In store.... kimono silks

I've finally been re-rolling all the kimono silks so the right side is on the outside and it's a bit easier to see what's there. I always put it off because it seemed like a very long tedious job but its actually been quite quick while I'm sitting in the shop talking to customers. It's also been a good opportunity to look at some of the silks again, especially those ones that drift to the bottom of the shelf and get forgotten.  Here's a sampler of the variety of the silks we have in the shop at the moment. These are all on the roll and sold by the metre. They would all date from around 1960's - 1980's.

Shimacho - sample books.

Today's post looks at one of the earliest and one of the most recent additions to my collection.  Shimacho　縞帖 literally 'stripe book' refers to various kinds of fabric sample books. (Japanese readers might note that there have been  variations in the kanji used for both 'shima' and 'cho' over time).  These  books were put together for a variety of purposes,  some are  commercial samplers and  some were created by weavers as a record of the different designs they'd created. The first photos are from a set of three shimacho which were very early additions to my collection. These probably date from around the middle of the 19th century. There's no text that  is still legible and it is difficult to know exactly what their  purpose was, but it appears to be someone's personal collection.  All the fabrics are cotton with a range of dyeing and weaving techniques.

The second sample book is one the most recent  additions to my collection and is full  of  pre-war silk remnants. I think this is has been a working sample book for a kimono business - and small colour samples have been cut out



Seasons Greetings

This is just a short post to thank all our Wafu Works customers and friends in 2010 and to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Thank you to those who have taken an interest in the blog - I'm really enjoying it and looking forward to posting more in the new year. We will be closed between Christmas and New Year  -  re-opening on 4th January.   Next year should be fun as we  celebrate the 10th anniversary of the shop.  Best wishes.  Jan

Old kimono design book

As promised here are a few more images from this  little book which I used to illustrate my latest newsletter. It's a book of old and contemporary kimono designs published in Meiji 17 (1884) . You can click on any of the images for a closer look.  

 

In store... baskets

We have some lovely old baskets in the shop at the moment. This first one is a very fine 'morikago' basket for fruit  or sweets. It's signed Chikubosai I (1872 - 1950) 

The others are ikebana baskets. This one is signed 'Chikuunsai tsukuru' (made by Chikuunsai) and is by Tanabe Chikuunsai II (1910-2000)

The other ones here are unsigned ikebana baskets from early - mid 20th century....

                                               

This last one is my  favourite. It's also for ikebana and is unsigned.  The seemingly random, rustic weaving is just stunning. It's one of those things that I really won't mind if I don't sell!

If you're interested in purchasing any of these baskets and can't make it in to the shop please email me or give me a call (details at the top of the blog).

Itomaki bobbins

One of the things I enjoy about this blog is the opportunity to bring pieces from my collection out of their boxes and drawers to look at again and share.  Most of the bobbins I'm showing today have been collected over the years from old sewing boxes that we've bought to sell in the shop. I always love opening them to see what little treasures have been left - pins and needles, threads, thimbles, buttons, hasami scissors and less obvious things like old combs, make-up and medicines.  The variety and character of the old bobbins makes them irresistible. This is only a sample of  the ones that have turned up -  I keep one little drawerful just to look at and enjoy and another that I use for my own sewing threads.  They add something a bit special that you don't get from a piece of cardboard.

Most of the bobbins are plain wood but come in a variety of shapes, sizes and grains:

Sometimes the wood has been carved, branded or stamped:

And at least one has  been stamped and then doodled on...

Others have been handpainted:

These ones have been lacquered:

Here are a few plastic and  promotional ones:

And here are a few others - some made from paper and  some from a kind of raffia-like fibre (I'm sure there is a name for this parquet type work  but I can't think of it) :

This time of the year always gets a little hectic so I'm having trouble sticking to my plan  to post on here every week  - but I will do so as often as I get the chance.

In store...

I've been trying to post here every week but have fallen a bit behind this time.  This is just a quick post this morning showing a selection of things that we have in the shop at the moment. I've got a sale starting tomorrow and going through to Saturday 20th November.  If you're in the Hobart area and would like to get my email newsletter letting you know when we have sales etc you can email me on the address at the top of the blog - or of course you can let me know next time you're in the shop.

Nishiki brocade Obi

Kumihimo

Combs

Large old label stamps

Silk machine threads

Old Japanese woodworking tools

Old indigo bundles

kaikodana silkworm raising nets

Rolls of yukata fabric