Greetings from Oaxaca!
The workshop is over. It went incredibly well. The creativity of the participants was truly outstanding!
Today, I thought I would share the beautiful workspace the community center provided.
We had a spacious spot on the first level of the museum, with natural light, and a comfortable temperature to do our stitching, folding, clamping, etc.
For our indigo dyeing, we stepped out onto a patio with a shade cover. And finally, we went downstairs to an area where we could wash and rinse our samples.

There are lots of photos to go through and edit, so please be patient with me. However, I am eager to showcase the beautiful work they all did!

Happy New Year! It feels very auspicious to begin the New Year here.

I have been in Oaxaca City for several days now. Tomorrow I will travel to Teotitlán.

On Dec. 30th, I woke up at 2 am to be ready for my Lyft to the airport at 4 am! It was to be a very long day. I reached my hotel sometime after 11 pm! Needless to say, the next day I was exhausted, but I was also very happy to be here.

I spent the next couple of days taking leisurely walks and doing some shopping for the workshop.

The biggest hurdle for the workshop was the hot water for the indigo vats.

The ferrous vat is a “cold” vat, meaning it does not require heat except when first making it. We need hot water, a lot of hot water.

There is only cold water in the community center. I have asked each participant to bring 1 or 2 thermoses of hot water, but that won’t be enough.

I found a 45-cup coffee urn for a good price at La Violeta. After the workshop, I will donate the coffee urn to the community center. If we heat water in this a couple of times, we should be fine.

My next task was to reorganize everything I am taking to Teotitlán, and then get it packed up. As you can see from the photo, I think I did a pretty good job!

Now I am continuing to practice the short welcome speech I wrote in Spanish. I am very nervous and hope I don’t embarrass myself.

 

Yes, I am totally gobsmacked!
The workshop filled in less than 2 1/2 hours.
To say I was surprised is an understatement.
Am I pleased? Absolutely!
I can't wait to meet my students.

So excited to see this year's poster for the workshop.
I think Lizet did a terrific job.

Time is really flying now! In just 2 weeks, I’ll be leaving the cold, snowy mountains of southwest Virginia behind and heading toward the sunshine and warmth of Oaxaca. I can hardly believe how close it is—and my excitement keeps growing. 

I’ve been continuing to experiment and play with techniques for the workshop, and I’ve decided to add one more: Kikko Shibori. This beautiful method combines clamping (Itajime) with triangular folding (Kikko), creating a striking geometric pattern.

The word kikko translates to turtle (or tortoise) shell. In Japan, these interlocking hexagons are rich in meaning, symbolizing longevity, good fortune, and protection—a lovely story to carry into the cloth.

I’ll also be bringing several finished pieces with me, dyed using a variety of Shibori techniques, to share with the participants. I think it’s so important for them to see what’s possible beyond the workshop—the kinds of pieces they can keep creating, refining, and truly make their own. I even plan to wear a different top and scarf each day, each one showing a different Shibori pattern, so they can see these designs come to life in everyday wear.

Below are a few finished examples of Kikko Shibori. 

I thought I would share the steps I took to replicate the tie-dye pattern on the cloak.
Here are the steps to recreating the pattern on the Cloak of Nezahualpilli

I first sketched on paper. And then, on the cloth, I stitched the squares.

Once the squares were stitched and the stitching pulled tight and knotted, I bound the fabric inside the squares with string; that fabric would remain white.

Next, I placed marbles under my marks and held those in place with rubber bands.

After that, the fabric was repeatedly dyed in indigo and allowed to oxidize.

Once the bindings were removed, the fabric was dipped one more time.

I have now written up instructions in both English and Spanish, as this will be added to the workshop! I am really looking forward to sharing this with the workshop participants.

Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁
Wishing everyone a day filled with good food, good company, and grateful hearts. I’m so thankful for the support, kindness, and community around me. Enjoy the holiday! 🧡

Dear Friends,

Thanks to your generosity, encouragement, and belief in this project, the fundraising campaign for Shibori in Oaxaca, Mexico, 2026 was a success!

I’m deeply grateful for every donation, share, and word of support that helped make this happen. Because of you, artisans in Teotitlán del Valle will have access to materials, tools, and hands-on instruction to explore twelve traditional Shibori techniques — building skills and creating opportunities that last far beyond the workshop itself.

