BedSheets, Historical Accuracy, and Tent Covers

On an SCA forum, someone asked a question about if it was alright to use bedsheets to make their garb, even if bedsheets were not historically accurate.

For me, it depends largely on what I am making. A few years back I did a velvet gown that required 7 yards for the skirt alone, and than it had these huge triple puffed sleeves and those needed another 3 yards each. Well, than I made it really hard for myself, because I wanted to do it in an old style shade of rose, and no other color would do. I had already plotted and planned and drawn out my sketches, and it HAD to be rose colored velvet. Have you ever tried looking for a dusty rose colored velvet! ACK!

Well, finding velvet in an odd color was one trouble I was having, but the fact that I needed so much of it was the major problem, because I rarely put very much money into the fabric I buy. I tend to root through Jo-Anns, red tag $2 a yd clearance section to find most of my fabrics. It did not take me long to realize that if I wanted rose colored velvet, the only way to get it was to have it special ordered at some $45 a yd! That was a great big: NO WAY! So, I changed my outlook on my dress, and put off sewing it, for about 7 months, because I still could not imagine it in anything but rose colored velvet.

Than, nearly a year later, and nearing in on Easter time, I was in WalMart, and they had just gotten in a whole batch of new Easter fabric… among them, were some pretty pastel colored polyester panne velvets, and a whole uncut bolt of a dusty rose that just screamed “BUY ME!”. Okay, so technically it was stretch velvet or velveteen and made out a fabric that had only been around the last 40 years or so, but the color was perfect for what I wanted, and it LOOKED like real velvet even if it wasn’t real velvet and it only cost $3.95 a yd!

In the end I got my rose colored “velvet” dress, not accurately, but I didn’t care, because it looked the way I had invisioned it.

Of course, as I said for me, it depends largely on what I am making, and so I have yet another story on me vs accuracy, this one currently ongoing. As you may or may not have heard me say before, I am doing what I am told is utterly unheard of and completely impossible to do, (by about 40 different people so far, and I expect that list to grow as my project continues). Hey, keep telling me I can’t do this too, because thats what keeps going… the desire to prove I can! LOL!

Anyways, I am taking a character out of a modern day fantasy comic book and *horrors* recreating his entire wardrobe (6 different outfits) in as much historical accuracy as possible. He’s a prince from 1558 Japan, who grew up in China, than went on a personal spiritual quest all across Asia and picked up various elements of each place he went along the way. And thus wears cloths that are mixed up with Japan, China, Mongolian, and Portuguese elements, plus a few VERY imaginary fantasy elements thrown in to boot.

Oh such fun it is torturing myself like this. I now have to figure out which parts of his outfits came from which periods of which countries, so that I can make each part historically correct, even if wearing them all at once isn’t historically correct. If you think it’s hard tracing down one item from one country and one time period… try 45 different items from countries of unknow origin which you have to study each coutries history to find out where each one came from! eeek!

Well, I finally traced most of the items and their origins and what they should be made out of, and FINALLY, I started my search for the fabric: silk, from Asia, in historically accurate widths. I found silk from Italy 45″ wide, silk from France 45″ wide, silk from India 45″ to 68″ wide. I needed silk from Japan 15″ wide.

I went to my local JoAnnes told them what I was doing, what I needed, the woman looked at me like she thought I was a nut, and than asked “But why don’t you just buy the 45″ wide fabric and cut it down to 15″ wide strips?” Well, because the whole point of making this outfit is to be historically accurate, and my studied showed me that his cloths would have been made of 15″ wide silk, that was sewn on selvage, and part of the design element is the fact that it HAS to be sewn on selvage, so I MUST use 15″ wide silk.

It took me three months to track it down, but I finally found a guy (who lives in Japan) who does nothing but collect and sell 13″ – 16″ wide Japanese silks! YAY! I emailed him, told him what I wanted and he was able to find me five bolts of *OMG* antique handwoven 15″ wide silk. For the first time in my life, I bought a fabric that had a major price tag on it.

