Tag: Uwagi

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!

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My documentation is now…really out of date.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.

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?