Seams and Patches

I've had some customers recently asking about traditional patching techniques so I thought I would show this old  handmade sample book from my collection.  It seems to have been a high school project and has the name Kimiko Noda and her class number (2-2) very beautifully written by brush on the cover  and the title Tsugikata Tsugikata  -  'How to join(fabric). How to patch.' It's about 9cm x 14cm. Each sample piece has been stitched into the book with a single pine needle motif that allows you to see the reverse as well

 

Some of the seams might be a little difficult to see in the photos. The first is a 'folded back to one side join/seam'. This is a plain seam that has then been stitched down to one side  with tiny stitches showing on the right side of the fabric (there are probably English names for these techniques - I'm sorry I don't know them!).  The pictures show the front and then the reverse:

 

 

 

 

Next is a 'split seam' which is a regular seam with both sides stitched down:

 

 

 

 

 

The third seam is a 'kake-tsugi' which has simply been overstitched.

 

 

 

 

The next kasane-tsugi ('lie on top seam') has one piece flat on top of the other (rather than being stitched right sides together) and held with a running stitch:

 

 

Next is a  'face to face seam'  which is like a tight herringbone variation:

 

 

 

The word for patch is also tsugi  but with a different kanji character 繼to the tsugi which means seam　接. If you're interested in kanji you might note that the tsugi used to label the patch samples is the old unmodified version of the same character on the cover of the book 継 . The first  patch is simply 'hole patch (circle)' :

 

 

 

And 'hole patch (square)':

 

 

 

 

 

Next is a 'key tear patch',  (This is the same shape as the large keys which were poked through a hole in a door or gate to open the latch from the inside.)

 

 

 

The next is a 'sashi-tsugi' or stitched patch. This is the same 'sashi' as in sashiko'. This is a very common kind of darning  that we often find on old kimono and juban:

 

 

 

I'm not sure why this final one is called 'coloured paper patch'. It's a slightly more decorative version of the  previous one:

 

 

 

 

 

Uchiwa Fans

Walking the streets of Tokyo or other large city on a humid Japanese summer day you are often presented with  small uchiwa fans advertising local businesses.  Promotional uchiwa are not a new trend. They were a popular advertising medium in  the Taisho period (1912-26) and possibly long before that.  The fans below  probably date from that period. I don't collect fans but I kept the first two because of the textile designs. The third one belongs to my son Hikaru who is a train enthusiast.

This first one is from  Yajima's general store in present day Kofu.  The woman is wearing what appears to be an Arimatsu shibori yukata with a stunning plover design:

 

On the reverse side the old phone advertises a two digit phone number and tells us that the shop sells such things  as cosmetics,  school requirements, 'zakka'  general goods,  small items for the home, Western goods etc.

 

 

 

The next uchiwa is advertising a kimono/clothing shop.  The woman on the front seems to be holding her own uchiwa with a sun design that reflects the design on the actual uchiwa. The other items are bolts of kimono fabric. They are beautifully presented held together with red thread. I still often get bolts of  old  kimono or lining silk presented like this.

 

 

 

The design on the reverse features paper tags typically used for labelling kimono fabrics and a pair of 'hasami' scissors . I'm not sure what the needle like thing  attached to the hasami is.

 

 

This final uchiwa is advertising a food shop with items listed including sweets, oil, 'natto' fermented soy beans, sugar etc.

 



 



 

 





In Store...

I've just put out a few more netsuke, including these three that are still attached. The first is a smooth, flat  gourd design and is attached to a leather lined kinchaku which probably dates from Meiji period. I love this:

 

This tiger and bamboo netsuke is a little older and is attached to an old tobacco pouch in not very good condition:

 

 

The last one is a delicate shiitake design netsuke attached to a small  damaged inro (case for medicine etc) . The inro doesn't really have any value but it's nice to have the little set together.

 

 

I've just put out a couple more rolls of silk shibori.  They both date from about the 1960's. I haven't had a lovely roll of allover kanoko shibori in the shop before:

 

 

This vibrant pink one is quite lovely:

 

 

 

I have these cotton bundles for sale on my website as well. They're made up of  antique indigo remnants in varying conditions. They're perfect  for  quilters and textile artists with a taste for 'boro' and all things rustic.

 

 

I had these lovely old Japanese glass beads in the shop a few years ago and just discovered that I still had some more (it's like that here!)  Based on the original packaging I think they date from mid 20th century.

 



 

 

Customers sometimes ask if I sell fabric with pre-printed sashiko patterns.  We only sell old indigo for traditional sashiko  ( you can of course do sashiko designs on any fabric that your needle and thread go through!) and I have never tried to source new sashiko fabrics pre-printed or plain. I like the character of the old fabrics and they usually have a more open weave which is easy to stitch.  I unpick most of the sashiko fabric from old futon covers and sometimes work jackets and linings ( we usually refer to this fabric as 'uraji' which just means lining).  I wash it, de-fluff it (it often still has old futon wadding stuck to it)  and  because it's  never in perfect condition divide it up into usable pieces (including remnants and patched pieces).  I decided to put patterns on some of the smaller panels. They're ready to stitch  to use as panels in quilts or smaller projects or you can just hem them to use as a table mat. If  they sell I'll keep doing it... it really doesn't take long to transfer a pattern with chalk paper.

 

 

 

It's impossible to put everything we have  in the shop on my website.  If you're ever interested in purchashing something from my 'in store' posts and can't make it into the shop  just give me a call or send me an email.  

 







 

 

 





Gallery: Zyta's Sashiko Hanten

This is a truly amazing sashiko hanten jacket  that my customer Zyta Cwalinska has created using patches of antique indigo cotton from our shop.

 Zyta only began sashiko last year and her first piece  was one of the viewers' choice winners in our exhibition in October.  Zyta's hanten was inspired by traditional sashiko stitched and patched fishermen's hanten. She has  beautifully stitched the lining as well  but somehow I forgot to get photos so I'll add them later if I get a chance. 

 

 

Zyta's sashiko reflects what I love about a lot of old sashiko. It's a very individual piece which is full of character and shows the hand of the person who created it.  There is a warmth to Zyta's stitching which has been lost in many modern sashiko projects. We think of sashiko being traditionally done on plain indigo but it was often stitched on patterned indigos such as kasuri (ikat) as well. The floral  katazome panels wouldn't have been typical on fishermen's hanten but give it a more feminine feel and look stunning.  The combination of the fabric pattern and the sashiko pattern makes each panel in the jacket unique and gives another dimension to its character.  Many thanks to Zyta for letting me share these photos of her amazing work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn-Winter 1950

These photos are from an Autumn/Winter sewing and knitting book dated 1950.