I am so happy with my silk. It arrived last week and I’ve been driving my family nuts talking about it steady! LOL! This is the first time in over 20 years, that I have ever allowed myself to buy a fabric for the sake of historical accuracy. The price of historically accurate fabrics, usually sends me off looking at my curtains and thinking: “Hey, I’ll bet I could cut that up to make my garb out of! LOL! Usually I settle for: “Oh that LOOKS accurate enough and only costs $15 dollars”. Yeah… like you said, bed sheets can make great garb, and often I go that road myself, as long as it LOOKS accurate… hey, try looking at the curtains in WalMart… I do that often, the big prints on curtains often have a nice period look to them.

oh yes! I agree with the bedsheets for camp curtains. They are great for that because of their size.

Blankets make the best tent covers! I’ve never used anything else to make a tent cover with! For the tent I made, I needed a thick fur look. I’m an animal rights activist so using real fur was out of the question, and buying fur fabric didn’t set well with me because all I could find was really cheep looking stuff that either had too thick a pile, or too fake looking a color.

I wanted it to look like cheetah or leopard skins, and than I found these throw blankets to go on your couch. They had a nice short “realistic” nap to them, and and the print looked like real leopard. So those blankets ended up becoming my tent cover. (The tent was a 6Wx8Lx5H one person sit in the shade-lay down take a nap type tent, so it didn’t take much fabric to make it.)

I did worry because they were so thick, that they might hold in the heat and make the tent unbearable hot. However the opposite was true. They were so thick that they blocked the sunlight was getting in and kept my tent the coolest bit of shade there was to be found!

I’m planning to make another, more portable one later this year. The one I made is on a frame of 2×4′s and a permanent fixture that has stood in my yard for 3 years now. I still use it, though the fabric is starting the wear thin now, after surviving 2 blizzards and 4 hurricanes.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

BedSheets, Historical Accuracy, and Tent Covers

On an SCA forum, someone asked a question about if it was alright to use bedsheets to make their garb, even if bedsheets were not historically accurate.

For me, it depends largely on what I am making. A few years back I did a velvet gown that required 7 yards for the skirt alone, and than it had these huge triple puffed sleeves and those needed another 3 yards each. Well, than I made it really hard for myself, because I wanted to do it in an old style shade of rose, and no other color would do. I had already plotted and planned and drawn out my sketches, and it HAD to be rose colored velvet. Have you ever tried looking for a dusty rose colored velvet! ACK!

Well, finding velvet in an odd color was one trouble I was having, but the fact that I needed so much of it was the major problem, because I rarely put very much money into the fabric I buy. I tend to root through Jo-Anns, red tag $2 a yd clearance section to find most of my fabrics. It did not take me long to realize that if I wanted rose colored velvet, the only way to get it was to have it special ordered at some $45 a yd! That was a great big: NO WAY! So, I changed my outlook on my dress, and put off sewing it, for about 7 months, because I still could not imagine it in anything but rose colored velvet.

Than, nearly a year later, and nearing in on Easter time, I was in WalMart, and they had just gotten in a whole batch of new Easter fabric… among them, were some pretty pastel colored polyester panne velvets, and a whole uncut bolt of a dusty rose that just screamed “BUY ME!”. Okay, so technically it was stretch velvet or velveteen and made out a fabric that had only been around the last 40 years or so, but the color was perfect for what I wanted, and it LOOKED like real velvet even if it wasn’t real velvet and it only cost $3.95 a yd!

In the end I got my rose colored “velvet” dress, not accurately, but I didn’t care, because it looked the way I had invisioned it.

Of course, as I said for me, it depends largely on what I am making, and so I have yet another story on me vs accuracy, this one currently ongoing. As you may or may not have heard me say before, I am doing what I am told is utterly unheard of and completely impossible to do, (by about 40 different people so far, and I expect that list to grow as my project continues). Hey, keep telling me I can’t do this too, because thats what keeps going… the desire to prove I can! LOL!

Anyways, I am taking a character out of a modern day fantasy comic book and *horrors* recreating his entire wardrobe (6 different outfits) in as much historical accuracy as possible. He’s a prince from 1558 Japan, who grew up in China, than went on a personal spiritual quest all across Asia and picked up various elements of each place he went along the way. And thus wears cloths that are mixed up with Japan, China, Mongolian, and Portuguese elements, plus a few VERY imaginary fantasy elements thrown in to boot.

Oh such fun it is torturing myself like this. I now have to figure out which parts of his outfits came from which periods of which countries, so that I can make each part historically correct, even if wearing them all at once isn’t historically correct. If you think it’s hard tracing down one item from one country and one time period… try 45 different items from countries of unknow origin which you have to study each coutries history to find out where each one came from! eeek!

