Getting ready for a big show is exciting, nerve wracking, frustrating, and wonderful. The kids (my junior partners in all this) are looking forward to going on an airplane, something they haven’t done in a quite a while. I promised them we’d do Sakura-Con years ago, when we first stumbled upon it one Easter weekend [...]
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 been [...]
Sorry for the lack of posts this week. The kids and I have been sloggling through the latest flu, but we’re on the mend. The Knit-One-One show is tomorrow and I’m off to sort through my stock and pick out some goodies to show.
Back soon with more indigo…
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 [...]
I’m still sorting through photos and notes for the Focus on Indigo feature, but I’ve also been plowing through photos and descriptions for new items and listing them in my shop. The sections have changed a bit; all 14″ wide Japanese kimono and yukata fabrics are now in one place under “Japanese textiles” and what [...]
Following the vest theme of the previous post, here is a fabulous example of indigo shibori from Honeychurch Antiques of Seattle, Washington.
This piece features shibori done in orinui and shirokage (white shadow) styles. The white bands would have been bound and reserved during the dye process, making this a rather labor intensive textile. Dyeing would [...]
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 for [...]
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 [...]
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 San [...]
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 is [...]
I will be listing new items throughout the day, including the latest shipment of sashiko supplies. Yes, that means the thread prices will be going up (needles, thimbles and kits remain the same price), but not until I get to them. Right now I’m focused on getting other things listed first, so there is still [...]
I’ve been a terrible slacker. There are stacks of projects on my cutting table, finished scarves to be photographed, business cards to be designed and printed, taxes to be filed, orders to ship (packages went to Australia and Canada yesterday, Italy today), and piles of notes everywhere.
A box of fabric tipped over this morning when [...]
I’ve been drooling over scarves on Etsy recently. It’s still chilly enough here in the San Francisco area that I could happily wear one, so I’m sharing my appreciation of fine neck wear with you today. Enjoy!
Fine merino wool warmly knitted in Massachusetts, USA.
Flirtatious felted wool from Russia with love.
Delicate as a snowflake but without [...]
First the bad news: Due to a falling Dollar and rising Yen, my wholesale supplier has raised prices on most sashiko items. This means that with my next restock, I’ll have to raise prices, too.
Now the good news: I’m keeping my prices low until new items come in. Stock up now to get your sashiko [...]
“How the dickens do you thread this thing?”
That was our first challenge after establishing that yes indeed, she ran just fine. A search on the Singer site provided a free pdf download of the instructions we needed for our vintage 15- (“fifteen straight”) machine, and with a bit of tinkering, we sorted it out. A [...]
I’ll be away from the studio and up in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon for a while, but I’ll try to work in a post or two while I’m gone.
Happy (almost) New Year everyone!
It took a bit of wrangling, but we managed to slide her into the back seat of my car and take her home. She looks like a portable Featherweight, but she is most definitely attached to that table with its spindly legs.
Once in the house, I gave her a good look. I checked the serial [...]
She’s a gem, my old girl.
My son and I found this beauty one afternoon while driving through our Central Oregon neighborhood looking for garage sales. I was seeking a small table for the kitchen telephone. Spotting a likely subject in a yard three blocks from our house, we stopped to take a look. Lo and [...]
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 one [...]
I am so excited.
Thirty years ago I was a reluctant tag-along when my mother dragged me to fabric shops. I’d dash around the stands of bolts until she told me to stop, then sit in a quiet corner and fall asleep until it was time to go.
These days, however, it’s a whole different ball game. [...]
I am busy restocking the Etsy shop right now with all the sashiko goodies that arrived today. Needles and thimbles, an array of thread colors, the ever popular black bunny sampler (among others), plus a new book!
If you missed the Cyber Monday sale and would like to stock up on sashiko items this week, mention [...]
My Cyber Monday Sale is 15% off all items in the KimonoMomo and Blue Star Atelier shops! Mention “blog” when you checkout and I will either refund 15% of your total purchase or send you a revised invoice. This sale starts immediately (Sunday Nov. 29) and goes until midnight (Pacific time) Monday night, Nov. 30, [...]
Where has the time gone? It’s already half way through November!
