potd - Fukuro Obi

I still have a lot of obi from my last shipment. They're mostly mid- late 20th century. I'm just putting out these fukuro obi which are popular for wall hangings and runners  - and some customers even use them as obi!

potd - Obi Details

Details of some  obis in the shop at the moment...

potd - Obi

We have a lot of obis at the moment....

 

 

potd - Fukuro Obi

I had a request yesterday to add more commentary to my photo(s) of the day. I'll try and do this when I have time  - and until I run out of things to say!
I'm putting out some more obi from our last shipment. These particular ones are  formal  nui-fukuro-obi. ('stitched bag obi') which are brocade on one side with a plain colour fabric on the reverse, and are about  four metres long.   This type of obi has only been made since the 1920's and these ones were most likely woven in Kyoto in mid - late 20th century.  They are of course made to be worn with formal kimono  but most of my customers buy obi to use as wall hangings or table runners. They look beautiful over an antique chest of drawers or sideboard.

A reminder that you can click on any of the blog photos for a larger view. 

potd - Obijime

Obijime cords are the final decorative layer on an obi. We always have a selection of as-new and used in the shop.

potd - Shigoki

Yesterday I  put out some long red silk shigoki obi.  These are  decorative additions which can  be worn with ceremonial kimono - for example a girl's Shichigosan festival kimono or a wedding kimono.  They usually  have this type of fringing and are always popular in the shop to use as scarves.

In Store... Boro and Obi

I'll be putting out more boro soon. Here are a couple of pieces that are in the shop at the moment and also online  here .   This is an old well patched futon cover panel..

I'm not sure if this piece has been used a  floor mat or possibly a kotatsu cover but it has lots of character...

I've been putting out some obi and hope to put out more soon. These aren't in my online shop but you're welcome to email me if you're interested in any of them...

 

  

  

 

  

'Kimono and Obi' 1960

These pictures are from a 'Kimono and Obi' supplement to  Shufunotomo ("Housewife's Friend') magazine from November 1960.

Customers are often surprised by the very fine wool kimono fabrics we have in the shop. They're often in great 1960's and 70's designs.  I'd love a bolt of this red and black marbling effect wool - though I'm not sure that the kimono is a great success with the model's sweet Audrey Hepburn look....

A couple more wool kimono....

And some wonderful coats...

A more traditional look for the young girls...



In store - some recent additions

I've had trouble keeping up with the blog  over the summer but now the kids are back at school and Takashi's gone back to Japan for a while I should be able to post more regularly.  Today I'm  posting some recent additions to the shop...

First are two panels of old Iyo-gasuri which is kasuri  from Matsuyama city, very near to where we have our Japanese home in Ehime prefecture on Shikoku.  Iyo is the old name for Ehime. I'm sure I'll write more about kasuri in the future. Basically it  is Japanese ikat where the warp and/or weft threads are tie-dyed before weaving. Where undyed sections of warp and weft thread meets the pattern will be white. The lighter blue/grey colour is created where only the weft threads are undyed. These pieces are e-gasuri or 'picture kasuri'. The one on the left is a koi carp and on the right is a Daruma with a butterfly, toy drum and pine tree.  These panels would orginally have been parts of futon covers and probably date from the early 20th century.

Next are some very simple but interesting old wooden print blocks. I can't tell you much about them I'm afraid, even whether they were used on fabric or some sort of paper (possibly fusuma screen doors?) but they have a nice humble character and  we have a basket of them.

This is part of a wonderful  old ranru or boro  patched futon cover. I couldn't fit the whole thing in the picture. Please have a look at my earlier post on boro for more information.

And finally, I've put out quite a lot more obi of various ages, styles, sizes, fibres, textures and condition.