Well, I finally traced most of the items and their origins and what they should be made out of, and FINALLY, I started my search for the fabric: silk, from Asia, in historically accurate widths. I found silk from Italy 45″ wide, silk from France 45″ wide, silk from India 45″ to 68″ wide. I needed silk from Japan 15″ wide.

I went to my local JoAnnes told them what I was doing, what I needed, the woman looked at me like she thought I was a nut, and than asked “But why don’t you just buy the 45″ wide fabric and cut it down to 15″ wide strips?” Well, because the whole point of making this outfit is to be historically accurate, and my studied showed me that his cloths would have been made of 15″ wide silk, that was sewn on selvage, and part of the design element is the fact that it HAS to be sewn on selvage, so I MUST use 15″ wide silk.

It took me three months to track it down, but I finally found a guy (who lives in Japan) who does nothing but collect and sell 13″ – 16″ wide Japanese silks! YAY! I emailed him, told him what I wanted and he was able to find me five bolts of *OMG* antique handwoven 15″ wide silk. For the first time in my life, I bought a fabric that had a major price tag on it.

I am so happy with my silk. It arrived last week and I’ve been driving my family nuts talking about it steady! LOL! This is the first time in over 20 years, that I have ever allowed myself to buy a fabric for the sake of historical accuracy. The price of historically accurate fabrics, usually sends me off looking at my curtains and thinking: “Hey, I’ll bet I could cut that up to make my garb out of! LOL! Usually I settle for: “Oh that LOOKS accurate enough and only costs $15 dollars”. Yeah… like you said, bed sheets can make great garb, and often I go that road myself, as long as it LOOKS accurate… hey, try looking at the curtains in WalMart… I do that often, the big prints on curtains often have a nice period look to them.

oh yes! I agree with the bedsheets for camp curtains. They are great for that because of their size.

Blankets make the best tent covers! I’ve never used anything else to make a tent cover with! For the tent I made, I needed a thick fur look. I’m an animal rights activist so using real fur was out of the question, and buying fur fabric didn’t set well with me because all I could find was really cheep looking stuff that either had too thick a pile, or too fake looking a color.

I wanted it to look like cheetah or leopard skins, and than I found these throw blankets to go on your couch. They had a nice short “realistic” nap to them, and and the print looked like real leopard. So those blankets ended up becoming my tent cover. (The tent was a 6Wx8Lx5H one person sit in the shade-lay down take a nap type tent, so it didn’t take much fabric to make it.)

I did worry because they were so thick, that they might hold in the heat and make the tent unbearable hot. However the opposite was true. They were so thick that they blocked the sunlight was getting in and kept my tent the coolest bit of shade there was to be found!

I’m planning to make another, more portable one later this year. The one I made is on a frame of 2×4′s and a permanent fixture that has stood in my yard for 3 years now. I still use it, though the fabric is starting the wear thin now, after surviving 2 blizzards and 4 hurricanes.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

BedSheets, Historical Accuracy, and Tent Covers

On an SCA forum, someone asked a question about if it was alright to use bedsheets to make their garb, even if bedsheets were not historically accurate.

For me, it depends largely on what I am making. A few years back I did a velvet gown that required 7 yards for the skirt alone, and than it had these huge triple puffed sleeves and those needed another 3 yards each. Well, than I made it really hard for myself, because I wanted to do it in an old style shade of rose, and no other color would do. I had already plotted and planned and drawn out my sketches, and it HAD to be rose colored velvet. Have you ever tried looking for a dusty rose colored velvet! ACK!

Well, finding velvet in an odd color was one trouble I was having, but the fact that I needed so much of it was the major problem, because I rarely put very much money into the fabric I buy. I tend to root through Jo-Anns, red tag $2 a yd clearance section to find most of my fabrics. It did not take me long to realize that if I wanted rose colored velvet, the only way to get it was to have it special ordered at some $45 a yd! That was a great big: NO WAY! So, I changed my outlook on my dress, and put off sewing it, for about 7 months, because I still could not imagine it in anything but rose colored velvet.

Than, nearly a year later, and nearing in on Easter time, I was in WalMart, and they had just gotten in a whole batch of new Easter fabric… among them, were some pretty pastel colored polyester panne velvets, and a whole uncut bolt of a dusty rose that just screamed “BUY ME!”. Okay, so technically it was stretch velvet or velveteen and made out a fabric that had only been around the last 40 years or so, but the color was perfect for what I wanted, and it LOOKED like real velvet even if it wasn’t real velvet and it only cost $3.95 a yd!

