Tag: Travelling Outfit

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Dyeing a Little

I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m filming this project. Well, I had my first big flub with that today. I carefully recorded precise shots to document the dyeing process, until the shot where I actually pour the dye into the washer and put the fabric in. I didn’t hit record. I’m tremendously disappointed. It’s kind of a pivotal shot. Oh well. C’est la vie.

At midway through the dye cycle, otherwise known as catching the wash cycle before it ends and resetting it, I pulled through the fabric, lifting and untwisting it from the dyebath before setting it back in for a second wash cycle in the blue green water. Long stretches of fabric get pretty snarled up in the washer. I read once that if you sew your fabric into a mobius strip it doesn’t tangle as badly. Today was not the day to test that.

It looked like the dye had taken evenly through the fabric, but I won’t know fore sure until it’s dry and ironed. I put the silk through the dryer. Probably shouldn’t have, but it’s done now.

The little thread misadventure…got the whole way there only to discover the green thread I have at home is the best match. Sigh.

Through carelessness and / a bit of bad luck, joy has / evaporated. / Will diligence and hard work / restore that elusive spark?

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Experiments to Dye For

Repeated samples / in a lovely range of hues / in search of just one. / Will my dyepot reveal the / proper shade of blue-green silk?

I don’t have a scale fine enough to measure in the fractions of grams, so I winged it. I cut a section of silk into small pieces, about 3×6 inches. I used three metal snack containers and deposited a small amount of kelly green, teal, and half and half in the tall tins along with a 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar. Each container got a piece of silk that I had soaked in water. 30 minutes later and I was in business.

It over-dyes in tests very, very well. And doesn’t lose its lovely sheen. Hooray!

I found that I wanted something in-between the half and half and the teal. I poured out the kelly green and poured equal parts of the other two in, so 3/4 teal, 1/4 green. It looks great, but a little light, which was possibly from the dye load being spent, so I mixed up a test batch. Still light, but I was light with the dye powders. Another test.

It’ll do.

The swatch on the left is the original. From top to bottom, kelly green, half and half, teal, dye-spent 3/4 and full strength 3/4. The colors are a bit more vibrant in person. And the last test produced a color very similar to the shade in 2 of my books. I’m pleased.

More than that. I’m excited. I’m going to put a running stitch through the ends so they don’t fray badly. Tomorrow I’ll dye the fabric via washing machine. Fun stuff.

Oh crap. I just realized I don’t have matching thread. Did a quick online check. I can get a possible match in Gutermann silk thread at Joann, the website says they have 4 each of teal and blue-green. I’d rather order more Japanese silk thread, but there is no time for that now.

Let’s all hope I stitch swiftly.

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Rolling With the Punches

Mental gymnastics / performed to save a project / from utter failure. / Will contorting provide an / answer or just a headache?

I have a new plan.

Before I went on my fabric adventure I measured a polyester brocade that I bought on a whim thinking it might make a nice uwagi. The funny part is that it’s not enough fabric for an uwagi. But I bought it at the store I was headed to, so I hoped for the best. Using this brocade would allow me to still use the dark gold silk taffeta and maintain a color palette for the same seasons.

Off I went.

And I didn’t find the brocade. But I did find a lightly slubby dupioni silk in a color that if I had to use it as is would sort of pass. I bought 2 yards more than I needed. Just in case.

Back home and I called the other locations of this local fabric shop in hopes of the brocade. No dice. But it’s a seriously common pattern. So I found it online and ordered a yard more than I need. Here’s hoping the dye lots are close enough!

A light gold brocade fabric with dark gold and brown flower blossoms on branches

So the plan is to do a dye test on the almost ok colored silk. It’s a gorgeous tan shot light teal to start. I’m going to try over-dying it with a mix of kelly green and teal, and other variations until I get the right thing or refuse to use any more fabric for tests. This may mean that I have to order acid dye. But that’s if the first try with RIT goes poorly.

The hitoe is now a dye project…

I won’t cut into the brocade until the last two yards I need get here. Besides, that synthetic trash frays so badly I’m seriously considering pulling out my serger. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty, but it’s still plastic trash fabric. And I’m currently a little hesitant to cut the gold lining without knowing for sure the fabric I ordered will work when it gets here.

My documentation is now…really out of date. I’ll have to strip out all the information on the fabrics that was there and rewrite it for the new ones. I’m going to lose points using a synthetic.