Things have been moving slowly here for a while as we find our footing again. My current project is drafting a pattern and making a prototype bag for the class I will be teaching in March. Aside from that, chasing sunshine and photographing more vintage [...]
Northern California Bay Area stitchers, mark your calendars for March 1, 2010. I will be leading a textile talk and trunk show for the Valley Stitchers and Fiber Arts Guild in Pleasant Hill, CA, to be followed by a hands-on sashiko class. I will provide more details closer to the date. If you are not [...]
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 stitches came [...]
Well, you knew that already. Seriously though, the Fall 2009 issue of Stitch magazine features Japanese textiles, crafts and textile artists here in the US, including me! The kurotomesode kimono on the article’s title page is even one of mine, currently available in my Etsy shop. How’s that for a shameless plug?
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Autumn is upon us here in Northern California, with fog greeting me at the door every morning as I head out for the paper.
I’m currently in a scarf-making phase right now, which means new purses aren’t far behind…
The sashiko project is still in process and will be updated here within the next day or so. [...]
My photo studio is generally anywhere I enough space and adequate light. These days that means the back yard, amid humming birds, wild rabbits, squirrels, scrub jays, and the occasional red tail hawk.
We’ve been having a bit of early autumn rain in the Bay Area this month. While we had a bit of dry weather [...]
Very few people are aware that I started out 20 years ago as a jeweler, working with metal and stone instead of silk and cotton. For ten years I plied my trade on the Pacific coast from Seattle to Los Angeles as an itinerant vendor at craft shows and weekend markets. I was a regular [...]
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 [...]
We’re preparing for Dad’s memorial service, so everything else is a bit behind right now. I hope to be back to regular posting soon. Thanks for staying in touch, everyone.
I’ve had a difficult time coming up with blog topics lately. Sales in the Etsy shop have been brisk, and I’m only just starting to restock this week. New vintage items are being listing in time for Halloween, and I am back to bundling vintage kimono silk scraps for your holiday projects.
To those waiting for [...]
My father passed away peacefully early Monday morning. I am grateful I could be with him in his final days.
To customers waiting on orders, I thank you for your patience.
To customers waiting for new items to be stocked, I hope to fulfill your desires soon!
In the meantime, please understand that I am working with my [...]
After four years, numerous prototypes and much procrastination, I have finally finished a basic kit for hinagata (“miniature”) kimono. When I set out to complete a kit myself and document each step, I found it easier than I remembered to sew everything together! Maybe the fabric choice made a difference. Previously I’ve used vintage kimono [...]
You amaze me. You really do. All those crazy, wonderful, beautiful projects you create out of just about anything. And if you made something special out of materials from my shop or somehow include me in your creation, then you are definitely special in my book.
Barb’s Blue Willow Apron is one of those special items.
Mary [...]
I wanted to explain why my postings have been so sporadic again. Last autumn my family and I were dealing with moving out of state and losing my mother to Pancreatic cancer. Since July we’ve been dealing once again with the very wonderful folks at our local hospice group as my father is now dealing [...]
Congratulations to Karen of Mystic Wynd for winning the Doll Kimono Kit giveaway!
More information on the kits will be forthcoming very soon. Thanks for your patience while I work the kinks out of the design.
More freebies!
Going back to a project I started years ago, I’ve been playing around with beautiful fabrics and dolls this weekend to come up with a kit that you can do at home. Used for decades in Japanese schools to teach children how to sew, these doll-sized kimono make wonderfully portable projects you can take [...]
After listing two new panels of kimono silk recently, I realized I’ve never posted about yuzen. Yuzen as a technique was first developed by Miyazaki Yuzensai, a fan maker in Kyoto in the early part of the Edo period (1603 – 1867). Yuzen is still a very popular kimono dyeing technique today, one that enables [...]
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 since I [...]
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.
As [...]
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 [...]
It was 100 F in the shade today, but I braved the sun and took a few dozen photos of new items before hunting down a cold cup of tea and a cozy tile floor to lay down on while spraying myself with Tumalo Lavender water.
Only two new items listed so far: new kimono scrap [...]
Remember that post about lead in silk I wrote ever so long ago? Well, it came in handy this week. Seeking to finish (at long last) my Bachelor’s degree, I’ve applied at Mills College here in the Bay Area. The application gave me the option of submitting graded work from my previous college (none of [...]
