Well, pooh! So much for THAT bargain.

[gurdymonkey]

I noticed that when I wore the blue linen kosode koshimaki'd around my waist for taiko at GWW, my perspiration produced some blue streaks on the white linen kosode under it. That's easily fixed with some dye remover. However, the blue linen kosode went into the machine alone after pre-treating with Shout where I glopped some yellow mustard on it. It is now a pinkish lavender, which means the vinegar that usually sets the same dye nicely on silk did nothing. To add insult to injury, the mustard stains have gone babyshit green and are still visible. I suppose I can take the collar off, turn it and re-attach so the stains are on the inside. And I can pair it with the rose shibori kosode or the purple dan gawari one, but damn, that's disappointing.

Lest you, O My Reader, think, "There she goes again, doing things the hard way," I have just printed the West Kingdom Populace Hinomaru on iron-on transfer sheets to make tent rope markers with.

Comments

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

I'll probably run it through the machine one more time with some dye remover and start from scratch.

[aureellia.livejournal.com]

Is there a reason why my feeling is that strong blue is vitally important? Is it a modernism?

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Not at all. They had it. They used it in a variety of saturations from light to dark and they overdyed with it to produce other colors. There's a mannequin in the Kyoto Costume Museum in a Heian summer ensemble that reads almost black on the monitor and is described as blue.
http://www.iz2.or.jp/english/fukusyoku/wayou/9.htm

[aureellia.livejournal.com]

I would look hot in that. Thank you for the expertise.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, baby!

[aureellia.livejournal.com]

How many layers is that?

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

It's a summer ensemble, so it's only four garments, total. White kosode (think chemise) and nagabakama (trousers). Green hitoe (unlined middle robe), indigo hitoe-no-kinu (unlined over-robe). Some of the summer silks would have been very stiff, open weaves (such as sha or ro) that stand away from the body.

One of the late summer ensembles is described as a lavender/blue-green worn over blue green. I have this pale teal, almost transparent synthetic kimono silk that would work for the over robe....

[aureellia.livejournal.com]

Don't be silly. What yardage do I need in each color? Let me sift through my things. I have a stash of pre-1960s Japanese fabric. There might be one little bit we can use.

We have been talking about this for a while. Can we start here with a few versatile pieces?

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

http://wodefordhall.com/heian.htm has approximate measurements for the robes, say another 3 to 4 yards for the nagabakama.

http://fibers.destinyslobster.com/Japanese/Clothes/japmakewomenshakama.htm has instructions on how to make those.

[aureellia.livejournal.com]

OH no. I am not doing this alone. I need a monkey.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

I can help. Construction is mostly straight lines and I can coach you through collar attachment, which is where most people get a little confused.