But on that note, I kind of don’t care. All of my fabrics are going back to their original purposes. There’s something beautifully poetic about it.. The uwagi made out of the cheap brocade will be a lovely addition to my SCA wardrobe. And it will look great with the yellow brocade karaginu, a fancy jacket worn on top of the uwagi for formal court appearances, in combination with a junihitoe, court robes in a distinct color pattern, ensemble I was gifted a couple years ago. It will be glorious!

I also have a little reading I’d like to do on that lovely lady’s website.

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Screeching to a Halt

I made some assumptions I really shouldn’t have. I had the perfect opportunity to discover this twice over, and yet, here we are.

I don’t have enough fabric.

That’s right. I messed up. Big time. I didn’t measure them before I started. Strike One. I didn’t measure the remaining fabrics when I discovered that I didn’t have enough linen for the kosode. Strike Two. I measured today and realized I was an unbelievable 5 inches short on the green silk for the hitoe. Strike Three.

I’m not out, but I’m scrambling.

So that’s the green out of contention for the hitoe but I could use it for the uwagi lining or just a different project. I have some off white silk that I can over-dye to a more accurate shade of green for the hitoe. No problem. Time consuming, but not a bad solution.

But you see, I learned my lesson. And I measured the other fabrics.

And now I want to cry. And frankly, I did.

The yellow brocade for the uwagi is only 29 inches wide. I need it to be 5 inches wider or 3.5 yards longer.

No, I’m not kidding. I did buy it to make a karaginu. I guess it returns to it’s original purpose.

When I told my partner the answer was quite matter of fact, “I guess you’re buying fabric.” It’s not the most responsible idea, but I need this project to succeed. I don’t want to quit halfway though. And my partner supports me.

So tomorrow I’m going in person to a fabric store that reliably has silk taffeta. If I’m very lucky, I’ll find suitable colors. If I’m only lucky they’ll have a color and white or off white that I can dye. If I’m unlucky, I’ll go to a store an hour away or order fabric online. If I have to order fabric I’ll have to enter only one item in A&S Champs or, worst case, drop that entirely.

I did attend a few classes today at an online event. And I had my eyes opened. I am supremely impressed with the instructor of a class on Japanese Dressing. Her website is a treasure trove. She even has a handout detailing how to weave an ichimegasa, the hat from the museum photo. I wish I had found her site sooner, but now is fine. Top notch research and instruction. I’m blown away. And to top it off, this is the same person who gave me the answer about the kosode collar. She inspired this:

Sometimes another’s / brilliance banishes shadows / from your chosen path. / How does one thank the beacon / for her illumination?

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Documentation. Yes, Again!

A delightful spark / Flashing moment when it strikes / Stray thought, galvanized. / Like quicksilver ideas race / Brightly illuminated

I spent a decent amount of time today rewriting and updating my documentation. After completing the kosode it seemed a very good time to revisit this part of the project. If my project was a math equation the outfit would be the answer and the documentation is how I show my work getting there. Remember how you could get partial credit even with the wrong answer? Maybe I’ve taken that analogy too far…

I tried to fold in what I’ve learned from the A&S classes I’ve taken recently. I haven’t gone through and dusted it with citations yet, so there’s that still to do. I also plan to send it off to a few Laurels (A&S experts in a particular field, recognized by the Crown, an SCA society-wide award) for review by the middle of next month.

Tomorrow work on the hitoe begins.

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Kosode So Close

Astonishing speed / When the roadblocks are removed / And supports in place / Time spent in preparation / Saves stress and headache later

Finally got a functioning work-around for my technology woes. The first thing I tried was software, and that didn’t play well with my PC. My partner tried another program that also failed. So I’m uploading things to YouTube and Facebook privately then downloading it for editing and later public posting. Hoops. Jumping. Boo.

This does mean that I was able to continue without any interruption on the recording things front. Getting really close to having something ready. I just want to finish the kosode before I spend a few hours editing. The first one’s easy. I hope.

The eri, collar, is just over half way attached. I’ll finish that stitching, do the “triangle” seam treatment and then fold and stitch the excess fabric from the migoro and okumi, body and overlap. Either late tonight or first thing tomorrow the kosode will be complete!