She’s no Clover Meadow, but Cindy is my endearing shadow these days. When people ask “is that your dog?” I answer “no, I’m her human.” I’m Cindy’s third human in the past ten years. Her first was an elderly woman who passed away when Cindy was just three years old. The woman’s family didn’t want [...]
Purses… This month’s special sale category in my shop is obi bags. All purses, clutches and messenger bags are marked 25% off through the month of July. Need a new bag for the fall? Now’s your chance to score one of my sturdy messenger bags for a great price.
And more purses… The lovely Kaz Style [...]
The complicated dance of having three (somewhat cranky) generations crammed under one roof has taken a new turn as I move my bed into Mom’s old studio. Three decades of craft supplies, unfinished projects, patterns, equipment, photos and books are being boxed up and moved out of the way, at least for now. I’ll be [...]
I disasemble a veritable bounty of kimono every year and figure I’ve seen some crazy fabric combinations, but this piece made me laugh when I first came across it. Used as a sleeve lining for an early 20th century kimono, this synthetic fabric dyed in bright yellow and vibrant red has oodles of cheeky charm.
It’s [...]
Sakiori (saki=rag, oru=weaving) is one technique among the fine arts of resourcefulness and reuse. A worn out, damaged or otherwise ruined garment is torn to shreds and woven over a new warp to find another useful life. I know people who cringe when I tell them that I tear kimono apart, but this is something [...]
Finally! Sashiko needles have been restocked.
New items in the shop will be appearing as fast as I can list them. So far today vintage kimono, sashiko supplies and vintage kimono silk scrap bundles have been added, with more on the way.
So you want sashiko needles. I hear you! They will be back in stock by the end of the week, if all goes according to plan and the USPS holds up their end of the bargain. White thread will be back as well as a few other sashiko supplies. I’m having to economise when it [...]
The ever-popular kimono scrap fabric bundles are back in in the shop. My stash practically exploded and spilled out across the studio floor over the weekend, prompting me to take notice of all the bits and pieces I’ve been collecting for years and not passing on to wily crafters like yourself. Last time I put [...]
The special for this month is 15% off all Japanese yukata cotton yardage. I have a few bolts that are down to just one or two meter-long panels and I’d like to see them find good crafty homes.
It is definitely starting to look like summer in San Francisco. For those of you not acquainted with Mark Twain’s famous adage, “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” let me tell you now just how true it is. Our typically mild winter was followed by a brief, hot spring [...]
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. [...]
Still playing catch up. Honestly, it’s the most frustrating feeling to wake up every morning not knowing what will come next, but ignoring work hasn’t really helped much, that’s for sure. Pushing myself out of a depressed phase and into a manic one is an uphill struggle, but worth it. It also makes me even [...]
After attempting to maintain regular posts here, I found myself dealing once again with depression and managed to let it all slide. I’m told the mourning process often takes a year, but really that’s not much of an excuse for slacking off on my business.
Working in my mother’s old studio space is difficult psychologically because [...]
I’ve just listed two new sashiko books direct from Japan, Sashiko no Hon and Sashiko no Hana Fukin. These are great little books to have on hand if you are just starting out with sashiko or want some colorful inspriation. They are full of color photos showing finished projects and how-to instructions.
These are both published [...]
I’m trying not to crash both of my computers right now with photo uploads and listing new items, but all the new sashiko thread colors, kits and books should be up in the Etsy shop within the next 36 hours.
If you’ve never tried sashiko, now is a great time! The sashiko items I carry are [...]
The current sale in the Etsy shop is 20% off all quilting cottons from In The Beginning, Kona Bay and Robert Kaufman. I need to make room for new bolts coming next month so jump on in and stock up! Sale runs from today, March 15 until April 15, 2009.
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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 and [...]
Sorry for the long absence, our internet connection was iffy due to a slowly dying wireless router, which has now been usurped. I replaced our old, UFO-shaped Apple AirPort with a newer model (AirPort Extreme) and feel pretty pleased with its performance so far. No more dropped connections or endless spinning wheels of doom whilst [...]
