絆BOND Scrap textile collaboration EAST and WEST

 Hi, Finally Kizuna Exhibition has just started today. I went to Hanasho yesterday, I knew that a pretty much artworks had already been sold for Fundraising! ATRIGATO!!

Kizuna means "BOND". I was thinking the bond of  recycled textile between Kimono and the other western textiles.

 The design of bags are still simple and pretty Japanese. But the scrap of western textiles has been changed my kimono bag's image.

Of course, I still love the vintage kimono bag made of vintage Japanese kimono textiles!!

The picture's works are at Hanasho for Kizuna fundraising art exhibition to help Japan.
If you have time, please pop in the exhibition! There are variety of artworks from about 50 artists and crufties. Painting, CG, Ceramic, Calligraphy, Linocut, jewelry, recycled timber works, kimono works, wood works more....

Kizuna Fundraising ART Exhibition to Help Japan coming next week!

Time has been flying since Japanese disaster happened this March. The Exhibition will be held from 1st of Aug, next week!

Hiroaki Eba(Hanasho Owner) organised a meeting with only 6 Japanese Brisbane based local artists on 31 March.

Now, about 50 artists contribution for exhibition, the 3 groups of musicians for mini concert and many contribution as volunteers!!!

Here is the details of event, please pop in the Internet world first and hope see you on site!
You can see all artists name and works too! (coming more!!)

Enjoy Japanese homemade food! - JCB (Japanese club of Brisbane) Bazaar on 30 July 2011

Just quick information for JCB Bazaar 2011 will be held
at Indooroopilly state high school
on the 30th July 2011 from 12:30 - 15:00.

The parents of Japanese school will cook Japanese homemade meals and sweets.
Also Sushi, Yakisoba(Fried noodle), Okonomiyaki(pan cake) and etc from the Japanese profession suppliers.

The sticky rice making performance(trial) might be fun too!

Japanese traditional kid's play area is also setting up, such as KENDAMA, OTEDAMA(Jaggling balls), board games.

Please drop in and enjoy Japanese food and culture!! All welcomed!!!!

Simple toto style kimono bag - Shibori and vintage sash(Crane)

I have not made any bags for the last month. It's not happened since I started making the kimono bags.
Now, I NEED to be ready for the Kizuna fundraising art exhibition to help Japan and a couple of art show.

For a while, I was enjoying textiles and design of bags since I closed down my shop. The break time which I did not touch vintage kimono textiles reminds me "Simple beauty" of kimono bags.

The followings are just made, very simple toto style bags which enjoy the combination between SHOWA era's SHIBORI and MEIJI era's cerebration sash.

I suppose....that's combination is one of FUN for working with VINTAGE TEXTILES.

Totally diffrent time zone(era) can be together as a work!

School holiday workshop at Japanese garden, Mt Coo-tha Botanic Garden 5-7 July

Hi, Now, it's school holiday! How have you been going? I have not made any kimono works for the last 2 months. Because it's WINTER, I might be a sleeping bear. It's chilly, just enjoy eating and sleeping...

By the way the winter is one of beautiful scenery season. The picture is a Camellia that is a winter flower called Tsubaki in japan. There are many flowers and variety of plants come from other countries at Botanic garden. on the warm day, please enjoy walking and find your own beautiful world!

As Brisbane City Council school holiday program, a ceramic artist "Virginia Jones" will have a Autumn leaves decoration with clay at the Japanese garden on 5-7 July 2011. I will have a quick star festival(Tanabata) decoration with bamboo leaves in the same workshop. Please come and enjoy the 2 crafts with kids!

Date: 5-7 July 2011 10:00-14:00 (Star festival workshop - 6-7 July 2011 only)
Place: Japanese Garden, Mt Coo-tha Botanic Garden
Free!

絆KIZUNA - Fundraising Art exhibition to help JAPAN

The March 11th earthquake and tsunami was a force beyond our imagination. While images of the aftermath have been seared in our hearts, with time our attention fades. Yet, it is important that we keep in mind the continued hardships that those affected by the earthquake/tsunami must face each day, and to remember that recovery is only just beginning.

KIZUNA means bond. Even more, it is the bonds that tie us to one another. It is a concept with great depth; layers of meaning that have been rekindled for our group of artists through observing the generosity of spirit and care for others, the strength and resilience of those affected by the March 11th tragedy. Through their efforts and actions, they have shown us the full measure of KIZUNA, bonds of affinity that have also touched our community here in Brisbane.

