabric. Since this is a repeating stencil, it is very important to match up the pattern exactly as the stencil is moved along during the pasting process. The stencil is used repeatedly in this manner, eventually covering the entire cloth with the paste design, as you can see happening below. Notice the two diamond shaped areas of paste down toward the lower right. I'll be pointing these out again later. The cloth is stretched up with a set of wooden clamps and bamboo sticks called "harite" and "shinshi". The colors are applied one at a time, this is called "irosashi". All the colors I use come from natural sources such as plants (indigo, gardenias, and onion skins to name a few), insects (cocheneal and lac), and minerals (such as dirt and iron rust). Each is applied a minimum of three times to build up depth of color. (Chemical dyes may be substituted for the natural dyes following the manufacturer's recommendations for application.) At this stage I stop to take a look at how well the colors are socializing with one another. In this particular case, I've decided the tone of the conversation is a bit more heated than I would like, so I've decided to pacify the party with a light wash of persimmon juice, a yellow tone that will calm things down a bit. After all of the basic colors have been applied, it is time to give the piece a little more soul. This is done through a process of highlighting areas. It is called "kumadori", which is the same term used by a kabuki actor when applying the bold lines to his face. Much darker colors are applied to specific areas of the design to accent and embolden. The over all effect of this dance of dots is to give a base rhythm to the entire work. The most difficult step of all is now at hand. That is, simply leaving the piece alone for approximately three months. The dyes are not heat set. They are simply allowed to become permanent stains, and this happens best through patience. The longer the dyes sit unmolested, the richer and more permanent the final colors will be. Once the dyes have sufficiently cured, the long awaited day has arrived -- the day to wash off the paste and reveal the full beauty of months of work and planning. The fabric is taken down from the rafters where it has been out of harm's way, and placed in a warm, inviting bath of fresh clear water. Here it soaks at its own leisure, patiently allowing the paste to dissolve away. Gently the fabric is coaxed from its lulled state, to be rinsed repeatedly, removing the last traces of any excess dye and reluctant-to-part paste. Then, as with the spank of the newborn's behind, it is given a vigorous swish as it is yanked up out of the water by its selvage edge, gloriously proclaiming itself to the world. Air drying is the final stage in bringing forth a new personality into our family of textiles. Remember the diamond shaped areas of paste I mentioned above? The paste has been washed away to reveal a highly detailed pattern. The now *white* diamonds may be seen at the shoulders of the completed kimono. John Bio: John has a stunning immmensely informative site at: http://http://www.JohnMarshall.to/ which takes you through *every* aspect of katazome, including how to make your own Hanten ---patternless jacket. One would be a fool or worse not check it out. -------------------------------------------------------- Soy Milk for Sizing by John Marshall As touched upon earlier, soy milk is used as the binding agent for some dyes. It is also used as an undercoating, or sizing, for all dyes mentioned in this book. This includes both natural and chemical dyes. The protein in the soy physically binds with natural fibers, in essence gluing the fibers together at the points they cross in the weave. In addition, this coating of the fiber helps to reduce wicking, a major problem for most surface dyers. The net result is that the cloth takes on a paper like quality: it becomes a bit stiff and remains stretched even when removed from the equipment.The cloth will return to its originaltexture during the final washing stages of the dye process. Some care should be taken when handling the sized cloth: violent handling or pulling on the bias will cause the soy to release its hold defeating its purpose. Once you've applied the sizing the protein remains vulnerable to your needs for as much as two weeks. You are not dyeing just the fiber but the dye hungry protein in the soy as well. Once the soy milk sizing has cured it reverses its properties and becomes stain resistant, making it difficult to get even colors to remain in the fiber. It is best to complete all color application within the first few days of applying the soy milk. The soy protein does not wash out once fully cured. It serves to strengthen the fiber, to help lock in colors and slow down fading caused by sunlight, and even to make the final product somewhat soil and wrinkle resistant. Unless it is applied too thickly, or in too many coats, it will not significantly affect the original texture of the weave. Soy milk sizing is easy to make. Preferred Method: buy dry soy beans in bulk from the grocery or health food store. Place dry beans in a bowl and cover with three to four times as much tap water by volume. Allow to