My chaotic wanderings through creation and restoration.
I have been asked a few dozen times over the years by various individuals, usually in good faith, why my lily-white ass is so interested in kimono and such. It's usually people that don't know me very well that ask that question, because if they did then they know that I'm a goddamn artist and … Continue reading Restoration In Progress–The Elephant In The Obutsudan
Deep Dark Plum Silk Adorned With Iris And Bamboo Inside Stylized Snow Rings. This is one of my many pieces that I struggle to date properly when it comes to placing it squarely in an era. Women's haori are delightful little jackets, and traditionally speaking are informal to begin with (unlike men's haori but that's … Continue reading Antique Haori-Springtime Snowflakes
Okay! I was pretty wishy-washy about even trying to explain this one, because it's not easy, it's not safe, and it takes a lot of practice. But! Interest was given, and as long as I'm VERY FUCKING CLEAR about what you're getting yourself into, surely there's no harm in showing you how it's done. I'm … Continue reading Tutorial–Removing Unmovable Stains From White Silk
Peafowl In Courtship Dance On Bright Red Silk With Peonies And Butterflies. This restoration was pretty much the smoothest, least complicated restoration I've ever done. The stains were mostly things that could be scraped off with a fingernail, and what couldn't be was wiped away pretty easily. The fabric is in excellent shape, so re-sewing … Continue reading Restoration Complete: Taisho Furisode–Classy Peacocks
Haha! Hi! I've been sick. Happily, it's not the plague-du-jour, and it also wasn't something contagious. It was just my shitty, shitty body having a hissy fit over god knows what. It's done now. I haven't updated in a week. Ugh. The worse news is that I also haven't been able to do very much … Continue reading Antique Kimono–Purple Bamboo
-Deep inhale- AAAAAAAAAHHHH. Tonight I needed a distraction, so I finished the kinsai work on this piece. And let me tell you, as much as I've threatened to burn the house down with this project, I'm pretty goddamn pleased with myself right now. Here are some shots of the the restored kinsai work. Pictured: Not … Continue reading Update: Restoration In Progress–Velcro Dreams & Kinsai Wishes
I sat silently on the floor in my room with both hands over my mouth after I hung this up. My little ritual when I open up a new kimono package is to avoid inspecting it closely until I have it hung up properly. Then I just sank to my knees; I was speechless. I … Continue reading Restoration In Progress–Castles & Dreams
This furisode is so screaming red, that if you look at it for too long in bright light and then look at a white wall, nothing happens. But I had you for a second, didn't I? Another adventure in buying domestically, I think I probably paid too much for this one. But it's so rare … Continue reading Restoration In Progress–Taisho Peacock Furisode
Pictured: OHMIGOD OHMIGOD OHMIGOD OHMIGOD Or at least I think it's an uchikake. I'm actually not fully sure. I rarely get to handle uchikake this old to begin with, and this will be the first that I own if that's what it is. I know that older ones tend to be structurally different than the … Continue reading Restoration In Progress–Meiji Takarabune Uchikake
Soft Blue Green Crepe Silk With Blooming Spider Mums And Fans Over Flowing Water. This is a restoration that I totally failed to keep any tabs on whatsoever. I bought it, cleaned it, sewed a few panels back together, and then hung it up here to take pictures without so much as documenting a single … Continue reading Taisho Irotomesode–
Silk & Bones 