With this exhibition we hope to contribute to the realization of a strong KIZUNA with the people of Japan, with visitors to the show, and within our community of artists. Each artist’s work(s) explores the layered meanings of KIZUNA in their own way, reflecting variously on questions of identity, place, home, and distance – on the deep connections to Japan stimulated by our experiences of and reactions to the March 11 earthquake/tsunami. (written by Ai Shah)

Date: １Aug(Mon) to ６ Aug(Sat) 2011, Party: 4 Aug(Thur) 2011 18:00-20:00
Venue: Hanasho, Westend

-30-50 artist's work, 100% contribution
If any interest, if you wanna join as an artist, if you wanna come in the exhibition, Please contact to Hanasho!

Logo Design by Yoshihito Takaki and Fukutoshi Ueno

Japanese indigo from a VINTAGE FUTON COVER - back pack bag

The crane looks like the logo of "Japan airline".

The panel is used to be a "Futon cover". Now very rare! and a pretty expensive in the Japanese vintage textile market.

I have never made the back pack style. this bag strap is adjustable and can be a long strap bag too!

Have a fun with textile! - Chubby policeman!

Finally, I stop using glue(actually I wanted to have a fun with textile!), and I made the bag which my daughter called "Chubby policeman"

For her, the image comes from Off-cut black leather(such as a policeman's uniform!) and gathering shibori made the fat image...

For the shibori, it might be better without glue, because we can enjoy SHIBORI's 凸凹！

kimono bag - OBI(kimono sash) with leather

 Just simple combination between Obi(kimono sash) and leather. the sash is vintage sash (actually retro 60's & 70's), leather is off-cut. It's very different looking with SHIBORI bag., isn't it!

Not vintage kimono, but..."from 1980 onwards" is better???

It's the first time for me no motivation to make bags.
The reason is..............I am wondering I should not try to make the real vintage kimono bags.
I have made a lot, maybe a thousand bags in last 6 years. I enjoyed a lot about many different kimonos and sashes without any concern of the bag's future.

The real vintage kimono is already such as great grandmother. So, as a bag, it's not strong enough practically.

In the last article, I described about the experiment of glues which use between the kimono and interface.The glues made vintage fabrics strong but kill the fine silk feature.

My current feeling - I should not use the fine vintage kimono silk as same as "from 1980 onwards"sash.

That means...I should use the fine vintage kimono silk(1900-1960) for only the party bags or partly patched works?? - However, if the user understand well about that the vintage kimono bag need to maintenance well such as caring great grandma, it will still be the unique beautiful bag made of the real vintage kimono!

I really want to use the vintage kimono for a whole panel of bags - people can enjoy dynamic pattern or story on the vintage bag.

I might be writing this article myself - talking myself Sorry.

Shibori - the surface of textile feature "凸凹"

For a while, I have had a heaps of experiment about glue for making the "Practically strong" vintage kimono bags. PVA, PVG, Spray, Fabric glue, industrial wooden work glue, Super strong.......

However, I started to miss the "real textile" which means ..

The glue makes textile strong, but kill the textile softness.

Especially, most kimono is silk, so the sense of touch is very big feature of textile.

The following two are made of Shibori and off-cut leather.

The first one has lost the textile feature 凸凹bubble of SHIBORI. The reason is:
I used a glue between SHIBORI textile and interface(thick scrap textile), so the shibori turned to a thick fabric and no more silky bubble creature. However the bag become strong.

The second one is available to feel the original od shibori surface feature.

When we stuck with something, nature power is working for us! Yesterday I went the Mt Coo-tha Botanic garden for the workshop meeting with Dr. Virginia Jones, a ceramic artist and Yoko Murakami, a painter.

The pictures were taken by me. My feeling was "an ANT"!

I wish I was an ant, because the ants can see the diffrent view of our world!

Japanese red "Beni" and Japanese indigo "Ai" - kimono bag

When I started making vintage kimono bags long time ago. It was popular the combination between red kimono and denim textiles.

For a while, I had not used much a red kimono until I am "re"-interested in Japanese indigo textiles.

About the indigo - Such as KASURI and TSUMUGI of  the vintage indigo's kimono are so expensive recently. So, I start using "Yukata - summer cotton kimono, after 80's"

Since enjoying the Japanese indigo world, I had a fresh feeling the combination "Red" and"Indigo"

That's more than red and black!!

 The bag is not for party, but match with your casual wear..especially, white, black, denim, red, and indigo's.
The picture's bag is available on line shopping, http://www.ayagreentea.com/

The bags are made of;
Vintage girl's kimono (50's)
Hand dye indigo with natural plant (back and strap)
2 yukatas -Summer cotton indigo kimono
and offcuts leather, black kimono  ANYWAY, you will be able to enjoy the 3 different indigo!

Mother's day & SASHIKO picture by Takako on "Etzy"

Here is my accompany, Takako who makes the beautiful sashiko pictures.
She has just set up her first online store.
Now it's available to see more works and buy through etzy on line.