In the end I got my rose colored “velvet” dress, not accurately, but I didn’t care, because it looked the way I had invisioned it.

Of course, as I said for me, it depends largely on what I am making, and so I have yet another story on me vs accuracy, this one currently ongoing. As you may or may not have heard me say before, I am doing what I am told is utterly unheard of and completely impossible to do, (by about 40 different people so far, and I expect that list to grow as my project continues). Hey, keep telling me I can’t do this too, because thats what keeps going… the desire to prove I can! LOL!

Anyways, I am taking a character out of a modern day fantasy comic book and *horrors* recreating his entire wardrobe (6 different outfits) in as much historical accuracy as possible. He’s a prince from 1558 Japan, who grew up in China, than went on a personal spiritual quest all across Asia and picked up various elements of each place he went along the way. And thus wears cloths that are mixed up with Japan, China, Mongolian, and Portuguese elements, plus a few VERY imaginary fantasy elements thrown in to boot.

Oh such fun it is torturing myself like this. I now have to figure out which parts of his outfits came from which periods of which countries, so that I can make each part historically correct, even if wearing them all at once isn’t historically correct. If you think it’s hard tracing down one item from one country and one time period… try 45 different items from countries of unknow origin which you have to study each coutries history to find out where each one came from! eeek!

Well, I finally traced most of the items and their origins and what they should be made out of, and FINALLY, I started my search for the fabric: silk, from Asia, in historically accurate widths. I found silk from Italy 45″ wide, silk from France 45″ wide, silk from India 45″ to 68″ wide. I needed silk from Japan 15″ wide.

I went to my local JoAnnes told them what I was doing, what I needed, the woman looked at me like she thought I was a nut, and than asked “But why don’t you just buy the 45″ wide fabric and cut it down to 15″ wide strips?” Well, because the whole point of making this outfit is to be historically accurate, and my studied showed me that his cloths would have been made of 15″ wide silk, that was sewn on selvage, and part of the design element is the fact that it HAS to be sewn on selvage, so I MUST use 15″ wide silk.

It took me three months to track it down, but I finally found a guy (who lives in Japan) who does nothing but collect and sell 13″ – 16″ wide Japanese silks! YAY! I emailed him, told him what I wanted and he was able to find me five bolts of *OMG* antique handwoven 15″ wide silk. For the first time in my life, I bought a fabric that had a major price tag on it.

I am so happy with my silk. It arrived last week and I’ve been driving my family nuts talking about it steady! LOL! This is the first time in over 20 years, that I have ever allowed myself to buy a fabric for the sake of historical accuracy. The price of historically accurate fabrics, usually sends me off looking at my curtains and thinking: “Hey, I’ll bet I could cut that up to make my garb out of! LOL! Usually I settle for: “Oh that LOOKS accurate enough and only costs $15 dollars”. Yeah… like you said, bed sheets can make great garb, and often I go that road myself, as long as it LOOKS accurate… hey, try looking at the curtains in WalMart… I do that often, the big prints on curtains often have a nice period look to them.

oh yes! I agree with the bedsheets for camp curtains. They are great for that because of their size.

Blankets make the best tent covers! I’ve never used anything else to make a tent cover with! For the tent I made, I needed a thick fur look. I’m an animal rights activist so using real fur was out of the question, and buying fur fabric didn’t set well with me because all I could find was really cheep looking stuff that either had too thick a pile, or too fake looking a color.

I wanted it to look like cheetah or leopard skins, and than I found these throw blankets to go on your couch. They had a nice short “realistic” nap to them, and and the print looked like real leopard. So those blankets ended up becoming my tent cover. (The tent was a 6Wx8Lx5H one person sit in the shade-lay down take a nap type tent, so it didn’t take much fabric to make it.)

I did worry because they were so thick, that they might hold in the heat and make the tent unbearable hot. However the opposite was true. They were so thick that they blocked the sunlight was getting in and kept my tent the coolest bit of shade there was to be found!

