Wednesday 13 June 2012

Fabric from Japan

As promised this post is full of all the yumminess I bought when I was in Japan in April.  I shopped in a variety of places, department store, antique market, vintage fabric store... and am pleased with my haul (although I don't have plans for much of it as yet).
I went to Yuzawaya fabric shop with Carin and bought several lengths of fabric 
plus some ready-quilted AnPan Man fabric to make something for Sam 
I just had to have something with dragons as it is the Year of the Dragon and this piece caught my eye
Considering the temptation presented by this wonderful craft shop - they really do have everything - I think I was remarkably controlled!
Near the Asakusa temple Carin and I visited a small kimono shop (new and used) and I bought this small piece of sakura decorated fabric:
I visited an antique market with Carin and bought this length of shibori fabric
I also went shopping with Julie.  We visited Chicago, an exciting treasure trove of secondhand clothing in one of the poshest streets in Tokyo, Omote-Sandō, with stock ranging from the standard battered jeans and T-shirts to the most exquisite obi.  Julie was looking for used obi for a workshop - hoping to see it soon Julie ;-) while I was looking for fabric and yukata.  Neither of us went away emptyhanded.

 
I bought this lovely, lightweight yukata to wear as a summer dressing gown, I also bought one for DH.

A couple of small textiles, cheap and cheerful tenugui
 and a blossom design Japanese handkerchief, a smart Japanese girl is never with one. 

While we were on the Japanese Textile Study Tour Bryan took us to Rogei
He said he'd allow us ten minutes in the shop full of vintage textiles and with a workshop running making gorgeous dolls.  Had he no idea how we women shop?  Needless to say the ten minutes was extended!!  This is the shop where we were described as the Western Ladies Bomb!  The trip also resulted in an example of a great service in Japan the takkyubin.  Our shopping was boxed up and sent to the Indigo Hotel by courier - no lugging big carrier bags around the city.
A delightful shibori koshi-himo which would have been worn beneath the obi but which I enjoy wearing as a scarf.
A selection of silk pieces that were not expensive because they were everyday.  They are going to become a boro cloth or bojagi, something like this maybe -
I couldn't resist these two pieces of vintage silk.  Just look at the exquisite designs and the stitches and patches that still remain in them, so gorgeous


I was very, very tempted by a boro furoshiki.  It was sashiko stitched, patched and had had a life and some I'd say.  It was so full of stories and character but it was expensive.  I hesitated.  I do regret not buying it.
But then I had sufficient yen remaining for the final shopping spree of the trip, Nat and I shared a kimono length of double-sided stencil printed fabric from the indigo master

Which is a good place to leave this post, with the promise that the next one will be about my visit to Noguchi san's katazome studio.

13 comments:

  1. wow. such beautiful selections.anxious to see the beautiful pieces you create with some of these. gorgeous colors.

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  2. onesmallstitch13 June 2012 at 19:03

    wow, Lis it took me back to my own shopping trips! still in denial about some of my purchases - it's nice to be addicted to something harmless (except to the pocket book!)

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  3. Oh, darling Lis, your haul is bigger than mine! What a dream, such a variety of patterns, colours and fabrics.
    Shouldn't we go back and get some more?

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  4. Wow! Looks fantastic. I hope to visit Japan next year. Could you let me have address and name of the vintage textile shop? Thank you

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    1. Click on the links in my post and you'll find the websites of the shops I visited. Have fun.

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  5. Wow Lis, your haul is bigging than all of us on the tour! I love love our combined piece of double sided katazome. I also got a pack of everyday wear too. Enjoy them Lis - Hugs Nat

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  6. Don't you just LOVE thumbing through them. I still have them on my couch so I can look at them whenever I want. They are so beautiful.

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  7. You have proved not only to have good taste, but to be a very smart shopper. Instead of getting everything and more of all the beautiful things on offer - and as you know there is PLENTY in Japan - you looked, considrered, and then bought. You returned to the UK with a good variety of fabric and every one piece holds a memory. It was a delight to go shopping with you and I am sure you will be welcome back to Rogei.

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  8. I think there is still a little fabric left in Japan. You need to come back! Seriously, you done good. My obi project is stalled because the second class was cancelled. Well, I do have projects that are more urgent at this point.

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  9. That little lot will keep you busy, I imagine.

    And....I just happen to have one of those used obis here, bought in little old NZ! Wonder what I will do with that?

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  10. Lot's of fabulous fabrics, you are going to be busy! The last fabric would look lovely framed... :o)

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  11. thankyou, I enjoyed reading that, very interesting,very yummy fabric,,,

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  12. I just found your blog and love the photos of the Japanese fabrics. My daughter used to live in Kagoshima, and I have collected a few myself. Thing is...I just can't make myself actually use them. I love your blog, and will be back to visit again!

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I really appreciate your lovely comments, ideas and opinions, they make my day. Thank you for visiting Piece'n'Peace,
hugs, Lis x