Finally! After all the sorting, ironing, bundling, photographing and editing (not to mention endless mugs of tea), I’m listing those long-promised kimono fabric bundles in the Etsy shop.
I’ve started with a Baker’s Dozen, thirteen pieces of vintage kimono silk fabric that would be great for crafting, collage, scrapbooking, doll making and other projects. More will [...]
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 to [...]
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 [...]
It’s been a long time since my last post but I wanted to let you know it’s because I’ve been so busy, which is good news. Kimono silk bundles and sashiko books will be in stock this month as promised, along with updates to my last sashiko project and a new one I’ve been working [...]
Wow! I got a call yesterday from a reader of Altered Couture magazine. Apparently one of my brilliant customers, Shirley Goff, had an article published within that involved some of my fabrics used in her Basho Coat project. I can’t wait to see it! I will be ordering copies of the magazine to sell in [...]
After several weeks of moaning and whining about not being able to find my library of reference books in the dark cavern of my storage unit, I finally dragged myself there and dug through to the very bottom box in the very farthest corner. I kid you not, it was the least accessible place I [...]
A friend recently alerted me to this exhibit at Ohio’s Canton Museum of Art which opens on February 9 and runs until April 26, 2009.
Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota opens at the Canton Museum of Art on February 9, 2009. This breathtaking exhibit features 40 giant landscape kimono of the Japanese Master [...]
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 to [...]
Since moving in with my family in October I’ve had to adjust to certain changes such as scheduling time in the kitchen, among other things. It’s unsettling for all of us to change our routines for one another, but we manage. Since I’ve let my business drift for the past few months it’s been nagging [...]
After slogging throug the past few months since the move and my mother’s death, it’s time to get back to business. I’m still missing much of my research library (hidden somewhere in the depths of my storage locker), but I’ve really missed working and am excited to be getting down to it again.
On the schedule [...]
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 [...]
Personally, I’m holding off the big New Year celebrations until Chinese New Year on January 26, 2009. Once the Year of the Rat is over, I’ll breathe a sigh of relief.
January 1 also marks the one year anniversary of this blog. One year ago my life was simpler and I had an idea of what [...]
I’ve been alerted to some lovely mentions on shopping blogs lately. Thank you to Phyllis at Personal Treasures for her mention on Wishpot and to Shopping By Mail for their very nice editorial mention last month!
I am working on updates to the textile portion of this blog and hope to be back to sharing beautiful [...]
I’ve been sitting here feeling blue for a while, so I figured it was time to join the real world a bit and have a sale for all you lovely people. Here are the details:
The sale prices listed in my Etsy shop are valid until January 1, 2009. I’m not going to be exact since [...]
My “office” has been relocated to my mother’s old studio in the back bedroom in the house, stuffed full of her work. Books, magazines, patterns, pens and pencils, hoards of fabric in every possible hue, a Bernina (!!!), piles of classical music CDs, photographs and notebooks, etc. Several of her finished pieces including art quilts [...]
Oh ugh. Moving is bad enough, but moving in with your family… that’s not so good. Most of my things are either in storage or in boxes in my father’s garage. Every time I bring a new box into the house he gets upset. But what can I do? There are orders to ship and [...]
My mother passed away on Monday. She was just 70 and had a lot of life left to live. Our family is now focusing on getting the memorial service put together and we are fortunate that Mom had so many dear friends. It’s great to have so many helping hands in a time of need! [...]
So we’re in California now. The house in Oregon was packed in about 3 days with some help from friends, and the kids and I headed south to stay with family. The Etsy shop and website sales will be closed until further notice as I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get back to [...]
Sunday: Post car for sale on craigslist. Really nice couple comes over to test drive car. I go to move car so I can vacuum out the child residue. Car won’t start. Nice couple drives me out to auto parts store to pick up new battery and even installs it while I’m digging through packed [...]
Colorado will have to wait a while. We’re heading back to my hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area, at least temporarily. This puts us back in with the sort of people I’m most comfortable with, such as costumers, cosplayers, and historical re-enactors. My daughter and I are especially looking forward to attending the California [...]
Catching up just a bit between scubbing floors and throwing out stuff… the kids and I are moving in a week and there is so much to do. Here’s a little bit of what is going on these days:
Friday, October 3rd was the fabulous, super amazing trunk show featuring KimonoMomo bags and scarves at King [...]