I’m planning to make another, more portable one later this year. The one I made is on a frame of 2×4′s and a permanent fixture that has stood in my yard for 3 years now. I still use it, though the fabric is starting the wear thin now, after surviving 2 blizzards and 4 hurricanes.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Lord Sesshomaru’s Kimono: Alternate Kimono #3 (Movie Only)

Alternate Kimono #3:

Sesshomaru’s Alternate Kimono #3, is of a less formal style than the other three. This is the kimono we see him wearing before he became a Lord, seen only once during a flash back. This kimono is the one he wore when he was still quite young, aged at about 14 or 15 years old in “human years”. Once again, it is of solid white, with full swinging sleeves that sweep in lengths just above his ankles. The lower quarter of each sleeve is dyed a deep-bright reddish-rose pink, more accurately called a shade of magenta.

On the front and back of each sleeve, floating just above the boarder of the dye, is painted three very large and bold lotus flowers (twelve in all). The flower pattern is repeated with yet another large lotus flower on the neck and shoulder of the left side extending down to the sleeve.

Beneath his Kimono Sesshomaru wears a white (or sometimes lavender flower print) Nagajuban.

With this version we see Sesshy wearing his purple armor, and dark blue velvet Heko-obi.

(my art from my fashion design costume portfolio)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know by now that my silk has arrived from Japan (was lost by our local post office) and after much debate over how to handle said silk, work is now underway on the construction of this pink furisode kimono.

This being Lord Sesshomaru’s Court Outfit, which he wears at home in his palace, I am taking a more dramatic road with this one, and embroidering it in the 16th century Noh Theater style.

The white sections are going to be completely embroidered in an overall pattern of chrysanthemums and butterflies, embroidered all in white.

Because Lord Sesshomaru’s palace is in China and not Japan, and because Sesshomaru is a Prince, I am taken a huge leap of liberty and turning the blocks of rose color on the sleeves and hem, into the traditional “ocean wave” pattern seen on the Dragon Robes worn by Chinese Emperors. These will be done in multiple shades of rose and mauve.

I have found a picture of a real medalion of a lotus flower, which looks an awful lot like the one on Sesshy’s kosode, and have traced the design, and am going to use that for the giant lotus blossoms, changing the colors from the original medalion, to deep magentas and rose for Sesshy’s fuisode.

All in all this is a majorly advanced embroidery project and will take me at least 3 or 4 month to complete before I well be able to begin constructing the kimono. (Historically, the cloth is embroidered, before being cut and sewn, so that is how I am making this one.)

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume; and this is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Antique Silk: To Wash or Not To Wash? What Would You Do?

Okay, so if you’ve been reading my blogs or websites for a while, than you’ve probably heard me talking about my costume and how I’m gone nuts over historical accuracy with it. Part of my historical accuracy obsession, was to seek out antique 15″ wide Japanese silk to use to make Lord Sesshomaru’s kimono and hakama.

I started my search in March 2008 and after several weeks I finally found what I was looking for. I bought it from a dealer in Japan, and it just arrived in the mail yesterday. It is the most beautiful fabric I have ever owned, however, now that I have it here in my hands, I’m looking at it and I’m thinking, what have I gotten myself into? This amazing little piece of cloth has now opened up a whole world of questions, most of which I should be able to deal with on my own, but one, is just nagging at me, and I don’t know what I should do, so I thought I’d come here and ask you guys, and see what you say.

Normally I buy a new fabric and throw it in the washing machine to pre-wash it and pre-shrink it, before I even consider cutting it out and sewing it into anything. Wither or not it goes in the dryer depends on what type of fabric it is.

Here’s my dilemma:

• This fabric is 100% pure silk, and a very lightweight one too.
• This fabric is handwoven.
• This fabric is antique.

So… each of those types of fabric would require special care, but this fabric is all three in one!

As you know, this fabric is going to be used to make the 4 kimonos worn by Lord Sesshomaru through the series, (The red one, the purple one, the blue one, and the pink one.) and the white hakama. The white on each of these kimono, is of course the color of the fabric, while the colored sections on the kimonos, I am going to add via hand embroidery. It’s going to take me 3 or 4 months to do the embroidery on each kimono, so an awful lot of time and work is going into these. The embroidery once finished, will not be able to be washed, by either machine or hand, and can only be “spot cleaned” with a sponge. So, that said, once these kimonos are finished, I will never be able to wash them.

