japonisme: surface design

for centuries, japan has been associated with a rich textile tradition. some of my favorite techniques are layering, pleating and resist-dyeing. 

a method i've personally tried is arashi shibori also known as pole-wrapping shibori. it's a lot of work, but worth it. a long hollow pvc tube is needed, which is not something one normally keeps around the house. it's also cumbersome to store if one lives in a studio apartment with limited closet space. 

mine was acquired when we didn't have a car and were living in chicago. g. still reminds me of the time he attempted to board a rush hour chicago bus with one of these that he picked up from home depot. naturally, the driver wouldn't let him board, which led to a 2 mile walk home. 

g. if you're reading this, i love you for putting up with my diversions. 

by wrapping fabric around this tube using string and tape, the fabric is then scrunched together and dyes are applied. an endless array of stripes and pleats are possible.

i also tried my hand at board clamping (itajime). these examples (and the ones above) are from shibori: the inventive art of japanese shaped resist dyeing.  

if these images have inspired you to try shibori, these are some great resources:

shibori: the inventive art of japanese shaped resist dyeing
shibori: creating color & texture on silk 


wrapping up this post, below are examples of contemporary japanese textiles from an exhibit at the MoMA in 1998.



screenprinted and flash heated polyester

machine pleated and manually compressed polyester

nylon stitched onto soluble base fabric that is then dissolved

reverse side of a jacquard double weave made of wool and washi paper

mood indigo

i know i mentioned before that i tend to have several projects going at once. for whatever reason, this tendency is very pronounced around this time of year, despite sweltering temperatures, which i could do without. 

in addition to the room makeover, which is slowly progressing, i'm painting our staircase. i was going to paint it all one color, until i saw this indigo stripe on amanda harlech's staircase.

 i haven't even finished priming the whole thing, and am dreading the 2 top coats and suggested polyurethane varnish, which i may have to dismiss. so if i were to add a faux runner, the above application, which looks as though it was made with a paint roller, seems more doable, as opposed to the tedious chore of marking and taping. 

let's leave the paint to dry & look at some indigo.

still life images from the incredibly talented kate mathis.

not to change the subject again, but every time i go down into our crummy basement looking for something, i end up rummaging through boxes, finding things i forgot we had...like this old vogue living issue from march/april 2004. just look at these gorgeous images photographed by ditte isager and styled by christine rudolph. 

the 1920s settee is embellished with royal copenhagen's 'blue fluted'-inspired white stitch pattern. on the wall you can see the royal copenhagen trademark and drawings of the 'blue fluted' pattern, courtesy of royal copenhagen. blue fluted mega and plain are by far my favorite patterns.

a 'blue fluted' teacup rests on the floor next to a 19th c. french chair. love the french chandelier too. if you're lusting after the plates on the wall (like i am) there's a seller on ebay, whose prices range from $85 for a salad plate to $102 for a dinner plate. 

before i go back to painting, there is a book you must get if you're thinking about dyeing fiber or fabric with indigo. trudy van stralen has recipes for creating blues ranging from pale baby blue to deep blackish blue. you'll need materials like saxon blue, a tin premordant, and lichen, which are things not everyone has lying about, but the colors one can achieve are worth it and absolutely exquisite.

image credits not mentioned: top image ~ vogue living: houses, gardens, people