fully swell. In warm weather this will take three to four hours, in cold weather up to twelve hours. A good habit to get into is simply to put the beans on to soak before you go to bed at night for use the next day. In winter the soaking process may be sped up considerably by starting out with very warm tap water. Once fully swollen drain off soak water and rinse briefly. Prepare sheet of cloth approximately 12" to 18" square by soaking in water. Sack cloth or a scrap from an old sheet works well. Wring cloth and drape over top of large bowl. Next grind beans by placing them in blender with three to four times as much water. Blend on high or liquefy until beans are well ground, approximately two minutes. Pour mixture into cloth. Pull sides up and strain out all milky liquid. Take soy crumble from cloth and drop back into blender. Add more water and repeat process. This may be repeated three or four times or until the liquid goes from a rich cream consistency (in the first straining) to a much thinner or non-fat-milk consistency. Combine all batches in same bowl. The left over soy crumble may be tossed into the garden, or used as *okara* in Japanese cooking. Some Japanese artists insist on separating each batch: the first (creamiest) is used only for pigments; the second for sizing, and the third used to thin the first two as needed. This has never made any sense to me as all three batches come from the same beans and the same water. I prefer to combine all and use for whatever my needs are at the moment. Test your soy milk by scooping up glass full and pouring back into bowl. How turbid is it? Ideally it should be about the consistency of whole or skim milk. For rugged fibers,such as cottons and linens, it should tend more toward the whole milk consistency, for sheer silks, more toward low fat milk in appearance. One cup of dry beans will yield easily two cups of swollen beans. This will yield enough soy milk to easily size seven to eight yards of 45" width china silk. Never be afraid to make more than you think you will need. If you run out of sizing before you have reached the end of your fabric you have a major crisis on your hands. So make more than you think you'll need! If your utensils are clean and you haven't dipped your brush into the solution you may drink the left over as a good source of plant protein, or pour it into the garden to perk up your roses and other plantings. Method Two: In a pinch, a quicker method is to 1) grind beans first in home coffee grinder, or 2)buy soy flour at health food store. Place several tablespoons full of ground soy flour in middle of presoaked cloth. Bring up ends and twist the center into loose ball. Swish in several cups of water, very gently kneading ball as you do so. The water will start to dissolve the protein out of the powdered soy. Continue until you have the proper consistency as outlined above. If you should accidentally over thin the solution made from the soaked soy beans, this is a good quick way to bring it up to proper consistency without taking time to soak more beans. Try to avoid the store bought soy flour, as it loses some of its freshness, and therefore strength, while sitting on the grocer's shelf. IMPORTANT TIPS IN WORKING WITH SOY MILK SIZING: 1. Soak all porous utensils in water before using them with the soy, this includes straining cloths, brushes, and suribachi mortars. Presoaking will help to keep them from absorbing the protein and make them easier to clean. 2. Rinse all porous equipment immediately after use. This includes washing brushes. Don't set a soy-wet brush aside to use again later. Wash it and set is aside to dry while selecting a new brush for subsequent stages. 3. Dispose of leftovers at the end of the day. Do not carry soy over to the next day as even slight souring reduces its strength. If it is a very hot day refrigerate whatever is not in use at that moment, or drop an ice cube into the main bowl from time to time during the course of the day. Some dyers add calcium hydroxide as a preservative to their soy milk, in some cases keeping it for up to several months in the refrigerator. I don't recommend this method: the calx has a tendancy to harden and damage natural fibers. If convenience is an issue, make small batches milk using the soy flour method outlined above.[There is a variety of tofu (also made from soy beans) that may be kept "fresh" in the refridgerator for up to a year, but is this something you would want to eat?] 4. As much as possible work in very low humidity, if the humidity is out of your control try to keep the area as cool as possible. Best weather for working is between 70 degree and 85 degree Fahrenheit and below 40% humidity. Otherwise use fans to help circulate the air and speed up the drying time. The soy milk will sour and lose its effectiveness if itsits wet on the cloth too long at this stage. 5. Try to complete all dyeing with two to three days of applying the sizing. This is the period in which the soy is most susceptible to being stained (dyed). John katazome@JohnMarshall.to (John Marshall) Bio:John has an amazing site which can teach you every aspect of Katzome including how to make a hanten (Japanese jacket). http://www.JohnMarshall.to/