Now, that brings us to my question and why I am writing this post:

I know that silk can shrink like crazy when washed, so pre-washing is recommended. On the other hand the finished garment is not likely to ever be washed, ever. The fact that this silk is an antique, means that it should be handled with more care too.

So, should I pre-wash this fabric or not? What would you do? Would YOU wash it? If so, would you wash it by hand or by machine? Hot water or cold? With soap or just plain water? If with soap, what type should I use?

Normally when I wash delicates, I use one of these to wash them in instead of detergent:

• Blueing
• Irish Spring Body Wash
• SoftSoap Body Wash
• Woolite

Would you wash this silk using any one of these? Why or why not?

Should I use a liquid fabric softener on this?

Here are the details of the fabric, if that helps:

The fabric in question I am told was originally made to be used to create a lightweight summer kimono.

It has a woven pattern on it, (clouds, chrysanthemums, and cherry blossoms). The pattern being of a matte raised texture, while the background is a smooth glossy texture. The picture looks snow white, but it’s actually a natural undyed silk and is a creamy off-white color. The dealer I bought it from called it “Rinzu Silk”, and said it was handwoven and from approx cira 1940. It is very lightweight and airy, and when draped over your arm, feels like it is not even there. I have approx. 35 yards of it.

Though it is antique, it has never been used, and it still on it’s bolts (there are 5 bolts of it), and is in mint condition, whoever owned it stored it well, it looks like any new fabric you’d buy at the store.

On the ends of the cloth, where it was cut from the loom, are stamped some Japanese symbols (words?), (stamped with that red stuff that they stamp on art scrolls and such), and the dealer told me that these markings are the weaver’s signature, that they are stamped on just like an artist signing a work of art.

And here are some pics of it:

The costume is for a fictional character (cira 1558) from a book series, and it gives a very detailed info about his cloths, plus there loads of pictures of him, (points to the dozen or so picture of him that are floating all over this blog —–> ) so I know pretty well, every detail of the costume, it’s pretty accurate with real Japanese history and stuff that ain’t accurate I’m changing so that it will be… the author really did her research. I’m making it a period style kosode not modern style cause there is such a big difference in what they look like. Anyways, the embroidered silks kimonos are an upper or outer layer, so yea, there’s going to be under layers as well, I’m thinking of using cotton for the under layers.

I see people making this costume all the time for CosPlay, but never sticking with the historically accurate details the author put into the book. I don’t CosPlay, I do historical reenactment stuff, so I’m making this a bit different from the way a CosPlayer would be making it. I took it on, more as a “art project” than anything else, to challenge myself, because the whole costume is pretty advanced on it’s own. It’s more a display item, I don’t think I’ll wear more than once or twice. I just got sick of seeing people making a very modern looking costume, and wanted to see what the real outfit would have looked like, so that’s my goal. I actually wanted older silk, but I didn’t think that’d be possible to work with even if I did find it.

I asked someone else what would have been done “historically” and they told me that historical the cloth would have been laid out in a brook to let the water “rinse it” and than it would have been hung in the shade on a tree to dry. They said not to use any type of soap on this at all, and just use cold water. The brook in my yard comes through the swamp, and my trees are pine: I can just see it getting muddy in a brook and than spotted with tree sap, so that’s out. LOL!

I might not wash it at all. But I’m worried about it shrinking too, so I’m thinking a soak in the tub, is the best road, so I’ll probably do that.

I’ve asked a cleaner about dry cleaning my type of embroidery work before (I do a lot of really big embroidery projects, wall hangings and such) and was told that most dry cleaners wouldn’t risk it. They told me that unless something spilt on it and it got really soiled, that the best way to clean large embroidery was to spot clean it, but pressing a damp sponge on the cloth and letting it soak out the dirt. They told me that washing or cleaning would likely pull out the threads and cause massive damage to the embroidery work.

This is actually started out as an embroidery project, for me, because I loved the amazing embroidery I’ve seen on Noh kimono’s from the 1500′s, and I wanted to recreate one. I picked a fictional character, rather than a real character, because it would allow me more creative freedom. My plan just got bigger as I did more research into the character and now I’m doing the entire outfit (which includes Samaria battle armor as well…but that a whole other story!) Anyways, my goal it not so much to wear this, as it is, just to make it.

