A Whole Other Era
When I received my bolt of wool from Shinei, and subsequently the araihari silk lining fabric, neither felt like wool or silk to me. Not only are they are incredibly lightweight, the finish was very smooth, almost like paper. In fact, any piece of washi I have is thicker and heavier than these fabrics. Of course, they’re starched.…
The kimono is taken apart and then sewn back into one long bolt. After it’s washed, it’s stretched to dry, reblocking the fabric.…
When I unpacked the silk lining I ordered for $4 (plus shipping) from Shinei, I got a clearer idea of how a kimono is pieced together. The lining has two red stains (possibly where the outer fabric got wet in the rain and the color seeped). Shinei provides good photographs, so I was aware of the stains when I bought it. As this was just an experiment and I’m practicing on the polyester kimono, the stains don’t bother me. However, I also got a bonus piece. Another inner lining in perfect condition which is the correct size for the polyester kimono since it has its hakkake (lower hem lining) in good condition. So, I’ll use the bigger piece for a sheer summer kimono I bought. Summer kimono are unlined and I’m thinking of using that fabric to make a skirt. Bonus information. On the edge of one of the pieces was stamped グンゼ絹ばら(Gunze Silk Rose) . I looked that up and learned that Gunze is a famous fabric manufacturer that started as a silk factory in 1896. And “Silk Rose” was one of their trademark brands. I also found this blog post which decried the unavailability of the Silk Rose…
Bamboo plants rarely flower, but when they do, the entire plant dies off, wreaking economic havoc on industries that depend on bamboo. This happened in Japan in the 1960s and in 2019 sitings of bamboo flowering all over Japan are raising concerns. …
Dateline: Sunday July 21, 1991 10:01. Buy groceries at Toyomi. Spend the day packing. There’s only a few boxes left. I feel quite glad that I was industrious in advance so that I don’t have to be frantic in the end. Still, even a few boxes takes all day. 18:00. Nakagawa-sensei and Ichihashi-sensei come to my house bearing gifts. 18:30. Tape NHK Standard Japanese. But something is wrong with the tape and the video portion looks bad. Accounts Postmark: Beppu Notes from 2009 Notes from 2019
How to sign my name.
My Seal of Approval
Inkan.
Rubber stamps.
Forgetting how to spell my name.…