Drop a comment here if you know where that line is from! It’s been in my head since yesterday, when the notion that I needed to eat some local produce tickled me and I found the neighborhood kids munching on yellow plums across the street from my house. The plum tree is usually hidden from [...]
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 learned quite [...]
I’m digging through my stock and finding all sort of fabrics that haven’t been listed in a long while, marking them down and adding them to the Etsy shop. It looks like I may be listing some vintage kimono silks on eBay again as well, since I’m trying to move out of my house and [...]
It’s autumn and time to clear out some of my old fabric stock so I can bring in new fabrics and generally freshen up the shop. If you are on my mailing list, you should be getting a postcard mentioning the sale today or this weekend. Not on the list? Drop me an email and [...]
Sorry about the delay again, but this last one looks to be something that is going to make my family’s life a little better as my daughter is now planning to join my son in home schooling. She’s been frustrated with some of her classes in high school, sleeping through a few because she’s bored, [...]
A blogger friend I’ve been out of contact with for ages recently tagged me. Well, not exactly. He posted his entire blog roll and tagged all of us, but no matter. It’s all in fun. Hello, MathMan!
Simple meme, join in if you’d like. I’m not much for tagging, but I might just nab a few [...]
Due to circumstances that likely could have been avoided, I will be writing part 2 of the sashiko tutorial tomorrow instead of today. In the meantime, here are some great examples of shibori done in indigo and white.
These three show just how diverse a medium shibori can be. The piece on the left is a [...]
Before I start, I’d like to bring something to your attention and ask for your hand in helping others. Recently the plight of the Decker family came to my attention, and they are in need of funding to deal with immense medical bills and help for Carol Decker’s recovery. After an emergency Cesarian section delivery, [...]
So here it is. A little sampler project for getting started in sashiko, but without the pre-printed kit. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Olympus kits are wonderful, but I’m a coloring-outside-the-lines kind of person, and maybe you are too.
The kit contains four pieces of indigo yukata cotton with designs of iris, origami cranes, [...]
So I’m sharing this with you. It resonates with how I’ve been feeling lately, especially the part about staying up “very very very very very very late”.
“The first way Counting Crows ever sounded, it was me and Dave in bars and coffee houses playing open mics, doing this song this way. The song begins with [...]
It’s always a bit of a race to score a treasury on Etsy. In the past I’d let them go by without much of a thought. Leave it to others to put together lists of interesting items that might, if they were very well put together, end up on the Etsy main page. Me? Couldn’t [...]
Kumoricon was fantastic! Thank you to all of you who came by to say hello, new friends and old. It was great to meet you, dress you, and share kimono culture with you. I hope we meet again at Sakura-Con in April 2009!
Lots and lots of changes have been happening here at Chez Kimono, and [...]
The car is packed and we’re ready to go. Hope to see you in Portland this weekend! If you’re coming to the show, don’t miss my panel on kimono on Sunday at 10 am. For details, check out Kumoricon.org.
I suppose in some ways I’m really ready for summer to end. The heat, the dreary day after day boredom, trying to get work done when it’s too hot to think and there’s no one to talk to except the kids and they’re fighting again… yeah, I’m ready for school to start.
We had a lightning [...]
Yikes! My math was bad and I miscalculated some receipts… this means I’ve got to raise funds in a hurry. I’m offering a half off sale in my Etsy shop until 8 am Wednesday morning Aug. 13, 2008 (starting 3 pm Pacific time Tuesday afternoon Aug. 12, 2008.) to drum up some business. If you’ve [...]
…and forgot to tell you all. Sorry about that. I bundled up my two kids and we drove from Central Oregon to Central Colorado on Monday, Aug. 4. It was interesting from my perspective, having been interested in geology since I was a wee nipper, but the kids were less impressed than I was. While [...]
The fashion show at SakéOne was a success. We have so many fantastic photos, but for now the only pic I have to share is the one I took myself before the models left the dressing room and hit the runway. Our emcee, Gordon Heady stands in the center surrounded by Diane, Shauna, Annie and [...]