Please visit and have a look!
The sashiko works are framed by the museum grade frame and natural timber.


By the way, it was MOTHER's DAY last Sunday.

My mummy, my friend so dear, throughout my life you're always near.

A tender smile to guide my way, you're the sunshine to light my way.

My daughter gave me a card. The poem was not her work, it's supplied by her teacher.
However, the poem is very nice!

Takako is also a mother of her son. Hope she had a happy mother's day too!!

Shibori - Japanese tied dye

The one of beauty of kimono textile which I like is Shibori,tied dye. I love it and have used the shibori kimono for making the kimono bags since 2004.

The shibori which I did at my primary school was the above.

The following picture's shibori is special. It's made with a couple of different shibori , It was for high class people long time ago.The following picture's are a hand tied dye and a machine made. Do you know the difference between??

Anyway, I like SHOBORI!

Gamaguchi long strap kimono bag - Is this practical??

This is a vintage kimono bag with Gamaguchi style, long strap. I used the last gamaguchi long strap for 3 weeks myself.

It's not the practical size for daily, even party. I put a mobile, a wallet, a key ring.

And it was a full...

So I was thinking a practical and party use.

the bag of picture will be working for any person's bag which is for a mobile, a wallet, a key ring and your memo kits! Hope so!!!

Jyuban - underwear of kimono

Please have a look the picture.It's a kimono bag. Yes, but it's made of a underwear of kimono called "Jyuban".

Jyuban is the original Portuguese of "Jibaun gibão" copied word sounds.
There are the 2 type of Jubans;

1. Hada jyuban - "Hada" means skin in Japanese. Hada jyuban is worn on skin directly. It's normally made of cotton.

2. Naga jyuban - "Naga" means long in Japanese. Naga jyuban is a full length underwear which is worn between Hada jyuban and kimono. It's a sort of business shirt under men's jacket.

Most Jyuban is made of very thin silk, so it was hard for me to use for the kimono bags.

The kimono bag is made of the vintage naga jyuban using a glue between kimono and interface without damage!

Practical test has been done for "GAMAGUCHI" kimono purse!

Gamaguchi - It has been popular in Australia. Finally, I also tried to make the vintage kimono purse "Gamaguchi style"and use for 3 weeks.

Now, I have tested and OK for glue, strap and structure. I will forward to Artisan(Craft Queensland) and Hanasho(Westend) soon!

It's so popular, but with long strap and Japanese indigo. Looks OK???

- My favourite sites " Upcycling "

When I started, I was making the shirts, jackets, skirts, kid's dress, and origami objects with Vintage kimono and selling at the Southbank weekend market, Brisbane.

The concept of all works was for me and my daughter originally.

As same as you, I started upcycling naturally in my family. Using my family's unused kimono and upcycled new clothing for my family.

This year, I will be back to "the starting point" which I will focus on upcycling the kimonos.
It will be not only handbags, I will also start....(when Sample is ready, I will update)

But it should be the practical products.

The following are my favourite sites about "upcycling"

upcycling http://www.upcycling.co.uk/
Junky fashion http://www.junkystyling.co.uk/
Merci upcycling exhibition http://www.curatedmag.com/news/2010/07/06/upcycling-by-merci/

Jenny Henzell -Resin work, Botanique Bazaar

The Easter school holiday has started. So Mothers must be busier than normal!!
I am also a mother for the 9 years old daughter.
Since I closed down my shop, I spent a bit more time with my daughter and a bit more time for a social/community activities.

By the way, a few months ago, I promised to show a resin work by Jenny Henzell. the picture is her works. She is enjoying any materials such as paper, lino cut, picture, textile etc in resin!

The picture is still not enough to see the details.....I am sorry.

Anyway, Have a happy Easter! from Kazuyo

Universal Blue exhibition in Paris- Japanese indigo kimono bag

The pictures are the bags which I used Japanese indigo kimono -summer cotton kimono"yukata"(hand dyed), men's wool kimono(hand weaved). I looked the old article of my blog in 2008. I noticed that I was enjoying the indigo kimono. The reason why I have stopped making the indigo bags is; The vintage indigo kimono is pretty expensive now.

However, I feel really start to use the indigo kimono this year. The colour makes me very "calm down" - meditation and medication effect is big!

Please look at the site, The exhibition - Universal Blue in Paris

The exhibition was held this March 2011.

By the way, Yesterday, I had the kimono and paper flower workshop at Botanique Bazaar.

Thanks a lot for participants. I had the 2 session on that day. the 2nd class was a proper size and everybody finished 2 items. However, the 1st class was too big and I was sorry for everyone.

Anyway, I will try to improve the workshop style included ENGLISH EXPLANATION!!

Next Blog, I will have the workshop on my blog with pictures.