Today I present two katazome items, one from the SFAPA show and one from my personal collection. Click on the images to get a closer look. The first is from the Cavin-Morris Gallery in New York. It’s a stunning katabira (帷), an unlined (hitoe 単衣) ramie (jofu 上布) kimono for summer wear. This would have…
Category: indigo
Focus on Indigo part III, tsutsugaki kimono
I met Vicki Shiba of Mill Valley, CA last year during my first visit to the Arts of Pacific Asia Show in SF. She’s a soft spoken woman with a sharp intellect and a dazzling collection of antiques. She had several pieces worthy of mention in her booth, and I have chosen two that I…
Focus on Indigo part I, Samurai Vest
note: Clicking on any of the images here will give you a larger image so you can see the details more clearly. While I have always had a love for all things indigo, this was the first piece at the Arts of Pacific Asia Show in San Francisco this month that inspired me to reach…
Feeling a tad overwhelmed
After two weekends spent surrounded by the sort of beautiful textiles and antiques you’d expect to find in a museum or private collection and being able to not only photograph them, but actually touch them, I find myself with pages of handwritten notes and innumerable photographs to sort through (I stopped counting and just try…
New feature – Indigo
Starting next week I will be writing an ongoing feature about indigo, including vintage dyed textiles, indigo dye and supplies, and indigo’s use through history. To start, I will feature several galleries and dealers I’ve been meeting at the Arts of Pacific Asia and Tribal & Textile Arts Shows this February at Fort Mason in…
Awa Shijira-ori
Known for its distinctive crinkled, crepe-like texture, Awa Shijira-ori* is a cotton fabric ideal for making summertime yukata. The texture, similar to seersucker, does not stick to the skin in Japan’s hot, humid summers, and the openness of the weave allows for good airflow. Originating in the Tokushima Prefecture during the Meiji era (1868-1889), it…
Japanese Fishermen’s Coats from Awaji Island
Japanese Fishermen’s Coats from Awaji Island (Fowler Museum Textile Series 5) arrived on my doorstep this morning, just in time for a leisurely read over tea and breakfast. And what an enjoyable read it was! This slim volume starts off with an historical essay by Luke Roberts, Fishing Villages in Northern Awaji, about the life…
Sashiko project #2
After coming to a sort of artistic conclusion on the first sashiko project I decided to start another. As the first project was entirely indigo and white, I wanted to give this one more color, but still keep it in somewhat muted tones and mainly focus on blues. As with the first project, I wanted…
More sashiko goodness
The sashiko tutorial project I started last year was never officially completed. It ended up, like so many other projects, packed away and not to be seen again for months after our move in October. But sometime in the past few weeks I got twitchy fingers and dug it out again, located my sashiko needle…
A little something to keep you warm
Digging through boxes in the garage today I came aross a few more vintage boro blankets I’ve had stashed for nearly two years now. I blogged about our family’s favorite last January, but this one has not been in use as it has only one layer with no backing or batting. The weave technique used…
January sale details
Starting this month I will be offering different specials in the Etsy shop every month. For January all indigo cotton yukata fabrics are marked down by 25%. It’s raining today, otherwise I’d be outside taking photos of the dozens of vintage kimono I have in stock. Losing the photo set up I had back in…
Sashiko Project part III – it works!
It’s true, I’m a complete novice at this. It’s often said that you can learn through teaching, and I find that sometimes the only way I can learn something is when I’m asked to teach someone else. Here is the shippou design I was working on: And from the other side… not so bad! I’ve…
A love for both the common fiber and the extraordinary textile @KimonoMomo 