Some photos were taken in a hurry as I rushed from the booth to lunch, or back again. Closeups are all I have of these beautiful quilts. The geometry is complex and amazing. When people who don’t quilt think that quilters are old grannies who sit around making simple blankets, I want to show them…
Tag: recycling
Learn Sashiko with Upcycle Alameda!
I’ll be teaching a six-week course with sashiko and other hand sewing skills using upcycled fabrics at the Recrafting Co. in beautiful Alameda, CA. You can join in on Upcycle Alameda’s Meetup event page and/or contact Joan at 510-913-2732 for more information and to sign up. There are a limited number of seats available and we would love…
Updates for Late December 2014
I really left you hanging there, didn’t I? Sorry about that. After all the buzz of shopping Houston Quilt Market followed by teaching and selling at Quilt Festival I’m always in desperate need of a month or two to crawl back into my shell and not talk to humans very much. This tends to upset people…
Sashiko boro quilt
If you’ve seen me at a show or come to the Kimonomomo studio in the last few months, you’ve probably seen the quilt I’ve been working on. Pieced from Alexander Henry, Moda, Olympus, and Kona Bay prints, plus a few 19th century katazome cottons, it’s coming together nicely. Piecing took two days using a 1959 Singer…
Vintage Katazome Comes Clean
Meiji era katazome cottons have a special place in my heart. I started collecting them years ago, back when I could barely afford to, and now it’s become something of a joy and an obsession. The fine dots and designs that remind me of having henna painted on my hands when I was 12 years…
Karinui Comparisons, part 2
In part 1 I disassembled an inexpensive kurotomesode (high formal women’s kimono) and gave you a peek at the inner workings, so to speak. This time we’ll be looking at a more expensive kimono and seeing how different the two can be. Part 2: The Hot Date Unlike the pretty, fast, and easy Cheap Date,…
Sashiko Patchwork Apron Pattern
If you’re looking for a fun little project you can make with recycled fabric, sashiko thread, and a little ingenuity, this Sashiko Patchwork Apron Pattern might tickle your fancy. I designed it for the Spring 2012 issue of Stitch and it’s now available for download. The pattern is $4.00, none of which comes to me,…
Overdyed patchwork Oriental rugs
When I first heard of overdyed patchwork rugs, my reaction was… less than enthusiastic. The concept is to take pieces of rugs too old and worn out to be used as-is, overdye the pieces, and stitch them together to make a new rug. Simple enough, and certainly not new, but recently this type of rug…
Kimono or yukata sleeves too short? Modify!
When this floral-patterned shibori yukata caught my eye, I just couldn’t say no. I’ve been collecting vintage clothes my whole life (starting with hand-me-down baby clothes when I was an infant) and as some of you vintage collectors know, there are items that have a marvelous vibe to them, as if the previous owner imparted…
And the verdict is…
Cut, by a vote of 7 to 3. Thanks all for participating in the mini poll! The winner of the fabric pack is Lauren of ABC Rags. Congratulations, Lauren, let me know where you’d like me to send your fabrics and they will be on their way post haste. It’s been a year or so…
short informal poll
Just curious… before I take my seam ripper to these two silk meisen kimono, do you think I ought to keep them intact, or cut up to sell in pieces? They have been sitting on the shelf just a little too long for my liking and I’d like to move them, one way or another….
Challenged
Earlier today a friend challenged me to stock a specific number of items in my shop by 2 a.m. (it’s after midnight as I write this). Occasionally I get stuck in a rut and crawl into a corner with a book and a pot of tea, getting absolutely nothing done for days on end. This…
A love for both the common fiber and the extraordinary textile @KimonoMomo 