<![CDATA[Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago.]]>Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. As you can see, this tanmono isn't perfect. There's a rip in it very near the beginning of the bolt, which is easily avoided. The camera doesn't do this silk justice at all. It's a deep, deep indigo and black. But the silk is light as a feather.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/72eb4e9b-e01b-4561-b460-c06a5f232a35/today-i-ve-begun-a-new-project-using-some-of-the-vintage-tsumugi-silk-i-found-a-while-ago.RSS for NodeWed, 22 Apr 2026 11:27:08 GMTThu, 16 Apr 2026 13:25:15 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:01:19 GMT]]>I cannot think of many other garments that are so respectful and economical with woven fabric. Perhaps the sleeves might seem a little opulent, but hey, they double as very large pockets.

I have indulged in flights of fantasy of conversations between kimono tailors and silk weavers:

Weaver: "what's with those fucking enormous sleeves."

Tailor: *shrug*

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414983637500591https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414983637500591Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:01:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:57:09 GMT]]>Behold the architectural beauty of a kimono structure: the entire garment cut from a tanmono, with a single 20 x 40 cm piece to spare (which is tucked into the collar to give it more structure, out of a 12 meter roll.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanmono

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414967282677807https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414967282677807Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:57:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:12:08 GMT]]>@Remittancegirl same for kilts in Scotland. Before the 20th century kilts were worn above the knee.
No wonder Queen Victoria demanded all her staff wore kilts!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/peterbrown/statuses/116414790276688359https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/peterbrown/statuses/116414790276688359Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:12:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:08:17 GMT]]>@Remittancegirl The kimono my Japanese family insisted I purchase in Japan has multiple belts that are a lot thinner than I was expecting...thought maybe it's just because I'm so much larger/taller than them

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://zeroes.ca/ap/users/116295855634295982/statuses/116414775155265328https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://zeroes.ca/ap/users/116295855634295982/statuses/116414775155265328Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:08:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:53:22 GMT]]>What we have come to think of as a classic kimono, with their length hiked up under a massive obi is fairly recent. Earlier kimonos were belted with much simpler, narrower belts, and they were shorter - fabric was too expensive to hide, folded up, under an obi!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414716501526964https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414716501526964Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:53:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:46:41 GMT]]>At first I thought I'd make a haori - which lacks the overlap pieces on the front edges. But I like the okumi pieces - when worn open, they hang and flap in a pleasing way. Of course, this gets in the way with a traditional, kimono length garment, but I figure if I go for something shorter - a bit above the ankle - perhaps I can get a kind of loose, casual look.
The kimono cut you see today is not as ancient as you'd think.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414690195803484https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414690195803484Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:46:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:34:05 GMT]]>@liebach It really is. These silks were produced in the early 1960s, dyed and woven by hand. The selvages are not particularly straight, and in some places, the dye has faded a little after washing, but I find them more beautiful for all of that. It's venerable material to be working with. And my motivation is to let this silk flutter on someone's moving body instead of rotting in a warehouse.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414640672050699https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414640672050699Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:34:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:30:23 GMT]]>@Remittancegirl It's absolutely beautiful.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.art/users/liebach/statuses/116414626105375278https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.art/users/liebach/statuses/116414626105375278Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:30:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Today I've begun a new project using some of the vintage tsumugi silk I found a while ago. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:25:31 GMT]]>I'm thinking of playing around a little with the standard kimono structure. I'd like something that has a kimono shape, but on the wide side, and perhaps mid-calf length, that can be worn open as a loose, light, long jacket over a dress. This is always the challenge - to make shapes people will wear casually and without feeling like they're wearing a costume.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414606953237860https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Remittancegirl/statuses/116414606953237860Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:25:31 GMT