This January, we’ll gather at the Centro Cultural Comunitario Teotitlán del Valle to stitch, bind, dye, and celebrate the deep blue of indigo together. I’ll be sharing updates and photos as the workshop unfolds — I can’t wait for you to see what your support has made possible.

With heartfelt thanks,
 Linda

Be sure to follow me on Instagram @lindamarylabelle

The Cloak of Nezahualipilli

I have mentioned this cloak in earlier updates, and the fact that scholars are not in agreement on the technique(s) used to pattern the cloth. For me, the Cloak is important because of the link between Peru, Mexico, and tie-dye. Nezahualipilli ruled in Texcoco de Mora, Mexico, from 1472 to 1515.

How was the pattern made? There are many theories.

1 – tie-dye

2 – tie-dye and a paste resist

3 -tie-dye and turquoise stones cut into squares and stitched on the cloak.

There is also some confusion regarding the translation of "blue knot".

The Nahuatl word for tie-dye is xiuhtlalpilli, meaning "blue-knot”. Xiuhtlalpilli tilmatli - “blue-knotted cape”.

It is not Nezahualpilli as some have stated, as that is the name of the ruler and translates to “Prince of the Hungry”.

Last week, I had one of those serendipitous moments regarding this cloak.

I attended an online talk hosted by The Textile Museum Associates of Southern California (TMA/SC), featuring HALI Editor Ben Evans interviewing Karun Thakar about his collection. During the talk, Stephen Ellcock’s book “The Book of Textiles: The Karun Thakar Collection” was mentioned. I ended up purchasing the book.

On the day it arrived, I opened it randomly to page 153. What was on the page stunned me – a 19th-century indigo-dyed kimono featuring Shibori motifs (squares and circles) very similar to the cloak. I felt so validated on many levels - I believe the cloak was patterned using only tie-dye, which supports my teaching Shibori in Oaxaca!

My next step was to make a sample of the squares and circles motif.

Here are the samples. What do you think?

Here is a look at a short presentation I will give at the start of the workshop.
I will talk briefly about the history of tie-dye and what inspired this workshop, the cloak of Nezahualpilli. 

I’d like to introduce you to Odilon Lorenzo González, a talented artisan from Teotitlán del Valle who will be assisting me during the upcoming Shibori in Oaxaca, Mexico, 2026 workshop.

The beautiful tapete (rug) you see here was handwoven by Odilon, and it’s available as a special donor reward on my campaign page.

🎥 Odilon also created a short video showing his process — from preparing the wool to the final weaving.

I love sharing the work of the incredible artisans I collaborate with, and Odilon’s dedication to his craft truly shines through.

Your support helps make this workshop possible — providing materials, covering travel, and ensuring artisans in Teotitlán del Valle can take part in this creative exchange.

Thank you,
Linda

I have been keeping very busy preparing for the workshop in Teotitlán del Valle.

Everything is in good shape. Samples made & instructions written (both English and Spanish)

Workshop materials have been purchased. This is a great time of the year for this. Lots of back-to-school specials and coupons help me save money. I will still do a little shopping in Oaxaca for items I cannot carry with me.

What am I working on now?? I decided to dye fabric and make tops to wear, one for each day of the workshop, to show different Shibori techniques. Taking my time and enjoying the process!

Also, October 7th is my birthday! At 10:56 am on Tuesday, October 7th, I’ll turn 75. Yes, seventy-five! I’ve been on this planet for three-quarters of a century, and that feels like something worth honoring.
To mark this special birthday, I’ve created a limited edition collection of indigo-dyed cotton scarves as a reward. The fabric, soft and beautiful, comes from Japan, and each piece is dyed by me, making every scarf truly one of a kind.

One of the more important things I have been doing is diving deeper into the research of tie-dye in Mexico. While there is not a lot of published material, what I am finding is fascinating. Very little fabric has survived, so we need to look at the Codices from that time.

Here is an important reference from Tehuacán, Puebla, about 3.5 hours northwest of Teotitlán del Valle.

Of course, different scholars have their own theories about the technique used for the pattern on the cape.

1 – tie-dye

2 – a combination of tie-dye and a paste resist.

3 - turquoise stones cut and stitched onto the fabric

Here is a reproduction of the fabric:

I am excited to return this "tie and stitch resist" to Teotitlán del Valle. Thank you for helping to make this happen!

I’ve been keeping busy since my last update!

