Itajime is a refined form of Japanese ‘tie and dye’ - otherwise known as shibori. The word means ‘board-tighten’ in Japanese. These endearing designs designs radiate cheer. Making them is relatively quick, and they look amazing when you hang up several to create kaleidoscopic bursts of colour and pattern.

This technique is a bit of a mystery to art history, nobody is quite sure where it started or how it came about. There is a much older Chinese-derived tradition called ‘kyoechi’ (‘clamp/dyeing’) in which mirrored images were carved into boards to create exquisite and detailed designs.

I like to fold in triangles to make a very traditional oriental pattern known as ‘kikkō’ in reference to both the pattern on a tortoise shell, and also the small hard shapes used to protect and adorn the armour of samurai.

In Japan today this method is used to decorate kimono and wash paper.