Watching this video is making me question my sanity in regards to making this little kimono. No wonder I’m feeling stuck. But hey! It’s really useful and if I watch it 15 more times I might have a better grasp of what I’m doing, right? I’m far enough behind right now that I don’t expect…
Author: The Ardent Thread
This is the blog for KimonoMomo, an online business selling new and vintage textiles, thread, and notions from Japan.
市松人形 Antique doll kimono – My New Year Challenge – part 3
A little background on what makes a doll an Ichimatsu ningyo… 人形 Ningyo = doll. That’s the easy part. 佐野川 市松 Sanogawa Ichimatsu (1722-1762) What have come to be called Ichimatsu dolls were first produced in the Kampô and Hôreki eras (1741 – 1764), the faces designed to resemble Sanogawa Ichimatsu, a Kabuki actor who was famous for…
Antique doll kimono – My New Year Challenge – part 2
In the West we tend to think of kimono as a static garment, always one style, one type of construction. Over the past decade I have handled a wide variety of vintage kimono, mostly from the 20th century, and the style, color, quality of weave, etc. do change the same as our own garments, although perhaps…
Antique doll kimono – My New Year Challenge – part 1
You may remember the antique doll I found in a consignment shop a few years back — links at the bottom of this post if you’d like to see the story — and how his restoration went. The very talented Anne Weaver did an excellent job repairing the doll, but the person who worked on cleaning…
Black Friday? How about Blue Wednesday?
Blue because I like blue, and blue is like indigo, which I love even more. I’m rambling. Speaking of rambling… here is the house. So many of you have asked me how the paint job turned out and I had been meaning to post a photo, and now I have. Everything turned out great! The…
Time for a sale!
I brought Thomas along with me to Quilt Market this year in the hope that he would keep my spending under control, but that wasn’t the case. We did stay on budget… until he left and I had one more day at Market on my own to do a little shopping. So! This means I…
Houston International Quilt Festival 2015
Things started off so well. I dropped off our boxes at the trucking terminal, with all the boxes neatly stacked so they fit together like a 3D cardboard Tetris. Unfortunately, that’s not how things turned out once the shipment arrived in Texas. Notice the missing lumber. Almost every box was smashed. Thank goodness it was…
New video: Sashiko thread vs. tangled knots
As promised, a short video on how to open a new skein of sashiko thread.
New video, upcoming shows, and classes for October
Finally got done editing part 2 of the Deconstructing Kimono videos. They were both long, I’m working on shorter videos but sometimes I have too much fun to keep things brief. Class space is available for the two Sashiko classes I’m offering this month: Voodoo Kitty Pincushions. These will be relaxed, all hand sewing using vintage…
Back from Grand Rapids, via Haiti
After returning from QuiltWeek in Grand Rapids, Michigan recently, a discussion I had on my last day there has stayed with me. It isn’t textile related, but please bear with me. Grand Rapids isn’t a big city. At the airport you have the option of a taxi or limo sedan to get where you’re going,…
AQS QuiltWeek Grand Rapids Michigan & Japanese Textile Lecture
Helloooo, Grand Rapids! I’ll be heading your way August 11-16 for AQS QuiltWeek and I am very excited. I’ll hit up my two favorite haunts, Reserve and San Chez for fantastic food and drink, do a little shopping downtown, and check out the beautiful architecture of this little gem of a Midwestern city. AQS QuiltWeek brings…
A love for both the common fiber and the extraordinary textile @KimonoMomo 