Tag Archives: Cotton

Meiji Era Benibana Dyed Katazome

October 12, 2016Cotton, Textiles19th century, Antique, benibana, Cotton, Hand Spun, Hand Woven, Japan, Japanese, Katazome, meiji, momen, red, safflower, textiles, vintageNathan S

The two pieces of mid 19th century hand spun and hand woven cotton shown above are dyed using benibana or safflower. This flower in the thistle family is used to dye cotton and silk a range of colors from light pink to deep red. As benibana dyed fabrics age they begin to turn a more brown or rust color like the pieces in this post.

both of the fabrics shown here has been pattered using a katagami, or paper stencil used to apply rice paste to the fabric as a resist before dying. These stencil dyed fabrics are known as katazome.

Katazome Experiment

July 30, 2016Cotton, My Work, TextilesAntique, Cotton, flower, Indigo, Japanese, Katazome, persimmonNathan S

Katazome is a type of fabric that is decorated through the use of paste resist stencil designs. The technique has been used in China and Japan for hundreds of years. I wanted to try the technique, but felt overwhelmed by the large number of supplies needed. This was my short cut experiment in katazome. I began by cutting out a stencil from some small squares of kakishibu treated paper. Kakishibu is a dye made from the fermented juice of green astringent persimmons. It is often used to dye fabric or to waterproof paper. I copied the chrysanthemum and sea holly patterns from some antique fabrics, and I made a simple rice paste glue by cooking glutinous rice flour in hot water for a few minutes. I left the paste to thicken up and cool down in the refrigerator.

The base fabric was dampened with a spray bottle and the stencil was also moistened so that it would lay flat on the damp fabric. I used a small spatula to push the paste through the stencil before removing the stencil and allowing the paste to dry in the sun for about an hour.

After the paste was no longer tacky I dyed some of the fabric pieces with indigo and the rest using kakishibu. The kakishibu dyed fabrics need to be exposed to strong sunlight in order to deepen the color of the dyed fabric. I am pleased with the simplified katazome fabrics that this experiment produced. I wrapped the fabrics up as gifts with some antique Japanese paper from old daifukucho.

Vibrant Green and Indigo Tsutsugaki

March 28, 2016Cotton, Textiles, UncategorizedAntique, Cotton, green, Hand Spun, Hand Woven, Indigo, Japan, Japanese, kamon, meiji, momen, thread, tsutsugakiNathan S

I recently found this beautiful 19th century indigo dyed fabric that was more than likely used as a furniture cover. These were traditionally made for a wedding and often display the brides family crest. The hand spun cotton thread lends texture to the fabric. The design was worked using a rice paste resist and a method known as tsutsugaki. The light blue of the family crest is known as kame nozoki, or peeking in the vat. The fabric was first dyed with a yellow dye and later over dyed with indigo to create the beautiful green color. In the close up photos you can see the yellow dye that seeped under the resist paste. The last photo shows one of the corners where the yellow dye is also visible. I would guess that the yellow was obtained from gardenia seed pods.

Pine Tree Tsutsugaki Furoshiki

March 28, 2016Cotton, Textiles, UncategorizedAntique, Cotton, furoshiki, grey, Hand Spun, Hand Woven, Japanese, meiji, momen, pine, tree, tsutsugakiNathan S

This small two panel furoshiki was probably part of a set of three or four and has been decorated with a family crest indicating it may be part of a traditional wedding dowry. It dates to the late 19th century and is made of hand spun and hand woven cotton. The color is a worn grey which I think may have been obtained by using sumi ink as a dye. The small tsutsugaki pine tree design in the corner is wonderfully simple and sweet.

Brown Cotton from the Garden

August 30, 2015Cotton, Fiber, Garden, My Workbrown, Cotton, momen, naturalNathan S

Brown cotton grown in the garden this year. It has a beautiful light color, short staple, and light soft texture.

Strip Woven Project using Hand Spun Cotton

August 23, 2015Cotton, Fiber, Garden, My Work, Textiles, Thread and YarnAfrican, Cotton, Hand Spun, Hand Woven, Home Grown, mali, momen, strip woven, thread, weavingNathan S

I have been inspired recently by African strip woven cotton fabrics, many of which are dyed with indigo. I used my own hand spun cotton to weave a strip 20′ long by 8″ wide. After the strip was woven It was dyed in old indigo to leave an inconsistent pattern on the fabric. The strip was cut into shorter sections and then sewn together with hand spun thread before being over dyed with a strong indigo dye to darken the fabric. The over dying left the fabric with a beautiful mottled color that matches well with the inconsistencies of the hand spun thread.

Amazing Antique Repair on Sashiko Furoshiki

Antique Hand Spun Furoshiki with Crossed Feathers Mon

October 12, 2014Boro, Cotton, TextilesAntique, Cotton, feathers, furoshiki, Hand Spun, Hand Woven, Indigo, Japan, Japanese, kamon, meiji, momen, mon, sashiko, tsutsugakiNathan S

New Weaving Project: Cotton and Kudzu

October 6, 2014Bast fibers, Cotton, Fiber, Garden, My Work, Textiles, Thread and YarnCotton, Hand Spun, Hand Woven, Indigo, kudzu, kuzu, momen, new, project, thread, weaving, yarnNathan S

I started a new project a few days ago. I used a natural linen for the warp with hand spun indigo dyed cotton and kudzu for the warp. I am pleased with how it is coming along.

Boro kimono made from hand spun furoshiki

July 19, 2014Boro, Cotton, TextilesAntique, baby, Boro, child, children, Cotton, furoshiki, futonji, Hand Spun, Hand Woven, Indigo, Japan, Japanese, kamon, kimono, meiji, momen, tsutsugakiNathan S

This small kimono for a baby was made out of old material called boro or “rags” pieced together to make usable fabric. The boro material was intended to be the liner but, I have decided to show it off as the shell. the boro material probably came from an indigo dyed tsutsugaki furoshiki or “free hand resist dyed carrying cloth”. These were traditionally given in sets to a new bride and groom and were often dyed with the families mon or “crest”. I love the idea that the newlyweds used it until it became tattered and then remade it into clothing for one of their children. The outer fabric shown below as the liner has a design of small dogs. This fabric was factory made and was meant to replicate a double kasuri or “ikat” material. This fabric shows patches that do not make their way through to the lining material meaning that this material had been used and repaired at the time that it was made into this garment. More than likely it was also a hand me down.