What's new and re-commiting to my blog.

I'm not living up to my own blogging expectations.  It's much more difficult then I ever anticipated to blog and design and keep up my with comic deadlines.  Today I am re-commiting to myself to blog at least once a week for the next month.  It feels like a good goal.  I actually started this post just about a month ago so I am going to finish it up and write another.

Supplies are arriving.  A Uchikake (formal wedding kimono) and Fukuro obi got here quickly.  I purchased both intending to re-purpose them. When I opened the package I quickly noted that the kimono and obi were much more damaged then described. I could also see that the obi was not whole.  The fabric in my beautifully wrapped package was only part of a fukuro obi.  Descriptions are subjective and I don't think these errors were intentional, I just think the seller didn't know what she had.

To explain a little, a fukuro obi is a formal to semi formal obi and often has the decorative fabric only in the places that it would show when worn and the rest is plain.  The entire back was missing and the fabric that I held in my hand was horribly ragged.  There is a dark frayed badly stained crease down the the length of the fabric from use with more frays and little tears all over.  From the ad photo it appeared to be golden color and silver but in person a very dirty gold and silver with sort of a brown or tan color base.

I think the photo was lightened so it doesn't reveal the damage. Photo copyright owned by seller

Immediately, I though I've nothing to loose.  Into the bathtub with warm water and Meyers laundry soap it went.  Yes, I put silk in water again.  I thought it might fall apart but it was completely unusable in the condition it arrived. I began soaking the fabric around 3 in the afternoon.  Every few hours I would change the soapy muddy water.  I was on an all night coloring deadline so I was very patient with the soaking.  Each new soak revealed a new fabric.

I now realize the fabric is actually woven with gold and silver metal wrapped thread and an equal amount of light tan silk.  It's very interesting in texture because it is metal and now behaves like metal.  I think the original fabric was over-dyed brown by someone along the way to try and cover the stains and damage.  It is far too fragile to use for a garment, instead I am going to make some kanzashi tsumami inspired flowers for accessories.

close up of the poor condition

damaged wedding obi extreme closeup

A couple petals of my first Kanzashi inspired flower

Finished hair comb with a vintage button

I'm really pleased with the find and exactly what re-purposing history is all about.

Planning and designing

I've been sick for the last three days with food poisoning, yuck.  It's been pretty awful and kinda wonderful at the same time.  What!!  Ok I have to explain that part because I'm really not that crazy.  Food poisoning meant fevers and sleeplessness and some things that are just too much information.    Doing a lot of television channel hopping and couldn't really find anything to hold my interest so I ended up watching one of those horrible wedding dress shows in re-runs.  This got me remembering how much I use to enjoy working with brides, designing and sewing their wedding gowns.  A plan came to mind and I started sketching a couple of gown designs.  This one of a kind wedding dress is being made specifically for my etsy store.  I hope to have it complete for the grand opening.

This morning I'm sipping a yummy latte (made by my awesome husband) and surfing the internet for a little while before starting my workday.  I head over to the bay to hunt for the perfect kimono fabric for the wedding gown.  Lucky me, I found it in just a few short minutes.  As soon as I clicked on the photo I knew I had found the one.  This fabric spoke to me.  It's karieba/karinu furisode fabric.

Karieba/karinui is the cut pattern of the kimono roughly basted together.  It still needs unpicked, lined and finished to be worn as finished kimono.  Furisode is the most formal kimono of young unmarried woman it is most often seen at the Coming-of-Age Day ceremony when a girl turns 20.  It is easily recognized by the very long flowing sleeves, beautiful patterns and often has embroidery and hand painted designs.

While the fabric I chose is old and possibly vintage, it has never been worn and is in excellent condition.  I am trying to re-purpose damaged or un-wearable Japanese textiles into new jewelry and garments.  It would seem like unworn fabric wouldn't fall into this category but it does and this is why.  Chances are because this fabric has ended up on the bay that it will never be finished into the intended furisode.  The industry of kimono makers in Japan is sadly dwindling and I am unaware of many people in the United States who have the skills for the hand work required for kimono.  I am ecstatic to have purchased this gorgeous furisode bolt.  It will be a long fidgety couple weeks while I wait for delivery of the fabrics.

In the meantime I will begin drafting the pattern for the gown and working on the toile.  I like to have a few projects going at once.  It gives me time to step away and evaluate my process and design.

Here's a little peek at the images from the online store

I will try to obtain more information about the motifs in the fabric to share in a future post.