It’s almost here, kimono fans! The second annual kimono fashion show at SakéOne is nigh upon us. I, for one, am freaking out. I love this show, but it’s a lot of work. Like a fine meal, there’s more prep work than you’ll ever see and it’s gone in just a few minutes. Please join [...]
I’ve been busy sewing, both by hand and machine, as many kimono scarves and obi bags as I can this week. Preparation continues for the show this Thursday, then the one after that. During this time my mother is also preparing for surgery, so we’re all anxious to see that come out well. I confess [...]
Tomorrow is the day for drawing the winner of the $10 gift certificate for the July giveaway. If you want to be in on it, post anywhere on this blog between now and midnight (Pacific time) Tuesday night, July 8, 2008. This is the last giveaway until September as I’ll be taking some time off [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
A loved one recently sent me a link to an essay written by a weatherman who essentially states that global warming is a scam perpetrated by Al Gore. While I prefer to err on the side of caution and support the idea of global warming (I tell the older generation “get back to me in [...]
A friend of mine will be walking in the San Francisco AIDS Walk on July 20, 2008. Since I can’t be there myself, I will donate 50% of the sale of these scarves to sponsor him. I’ll be busy fringing more this weekend, but here are the first two to get you thinking about cool [...]
For those of you in Oregon or planning a trip to Oregon in July, lucky, lucky you! I’ll be doing two events in July where you will have the opportunity to try on a kimono, have your own appraised, or buy yourself a beautiful vintage one and learn how to wear it.
The first event will [...]
I’m driving myself ever so slightly round the bend trying to redo the KimonoMomo website on my own and have no idea when it will be finished. If I become totally baffled, I’ll be giving Cheri at Red Lime web design a call and get this site sorted. Her rates are very reasonable, but I’ve [...]
I’ll admit it, I’ve been at a total loss as to what to offer for July’s giveaway. I’ve avoided posting, felt guilty and foolish (not to mention unprepared), and finally came to the conclusion that I should simply offer a gift certificate for $10 good for anything in my Etsy shop. The winner will be [...]
I got so caught up in my children’s last day of school and need to clean the studio that I completely forgot to photograph the giveaway for July. Mia culpa. The June giveaway winner has been randomly picked (courtesy of random.org) and I am waiting to hear back from her before I announce her name.
In [...]
Phase One of the KimonoMomo website overhaul as begun. If you notice any bad links, odd bugs or just have some feedback on the new look, please leave a post to let me know or drop me an email at carol [at] kimonomomo [dot] com. I have had many requests for kimono, obi and accessories, [...]
It’s almost Free Fiber Giveaway time! At midnight on Tuesday, June 10 I’ll be picking a random name from those of you who have left a reply anywhere on this blog in the past month. WordPress sorts them by date so I don’t have to search through posts trying to find them. Clever, eh?
I’m back [...]
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 [...]
Honestly, I’m wearing a coat as I’m sitting at the computer today. How ridiculous is that? This is June, after all, but we’ve only had four hot days so far this year. Damn this crazy high desert climate. Maybe it’s time to move again? I’ve lived in Central Oregon since 2002, which is longer than [...]
At long last, I’ve returned to the desert… where it’s raining. All week long I’ve been looking forward to the dry air and warm climate that I’d left behind, only to find it damp, cold and dreary when I got home last night. Oh well.
Fanime was fantastic. The show was exhausting, but a lot of [...]
Day one at Fanime con has been wonderful! I’ve met so many of you from the Immortal Geisha and Fanime forums, and it’s been fun dressing some of you, talking about kimono, and just having the opportunity to connect faces to obscure online names.
It’s late, I’m happy and exhausted, plus I have to get an [...]
I must admit, I was a frantic mess last week. Now that I’m hours away from the Long Journey South (there’s a song reference for fellow Clandestine fans), I’m finding a mellow yet alert and clear-minded awareness of everything going on around me. Maybe it’s all the Shoyeido incense I’ve been packing (and inhaling in [...]
Some of you may already know I have another Etsy shop, ArtisMagistra, where I sell hand dyed silks that are made in a studio in my town. I spoke with the artist herself yesterday (who prefers that I do not mention her label as it is rather exclusive) while she was loading up her old [...]
