No 137


Dear Customers and FriendsHello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.137.
This is Yuka writing this newsletter today. Ichiro was traveling to Okayamato attend an action there. Okayama is a prefecture lacated in western Japanand is famous for `kibi dango' the sweet dumpling.Momotaro(Peach Boy) was said to bring kibi dango when he started on a journey to fight off Oni(ogre).
Today I am going to write about tanmono and karinui. Tanmono is 'bolt'whichyou can see many numbers in our website. Some of you might remember one scenefrom the movie, `A Memoirs of a Geisha'. When Sayuri was evacuated to acountryside during wartime, she was working with village people and dryingmany colorful tanmono by hanging up high and all the long strips of tanmonowas wind-whipping and it was an impressive scenery(especially in that darktime of the war).
Tanmono are fabrics to make a kimono or haori, and the width is around 36-40cm(approx 14 -16 inches). If length of a fabric is around 800cm(approx 315 inches), it is a fabric forhaori and if the length is around 1200cm(approx 472 inches), the fabric is forkimono making.We are often asked about a kimono for a tall person and also if it is possibleto make a kimono(custom made) from these tanmono.Kimono are made to be long, so the problem with the length can be solved mostof the time but what becomes the problem always is the sleeve to sleeve length(yuki). To make it very short, kimono are made by placing four panels of tanmonofabric - two panels for the body part and one panel for each sleeve.So the maximum sleeve to sleeve length which can be made from a bolt is:
the width x 4 minus seam allowance
If the width of the bolt is 36cm(approx 14 inches), the maximum sleeve to sleevelength we can make is 136cm(approx 53.5 inches). It does not mean the shoulder towrist is 36cm--as you notice, unlike western shirt, the seamline of the shoulder drops toward sleeves when the kimono is worn.Taller person have longer arms and with the regular tanmono it is quite difficultto have enough sleeve to sleeve length for a taller person. The kimono can be likea half-sleeve kimono. Younger Japanese people are taller, so there SHOULD be widerkimono blots but because of the change of lifestyles, they just do not wear kimono,so the wider bolts are not just made.We are seeking for fabrics which are not originally for kimono (probably for Yofuku-western clothing) but suitable to make a kimono for a taller person.
Karinui fabrics- which are cut and sewn roughly to kimono shape must be a confusingitem too. It looks just like a kimono and looks wearable. But karinui also is originallya bolt. Usually the kimono like furisode which has a dramatic flowing design are madeinto karinui and can be shown to the customers so the customers can have the ideahow the whole patterns looks like when the fabric is made into a kimono.
As you know, an obi belt is worn over a kimono, so the prominent patterns are usuallyaround the bottom. It is amazing to see our customers creative work using kimonofabrics. I mean it is just so fantastic. Suit, blouse, pants, skirt and vest---wehave some photos of enchanting handmade clothing but we are sure there are morecustomers who are using kimono fabrics and making charming things. Not only clothingbut tasteful bed cover and other things too!Domo arigato gozaimasu for using kimono fabrics with wonderful and creative way.The narrowness of kimono bolts may be restrictive but you have already overcome this.
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We are very happy to inform you another very charming craftsman, Watanabe san.
http://www.ichiroya.com
He make beautiful urushi (lacquered) ware. Urushi wan has warmth of wood and keepsfood (especially miso soup) not to become cold easily. Please enjoy the harmonyof warmth of wood and the lacquered surface of urushi.
We are adding ranru, yogi(do not be surprised by the size!), charming futon, sakiori,antique and bolts tomorrow morning. We hope you will enjoy browsing ournew arrivals.domo arigato gozaimasu for reading our newsletter.
Ichiro & Yuka WadaKimono Flea Market "ICHIROYA"http://www.ichiroya.com
e-mail: info@ichiroya.comaddress: Asia-shoji Bldg.301 1841-1 Nishi 1 chome Wakamatsu cho Tondabayashi city Osaka 584-0025 JAPANTEL&FAX ****( international number ) - 81-721-23-5446