It will need pressing, then I’ll have to do some test photos of it on the body. It may be a touch too sheer for general public consumption. Which is fine. It’s underwear. And I’m sure I can manage something for “modesty” if necessary. Lighting it properly may be enough.

I’m so excited to be so close to done with the first garment!

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Collar Procrastination

The state of the kosode:

A kosode prior to the collar being sewn on laying on a wooden table.

The sleeves are folded in thirds so they fit on the table.

I haven’t sewn anything yet today, probably won’t. I may force myself to work on my documentation or something more than the one tiny snip I made to finish opening the center front. I’ve been distracted and have had some other things to do.

I have no real updates. My Dad has a long road ahead of him to get fully better.

Gentle reverie / broken by grey wings flapping / The great bird landed / and silently stalks its prey / A flash, ripples on the pond.

A grey heron stands in a leaf covered pond
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Answers

I’m terribly excited. And so very grateful. Someone who knows more than me, and appears to be able to read Japanese, has given me an answer and a photo of their source. (I’ve asked for the source, because yes, please, more sources).

“The excess corners are folded in twice and sewn in place with a running stitch. The 14 cm collar is folded in half for wear – no stiffening or extra layer of fabric is used, just a single layer of fabric folded in half for wear and unfolded for storage.“ — R.T.

And there was much rejoicing.

I got that answer, a lovely walk with a friend, and wrote a tanka inspired by another friend’s cup of morning enthusiasm before the day devolved into phone calls and texts because my father was hospitalized.

I’ll get to the collar tomorrow.

Steam curls from the cup / Bitter aroma drifts sky- / ward on a light wind. / A leaf in the dark liquid / Hazard of a breezy day.

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Kosode Collar Day

Something that slowed me down a touch while hemming the sleeves – seams letting go. The start and end points of the attachment for the sode, sleeves, and the start of the side seam on both sides almost all had issues. My knots were not enough. So I reinforced those spots as I hemmed.

Lesson learned. Always give your thread ends a firm start AND finish.

On to the eri, collar.

I started by making the decision on how deep to cut the neck opening. My research gave me 19.5 (on the oversized men’s hitoe), 13.5 on the other men’s undergarment, 12.5 on the uwagi, and 11.5 for the women’s hitoe. I’m going with 11.5 cm. I don’t feel quite right about either of the men’s garments as one is oversize and the other is well, different.

I also went over the translation again to see if I had missed any helpful information on any of the source garment patterns and to double check everything before I start sewing. And I was stopped dead in my tracks.

I wrote in a previous blog the the top edge of the body and overlap panels will have this extra triangle shaped bit that gets folded up and tucked into the collar, sandwiched between two layers of fabric. What if I told you that there was only one layer of fabric?

Yeah. Made my head spin too. I’ve asked about it on the SCA Japanese facebook group, and so far, I’ve been told to do it the fold over way. I swear I asked the question clearly. I’ve attempted to clarify and uploaded source documents.

Now I’m stuck in research purgatory while I wait on someone who is more familiar with the Nuikata to weigh in.

If what I suspect is right, this really will be my lucky kosode. To make the collar work as one layer, it has to be cut on the selvage edge of the fabric, using that edge as the finished edge. I initially laid out and cut the kosode in such a way that I had a long narrow band that was selvage on one side. I planned on using it as the kake-obi, the red belt/sash worn around the shoulders. Well, it just so happens to be within a quarter inch of what I need, so that’s likely being repurposed – pending what others say. I have some off white silk taffeta I can use for the kake-obi.

I am half convinced I’m on to something that the other Japanese scholars in the SCA have missed and half convinced I’ve missed something small but vital that explains the whole thing.

Trying to do more / Though it comes in fits and starts / And yet I persist / Finally making progress –  / Halted for lack of knowledge

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Overtime Day Three

It was very ambitious of me to think I would finish hemming everything in just an hour or two. And possibly a little silly.

I did not pull off magic.

I have one sleeve left to hem, which may or may not be finished tonight. So tomorrow will be collar day, and that’s ok.

Added to the pot / Leftovers from yesterday, / More vegetables, / A little bit of magic, / Some time and “voila!” – it’s soup.

I’ve been revising how long it should take to sew a garment by hand and am much less stressed and even more determined. There is of course the very slim chance that I find a job, then all bets are off. I’ll deal with that challenge when that happens. For now, sleeve hemming.

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