Congratulations to Wendy, owner of The Pattern Stash, winner of the fabric giveaway for May! I hope she will find many wonderful uses for her new fabrics.
The next fabric giveaway will be picked at random on Tuesday, June 10 at midnight. That means you have until 11:59 pm Pacific time on Tuesday to post a [...]
Remember back in January when I was taking apart an old obi and looking at the lining fabric? Now the tables have turned, and as I sew more obi for Fanime, I find myself considering what I will line some of these new obi with. I have several bolts of fabric for Nagoya obi that [...]
For the past three years I have sourced all of my materials from Japan exclusively, but this spring I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to purchase several bolts of Japanese-themed quilt weight cotton prints from various quality manufacturers. I plan to spend the evening cutting some fat quarters for choice little bundles and [...]
Counting down the days to Fanime, I am getting all sorts of crazy-anxious-calm-nervous-flustered-amazed. My biggest fear isn’t that I won’t do well at the show, but rather that I won’t have enough stock. I can just see myself sitting in an empty booth on Monday, and that would be both really bad and really good. [...]
I pulled myself away from the computer long enough to actually sew the tatewaku and mukaimon obi today. It turned out longer than most of the hanhaba obi I have, so I tied it in an extra fancy bow.
If you are familiar with how kimono are worn, you may notice the lack of fold at [...]
There is a wonderful little old building in my town that was once a store, ‘way back in the logging-town days (back when Oregon’s economy was all about timber), and more recently refurbished and turned into a home. That home sold a while back and is now a most delightful bookshop. Handy as those chain [...]
I was busy reading up on shibori yesterday when there was a knock at the door. We get a lot of door-to-door folks out here, mainly church people and vacuum cleaner sales people, neither of whom I really want to talk to, so when I opened the door to find a young man in a [...]
Some days I look around the studio and think “I don’t have enough fabric” which is probably what every fabric junkie thinks at some point or another. Then I have a nice cup of tea, sit down on the sofa and have a look around at the bags, shelves, boxes and piles of silk and [...]
500 miles each way is a long commute and I seem to be doing it more often; the drive from my home in Oregon to the epicenter of my past, the San Francisco bay area. Last month it was the whole circus, four humans and one ferret who made the drive, but this time it [...]
My kids are staying home with me today and we’re all feeling poorly. Achy joints, low-grade fever, general ickyness. But since it’s one of my eBay listing days, I’m still here at the computer instead of sleeping like the children. Wheeee!
And you know what I’ve noticed? This is no big revelation, of course, but kids [...]
Sometimes that which is not there stands out more than that which is. In this case, I’m referring to a missing dot among an otherwise complete shibori motif.
The shibori in question comes from a beautiful deep green cotton yukata with a peacock feather motif in my collection that I’ve had a few opportunities to wear. [...]
Plaidfuzz is the winner for the Tuesday Free Fabric Giveaway! She will be getting the fun indigo yukata cotton mentioned a few posts down. Be sure to check out her Etsy shop and see all the pretty paper goodies she makes.
I’m sure some of you more regular readers were waiting to hear about the next [...]
Oh dear, I turned my one week vacation from work into a two week vacation from blogging, didn’t I? Naughty me.
I promised to show some examples of shibori prints, so here we go!
First we have a pair of indigo yukata cottons with shibori style prints and bright colors. Notice how the shibori circles are most [...]
Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, so I’m told. Instead I find my fingers twitching and I’m eager to get back to my piles of fabric, dig right in and work until I fall asleep. Tomorrow I plan to attend a screening of Hannari ~ Geisha Modern at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, [...]
So far I’ve posted several shibori fabrics that were primarily made up of dot patterns, which is a very common style of shibori. However, there are other techniques that are used to bind and dye cloth. Here are a few more examples.
This is an example of ori-nui shibori, where thread is run through the fabric [...]
I wouldn’t normally do a meme on this blog, but I was tagged by my good blogging friend Dr. Zaius and couldn’t resist. I didn’t even have to think too hard to come up with the answer. But first…
Here are the rules:
1. Write your own six word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and include [...]
Brand spankin’ new in my Etsy store this week are just a small assortment of sashiko supplies, including sampler kits, needles, thread and thimbles. I’ll be getting more soon, but for the time being I hope you will peruse these little goodies and maybe add to your creative stash. These items are great if you’re [...]
