A couple summers ago I was lucky enough to be part of Western Living's The Next Home Stylist, which was a contest for the Canadian Home Shows. The top three finalists were put to the test with different DIY projects, inspiration boards and styling. I was very grateful for the opportunity and had a blast creating!
Here is the step by step tutorial for the DIY Shibori Shade Sail I made during The Next Home Stylist competition. Can you believe this only cost $20 to make? All the materials you need can be found at the hardware store and your local sewing shop. I had so much fun creating this piece for our yard and it turned out to be a real show stopper! Whenever I was in the yard people would stop and ask about it. I will show you two different techniques we used to shibori dye the shade sail, you can use one or both.
I bought the rope and canvas drop sheet from Home Hardware, the other materials from a sewing store in Vancouver call Dressew. Rubber gloves are key! You don't want blue hands.
The best part about this project was Mark and I went on a walk to gather the pieces we needed! It was fun to find sticks and rocks to use for the piece. Curious how we used these to create the Shibori pattern, keep reading!
As you can probably tell from my other DIY projects, I am kind of a perfectionist, or at least try to be! The idea of a random design was a little overwhelming, but fun! First I laid out the rocks so I could visually see where everything would be placed. The rocks create the ring design.
I started with the rocks as it was easier to lay those pieces out first and fit the sticks in-between. All you have to do is wrap the string around the bottom of the rock. Where the string is will stay white. If you want the white ring to be larger or smaller add more or less string.
After you have wrapped enough string on the bottom, you can tie and cut, remember the part underneath the string will be white, so make it as thin or thick as you want.
Here is a good time to take a break, as you can see there was wine. By laying out the drop cloth again, you can see where there are spaces, and can visualize where to add the other design.
Again remember where the string is will be white and the rest will be blue. The stick will create a circle with lines, a little different than the rock, but adds a nice contrast.
Here is what your canvas drop cloth will look like before the indigo dye!
Submerge the wrapped material in warm water before dying.
Add the dye to the water, submerge the canvas and let sit for anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes. I was using a blue dye and not the traditional Shibori dye, so I left it longer.
This is the most satisfying part!
It looks so cool to see what the pattern turned out as, compared to how it was wrapped.
Since I wanted to hang this, I didn't simply want to cut a hole in the fabric so added a rivet. The kit was really easy to use.
I'll let you in on a little secret, I steamed the material once it was fully dry. It was a little wrinkled after the dying process, and this made such a difference.
The colour was so vibrant and beautiful. Perfect for creating shade in any yard or patio, big or small. To make one for your own space, make sure to purchase a canvas drop cloth that will fit your space. This DIY was fun and simple to make, plus it made a real statement in the yard.
Dinner Al Fresco! It was the perfect time to host a dinner party with the lights and shade sail! They created such a lovely atmosphere to dine under. Thinking of hosting your own dinner outside, check out my 20 Minute Table Setting tip sheet, so you can save time and get right to the party!
HOW MUCH DID IT COST? You know this is my favorite part!
Setting up a dinner party in the yard was absolutely wonderful. Do you want to create your own DIY Drink Sticks, check out the ones I made for this table setting. They add a little bit of fun and bring all the colours together.
Although I used the antlers to create the floral centrepiece for the dinner al fresco, you could also try a small floral garland. They are easy to make and don't require a lot of flowers in order to make. Check out my DIY Floral Garland and make one for your next dinner party.