Shibori

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Shibori is the ancient Japanese method of embellishing fabric by using shape resist, pleating, stitch resist and/or folding/wrapping and then dyeing. By using lengths of white silk, wool or linen, Sofia applies these different methods with single or multiple fiber-reactive and/or indigo dyes to achieve designs that reflect the interaction of wind, currents and tides on water.

Botanicals

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Botanicals Using flowers and leaves from surrounding gardens and forests, Sofia steams these pigments on silk, wool or linen creating detailed leaf and flower images. This technique allows the magic of flowers and nature to be captured in wearable nature.

Hand Painted

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Hand Painted Sofia hand paints on silk, using different types of dyes, and often over-dyeing with indigo, capturing the complex interaction of different weights of dye, resulting in the play of light and dark creating abstract landscapes.

NATURE INSPIRED HAND DYED SCARVES AND SHAWLS

Sofia is a dyer of silk, wool, and linen, using natural dyes for her botanical prints, indigo for shibori, and Jacquard red label dyes for painting. Introduced to dyeing fabric at Haystack Mountain Craft in 2011, she has continued to be fascinated and explores the nuances of plants and dyes on different natural fibers.
BEADED SILK CHIFFON, HAND PAINTED
SILK BURNOUT, HAND PAINTED
BEADED SILK CHIFFON, HAND PAINTED
SILK, HAND PAINTED
SILK, BOTANICAL
Marino wool botanical scarf 14’ x73’
Silk Botanical shawl- 22’x84’
Silk botanical shawl - 22’x84’
Silk botanical shawl - 22’x84’
Silk botanical shawl - 22’x83’
Silk botanical shawl - 22’x83’
Silk botanical scarf - 14’ x 72’
Silk botanical scarf - 14’ x 72’
Painted ribbed silk shawl 22’x 78'

“I have always been moved and inspired by water and nature - the way currents and breeze interact and create ripples and textures, cascading light in all directions.
Being still in nature, I am moved by this energy and how it affects water, moon, flowers, and leaves. By applying hand-painted and natural dyes, using leaves, flowers and shibori techniques, I endeavor to capture this ebb and flow of color, the fluidity of water, the pull of the moon and the designs of nature on fiber.”

- Sofia Selden

FAIRS AND EVENTS

2025
November 21-23 Paradise City Fair, Marlboro, MA
November 30, 10-4 Sanctuary Arts, Eliot, ME
December 6, 12-4 PortCity Makerspace, Portsmouth, NH

BOTANICAL WORKSHOP at my KITTERY POINT STUDIO

The process of botanical printing with natural dyes will be discussed and different designs/applications will be demonstrated.

The participants will then create their own botanical designs using flowers and leaves collected from their own gardens.

Three natural dyes will be provided to create beautiful backgrounds of red, blue or soft peach.

June 15 / June 22 / July 20

Class duration: 10:00am-2:00pm
Size: 4 participants
Cost: $150, plus $20 materials fee
(2-3 silk scarves - 12x72, and dyes)

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Mail check payable to Joyous Silks to 63 Crockett Neck Road, Kittery Point, ME 03905

JOYOUS SILKS CAN BE FOUND AT THESE RETAIL OUTLETS:

LEAGUE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE CRAFTSMEN
Galleries in Center Sandwich and North Conway, NH
CURRIER MUSEUM OF ART Manchester, NH
ISLAND INSTITUTE Rockland, ME