Wandering through a local estate liquidator’s shop last week, this little fellow caught my eye. He stood in a glass case, carelessly dressed and dreadfully sun faded. His hakama had been tied up as if it were a pinafore, and his face was cracked and poorly repaired. Still, I thought he had a charming smile…
Tag: projects
Book reviews: Sashiko books in English part II
Continued from yesterday’s post, here are four more excellent sashiko books in English. Once again, these are listed by publication date. Quick summary statements are underlined. Click on the title links to purchase. Japanese Country Quilting: Sashiko patterns and projects for beginners by Karen Kim Matsunaga. Kodansha, 1990. 96 pages. An excellent all-in-one sashiko reference,…
Book reviews: Sashiko books in English part I
I’m going to take this in stages as there are so many books to choose from! Some of the more recent books that I will review tomorrow include those by Sylvia and Kitty Pippen, authors and textile artists who are comfortable taking sashiko and developing it into more than just the typical white-thread-on-indigo look that…
Book reviews: Japanese sashiko craft books
Japanese craft books, you gotta love ’em. The bright, clear photos presented in an easy to understand step by step format and abundant diagrams. Never mind if you can’t read Japanese, the visuals alone will get you through the process. Also known as “mooks,” a hybrid of magazine and book, these tend to be smallish…
yep, more sashiko
I got this little beauty in the mail a few days ago from someone who has been incredibly patient and understanding with me over the past year. I count my blessings every day for the people who put up with me, even the ones I only know through the internet. It’s a pillow made from…
Olympus sashiko kits in motion part 2
Continuing on with the Olympus sashiko kit project from earlier this month, here are some updated pictures. So far I have completed the sashiko portion of the project. I still have plenty of thread left over! Next I will hem the edges to give it a more finished look. By following the pre-printed lines, my…
Olympus sashiko kits in motion
Many of you have requested I do a tutorial with the Olympus sashiko kits I carry in my shop, so a month ago I picked one out, chose some thread and picked out a needle… then things fell apart in my life and it was relegated to the I’ll-get-to-it-later pile. Last night as I was…
Lovely!
I have been mentioned on the beautiful Ennui blog today. A blog of few words and many images, Ennui isn’t at all boring and really lit up my morning. I highly suggest taking a stroll through the collection of images there if you day is getting hectic and you need a breath of fresh air….
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…
Noren how-to project with yukata fabric
It’s been quite hot here in the high desert lately, and since we don’t have air conditioning, that means leaving doors and windows open to allow for a pleasant breeze. Another thing we don’t have is a screen door for the front, so it’s rather bothersome when all sorts of winged annoyances start invading Chez…
An apology and an explaination
Here’s an apology to all of those who have emailed special orders, been waiting for a package to ship from me, or even just a reply to an email sent in the past week. There have been a few downturns in the ever spinning world of kimono life here at Chez Kimono, and I’ve been…
The sun is shining, the birds are singing…
I’ve just returned from the Farmer’s Market with some yummy goodies (hooray for June!) and settled down to pick out some cottons for my sashiko project. I’ve decided to make a summer table cloth out of spare pieces of indigo and white fabrics. Some of these are bolt ends and irregular lengths, some have a…
A love for both the common fiber and the extraordinary textile @KimonoMomo 