Congratulations to Crunchy Green Mom who is this month’s Free Fabric Giveaway winner! I hope that with 6 kids and a full time job she can find the time to make something wonderful with her new fabric.
The next giveaway will be Tuesday, April 8. All you have to do is post a reply on this [...]
Ohmigosh! yes, I know, it’s almost Tuesday. Yes, that Tuesday. Free Fabric Tuesday. And where have I been while not blogging for the past week? Getting really excited about Fanime Con, a huge anime (Japanese animation) gathering in San Jose, CA May 23-26. I am very, very excited. Did I mention I am excited? [...]
After a long dry spell in coming up with threads to blog about, I awoke this morning with the awareness that I have more than enough fabric to blog about, I just forget that there are people out there who haven’t the faintest idea what shibori is, how it’s made, etc. much less understand what [...]
Yes, I know I’ve been terribly neglectful of this blog. Sometimes life just gets in the way in all its dirty, messy, disruptiveness. However, seeing as I tend to take Tuesdays off, I plan to use the time for constructive blogging. Hence, I introduce to you the monthly giveaway!
On the second Tuesday of each month [...]
What an appropriate word, “anxious”. With that little twist in it, that X, and the way it falls silent at the end. That’s exactly how I’m feeling right now, counting down the hours before my first show in over a year. I sold at live shows and street fairs for nearly 10 years, but that [...]
which is why I haven’t been blogging lately. However, I have a few interviews and interesting articles planned, so stick around! For now, take a tour of my newest Etsy shop, Artis Magistra and drool a little on the fabulous fabrics found within. If you live in Bend, you’ll probably recognize Ellen’s work. I am [...]
I moved to the high desert of Central Oregon (elevation around 3,500 ft) several years ago. Here we have only two seasons: our winters are dry and freezing and the summers are dry and hot, but both are beautiful. Every winter I pull my Columbia sportswear jacket out of the closet, bemoan it’s lack of [...]
Ah, those wonderful mystery fibers. Gotta love ‘em. It’s funny, but to the modern eye, “vintage” Japanese fibers tend to be either brightly colored silks or indigo blue and white cottons, but historically this was not so. Prior to the mechanization of weaving in the mid 19th century, a great deal of weaving was still [...]
It took about 1.5-2 hours to take it all apart, but fortunately it was all hand-stitched and that always helps. Any kimono-type garments that have been machine stitched at some point are a nightmare to dismantle. Kimono are typically hand sewn of course, but from time to time I come across a vintage piece that [...]
I post nice things about meisen, and this is what I get: more meisen! Here’s a group of 4 nice florals, some of which will be for sale on ebay this week. You can find my listings at KimonoMomo on ebay.
This next little piece is going to be an interesting challenge:
It’s in somewhat shabby [...]
I often tell people my studio is knee-deep in kimono textiles, and sometimes I’m actually joking. Today, not so much. It’s raining outside, the snow is melting, and I’ve got a HUGE shipment of vintage kimono just waiting for me to tear into it. But first, a little project for your consideration.
Working on ways to [...]
Due to erm, unforeseen circumstances, I cannot access certain programs on my computer, including my photo editing software, so no pictures today. Instead I’m sharing some of the interesting bits and bobs I’ve found so far on leaded silk.
You think lead paint in children’s toys is bad? A hundred years ago we were wearing lead [...]
It snowed last night, so I got up early this morning and took a few photos of the boro quilt on the back porch. A flock of Canada Geese were flying overhead at the time, and I watched them get caught in a sudden gust that sent them heading in a different direction… they’d been [...]
I’m currently working on researching lead silk, as it’s something you don’t come across so much these days. I do have some pieces of it in my vintage collection from the late 19th century, both in US-sold cloth of the era and (I assume) in several of the Japanese textiles as well. If you have [...]
I must admit, when I started working with kimono textiles I didn’t care much for meisen, that fuzzy-looking weave popular in the early 20th century (early Showa). It made my eyes feel out of focus and looked really… weird to me.
And then, this came into my life:
Cherries! and they’re not fuzzy! Photos cannot convey the [...]
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