With all the dyed samples complete, I shifted my focus to writing detailed instructions for each technique.
Thanks to the help of DeepL and ChatGPT, I was able to translate everything into Spanish, making the workshop accessible to everyone.
I even finished writing and translating the instructions for the Iron Vat, a key part of our process.

This week wasn’t just about writing — there was plenty of cutting and sawing too!
I cut PVC pipes for Arashi Shibori and sawed square dowels, which will be used to hang the pieces in the dye pot.

While it’s a lot of work, it’s also exciting and allows me to visualize the workshop coming to life.
And through it all, I’ve been thinking about you — the donors whose generosity makes this project possible.

Thank you for your continued support!
 You’re helping to bring this dream to life for the community.

It has been a busy time creating the samples for the upcoming workshop!
The process has been both fun and, at times, a little challenging—but always rewarding.
Although the workshop is still several months away, I wanted to get an early start on creating samples that showcase the techniques participants will learn. Now that the sampling is complete, I’ll decipher my notes and write out the instructions.
Here’s a glimpse of the variety of Shibori techniques I’ll be teaching—each one full of possibility and beauty!

 I want to share with you what will happen in the afternoon of the first day of the Shibori workshop I will be leading in Teotitlán.

On the first day of the workshop, after we prepare our indigo vats, I will introduce participants to the history and practice of Shibori, exploring its connections to tie-dye traditions from around the world.

Creating a resist on fabric and then dyeing it is thousands of years old. It has been done the world over since ancient times. There are date discrepancies, and I have tried to choose the most accurate. Here are just a few dates:

Ancient Egypt – 1000 B.C.
 

India - 4000 years ago

Peru - 1500 years ago

Japan - as far back as the 6th century, but probably further back.

China – 206 BCE

West Africa – 1800s

Mexico – during the time of the Mayans

I am fortunate enough to have four samples, 1 each from China, West Africa, India, and Japan. Each piece has meaning for me. I also have photos of Wari Fabric from Peru.

The Zha Ran from China is a pair of pants. I picked them up at a tiny shop off the beaten path on one of the small islands near Hong Kong in 1998 or 1999. The indigo was so deep the pants looked almost black, and the butterflies were almost invisible. The shop owner told me to soak the pants in salt water before I wore them. Of course, I couldn’t wait and wore them the next day – that night I had blue legs. But the indigo washed right off my legs as it had already oxidized.

The Fulani is made up of narrow strips of handspun, handwoven cotton fabric stitched together and then tied and dyed in natural indigo. It was about 20 years ago. There was a fabric expo at the Javitts Center in NYC. Within the exposition was a showplace that featured World Textiles. I spotted this fabric immediately. The fabrics were not for sale, only for exhibition. I asked the woman minding the booth if I could buy one of the fabrics. She nodded yes, and in a whisper told me to meet her behind the wall at a certain time. So, I waited until it was time to meet and was able to buy this beautiful piece of fabric.

The Bhandani is from Rajasthan. I visited a small village in the Thar Desert. The women in the village were all wearing beautiful Bhandani Saris and head coverings, but I couldn’t find any shops selling the fabrics. It was beginning to get dark, and time to return to my hotel, when I passed a shop and thought I spotted Bhandani. Sure enough, they had shelves of inexpensive cotton Bhandani. Though my sample is not dyed with natural dyes, I will always cherish it for the memory of being in that tiny shop in that small village as the sun was setting.

The Arimatsu Shibori from Japan is a new piece for me. I purchased it from a US dealer, especially for the workshop. I am not sure how old it is; it is a scrap, probably originally a kimono fabric, and it is handwoven silk, tied and then dyed in indigo.

Finally, the photos of the Wari cloth from Peru. This cloth is what gave me the idea for this workshop. I could relate that what was done in Peru long ago could reach Mexico and be an influence on the Oaxacan textiles. 

This is especially true for the famous Rebozos (shawls). While not the same technique as we can see in the above photos, this technique is Jaspe (ikat). The process involves tying and dyeing sections of the warp (lengthwise) and/or weft (widthwise) threads before weaving, creating distinctive patterns. 
I picked up this Rebozo in the Sunday Market in Tlacolula, Mexico, in 2009!

The two photos below: a sample of Japse, from my Rebozo, the second photo is a small sample of vintage Japanese Kasuri (Ikat) silk fabric, probably from a Kimono.

I hope you enjoyed going on this textile journey with me!