Some days I look around the studio and think “I don’t have enough fabric” which is probably what every fabric junkie thinks at some point or another. Then I have a nice cup of tea, sit down on the sofa and have a look around at the bags, shelves, boxes and piles of silk and cotton that surround me. And you know what? I find fabrics I’d forgotten about. Pieces I’ve stashed because I couldn’t bear to part with them, the last vestiges of kimono that I’ve disassembled,  bolt ends, or projects I’ve set aside for later.

The following pieces don’t really have much in common aside from their shibori roots, but they all came to my attention today, so here they are.

This shibori comes from a silk juban, or under-kimono. The design is shippou, also known as Seven Treasures, but I prefer to think of it as leaves of bamboo. The silk is very smooth and light weight. Note the patched area:

From the other side you can barely see the stitches that seem so huge from the back. I am always amazed when I find work like this, typically on vintage garments. Not many people bother to mend their clothes these days, it would seem. Or I could just be indulging in a silly, nostalgic moment here.

The next two examples are more faux shibori pieces. The first is another thin silk, this one from the lining of a vintage michiyuki, or kimono raincoat. I really like the layering of colors and styles on this piece. The bright “shibori” patterns contrast with the subtlety of the background. It’s more of a winter design, with bamboo and plum blossoms, and a hint of spring from the cherry blossoms floating on a peach background.

This last example comes from a vintage yukata I disassembled a long time ago. The fabric is thick and soft, much nicer than the modern yukata I come across now. It probably isn’t very old, maybe from the 1980’s or so, and the design is visually quite busy. Nevertheless, it grabbed me with it’s somewhat random splash of flowers, mix of shibori styles, and faintest hint of pink against indigo blue and white.

Just a laugh at myself here, but it’s funny how I’m drawn to these semi-chaotic designs and yet I’m practically head to toe in beige today. I guess I’ve had enough of winter and looking forward to warmer journeys this year.