potd - Quilt Backings

I've just got in a few more quilt backings with traditional Japanese designs. These are what I've got in stock at the moment. They're 280cm wide and all cotton,  made in India, $35/m. They're very useful even if you're not making a quilt. My supplier sometimes has them, sometimes doesn't, so I can't guarantee how long they'll be here for.

potd - Kimono Silk

I've just made up a basket of  kimono silk oddments - these are unpicked panels and roll ends. A few examples:

potd - folding pocket candlestick

I'm just putting this out in the shop. I was researching it last week and was very surprised to see one coincidentally  pop up on the Antiques Roadshow.  That one was hallmarked silver made in England in 1875 and the silver expert didn't have a clue what it was. Someone was sure that it was a lace making tool and that her grandmother had one!   It was  actually a copy of a  Japanese  fold up portable candlestick. The one I'm putting out is brass and a bit smaller  but like the silver one is missing the little tray to catch the drips. I think they're often missing because when it's folded up it just sits in the round hole and would be easy to lose. It was invented in 1834 by Tanaka Hisashige a prolific inventor and one of the founders of Toshiba. An interesting addition to a collection of curiosities  - or you could make a new drip tray and take it on camping trips!

potd - Centipede Iwami Netsuke

 I love how simple and clever the design of this netsuke is.  It's carved from a wild boar tusk  so that the centipede seems to be looping right through the hollow of the tusk and is about to catch up with its own tail. It's unsigned but is from the Iwami school of carvers.  I've just put it out in the shop and will be putting it online as well.

potd - Around the shop

Around the shop today... 

15th Anniversary Challenge.

This year is the 15^th anniversary of the shop!   To celebrate we’re having a challenge exhibition from 8^th – 23^rd April.   All Wafu Works customers  from beginners to professionals are invited to enter a piece.   The challenge is to create a decorative cleaning cloth approximately A4 size but no bigger than 30cm x 30cm using  (mainly)  fabric from Wafu Works. It can be stitched, patched   woven and/or  embellished in any way you please and doesn’t have to be Japanese in design or technique  and definitely doesn’t have to be practical as a cleaning cloth (but should be basically 2-d for display) . There will be a viewers’ choice and possibly other prizes but it is primarily a way to showcase the diverse talents of  our customers and the many ways they use our fabrics.  Interstate and overseas  customers are welcome to post an entry  and I promise I’ll post it back!  We have one entry coming from the US so far.  Please email me for more information if you’re interested in joining in.  Thanks!

  (I started out calling it a hana-fukin challenge but that caused some confusion because people thought I wanted   a traditional sashiko stitched  hana-fukin cloth .  So now I think I‘ll just  call it the ‘decorative cleaning cloth challenge’! ) 

potd - Kimono Silk

I've just put these kimono silks out - late 20th century but as-new on the roll. I love the first one with the roof design!