My chaotic wanderings through creation and restoration.
I quite frequently get emails asking for an opinion on what/how old a kimono is. Typically this is pretty straightforward, but a few times now, what they had was an antique kurotomesode that had seen some shit. For a quick explanation, a kurotomesode is the most formal dress for a married woman that is identifiable … Continue reading Post World War II Kimono Brutality: Kurotomesode Edition
I think that one of the most exciting things that keeps me engaged with buying kimono domestically is the fact that, as I say frequently, it really is just chaos and anarchy out here. Nobody knows how old anything is; new products are listed as ancient and legit antiques are often called 60's to 80's. … Continue reading Antique Irotomesode & Whimsical Adventures Of Shopping In USA; Photography Edition
Were starting off the new year strong, my friends. I've made three recent purchases and all three of them have found a way to make my brain do somersaults. So buckle up, chucklefucks. You know, sometimes my favorite thing to do is drive myself completely no-turning-back-insane by buying things just because they look weird to … Continue reading What’s The Damage? The Ballad Of Stankizuri
I'm going to retire the "Restoration In Progress" label, because that suggests sometimes that I'm actively working on a piece when I'm not--I have a rotation. We'll pretend it's very organized. But anyway, I don't want to wait until I'm working on a piece from start until finish just to post the evaluation, because I … Continue reading What’s The Damage? Antique Kiku Kuromontsuki
Right off the bat, you're seeing me be real iffy about labeling what kind of kimono this is. And there's a pretty good reason for that. I'll get to it. I promise. I didn't just empty all of my knowledge into a ditch somewhere. Sooooo. Let's get right to it. Look at this insanity. I'm … Continue reading Restoration In Progress: Meiji Era Wedding Kimono
Hanging Baskets Filled With Chrysanthemums And Adorned With Treasures On Blue Silk. I think that it is fair to say that all of my favorite kimono are oddballs. If there's something weird, unusual, or less than traditional about it, I'm all over it. The reason for this is actually rather simple: I'm fucking weird because … Continue reading Antique Kimono–Precious Little Details
Delicate Blue And Purple Blooms With Lush Green Foliage On Sheer Midnight Silk. I didn't really intend to buy this one when I threw it on my watch list. It's not an item in need of restoration or repair of any kind, and in truth I gueesss I don't really need another summer kimono. Then … Continue reading Antique Kimono–Midnight Summer
I'm making lots of great progress on this piece, gifted to me for restoration by Nancy from Kyoto Kimono. As predicted, most of my work is sewing. I had to wait for awhile to get the proper weight and color for threads in to get started, but now that they're here, things are going very … Continue reading Update: Restoration In Progress–Castles And Dreams
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
Silk & Bones 