Lord Sesshomaru wears 6 different kimonos, 4 of which a white based, and are the 4 I’m using this fabric to make. Here are my drawings of what the finished kimonos will look like:

Has anyone ever dealt with a fabric like this one before? If so, could you tell me what you did? How you did it, and what the end results were? Do you have any special tips or advice of washing and handling silks or antique fabrics?

Thanks millions!

EDIT:

Thanks to a response on a thread I started on a forum, I think this question has been answered! WOW! And so quickly too! OMG< I never expected an answer to come back right after I posted the question! YAY! (I'll still take more advice though if anyone else has anything else to say on this!)

I just looked up the info given me found this site: http://www.serve.com/marbeth/soap.html about how Orvus is used to clean needlwork projects. WOW! I think this might be what to do with my silk too. It sounds like it’ll work out better than anything else.

I didn’t know that Woolite distresses fabric! ACK! Good to know. I’ll have to rethink how I use it.

SECOND EDIT:

well, I unrolled the bolt, and I’m not seeing any markings on it at all. I don’t think it was ever even unrolled before. It’s really nice and clean, and there’s no “smells” or anything either.

I was looking at the fabric and I started thinking about the washing machine and thought “ACK! The agitator will ruin this!”, and than I was thinking about the tub and thought: “No way is the tub clean enough to get near white fabric!”

I think I’m leaning more and more to not washing it at all, cause it might do more damage than good, plus I really can’t see it ever being washed once it’s finished.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume.

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Antique Silk: To Wash or Not To Wash? What Would You Do?

Okay, so if you’ve been reading my blogs or websites for a while, than you’ve probably heard me talking about my costume and how I’m gone nuts over historical accuracy with it. Part of my historical accuracy obsession, was to seek out antique 15″ wide Japanese silk to use to make Lord Sesshomaru’s kimono and hakama.

I started my search in March 2008 and after several weeks I finally found what I was looking for. I bought it from a dealer in Japan, and it just arrived in the mail yesterday. It is the most beautiful fabric I have ever owned, however, now that I have it here in my hands, I’m looking at it and I’m thinking, what have I gotten myself into? This amazing little piece of cloth has now opened up a whole world of questions, most of which I should be able to deal with on my own, but one, is just nagging at me, and I don’t know what I should do, so I thought I’d come here and ask you guys, and see what you say.

Normally I buy a new fabric and throw it in the washing machine to pre-wash it and pre-shrink it, before I even consider cutting it out and sewing it into anything. Wither or not it goes in the dryer depends on what type of fabric it is.

Here’s my dilemma:

• This fabric is 100% pure silk, and a very lightweight one too.
• This fabric is handwoven.
• This fabric is antique.

So… each of those types of fabric would require special care, but this fabric is all three in one!

As you know, this fabric is going to be used to make the 4 kimonos worn by Lord Sesshomaru through the series, (The red one, the purple one, the blue one, and the pink one.) and the white hakama. The white on each of these kimono, is of course the color of the fabric, while the colored sections on the kimonos, I am going to add via hand embroidery. It’s going to take me 3 or 4 months to do the embroidery on each kimono, so an awful lot of time and work is going into these. The embroidery once finished, will not be able to be washed, by either machine or hand, and can only be “spot cleaned” with a sponge. So, that said, once these kimonos are finished, I will never be able to wash them.

Now, that brings us to my question and why I am writing this post:

I know that silk can shrink like crazy when washed, so pre-washing is recommended. On the other hand the finished garment is not likely to ever be washed, ever. The fact that this silk is an antique, means that it should be handled with more care too.

So, should I pre-wash this fabric or not? What would you do? Would YOU wash it? If so, would you wash it by hand or by machine? Hot water or cold? With soap or just plain water? If with soap, what type should I use?

Normally when I wash delicates, I use one of these to wash them in instead of detergent:

• Blueing
• Irish Spring Body Wash
• SoftSoap Body Wash
• Woolite

Would you wash this silk using any one of these? Why or why not?

Should I use a liquid fabric softener on this?

Here are the details of the fabric, if that helps:

The fabric in question I am told was originally made to be used to create a lightweight summer kimono.

It has a woven pattern on it, (clouds, chrysanthemums, and cherry blossoms). The pattern being of a matte raised texture, while the background is a smooth glossy texture. The picture looks snow white, but it’s actually a natural undyed silk and is a creamy off-white color. The dealer I bought it from called it “Rinzu Silk”, and said it was handwoven and from approx cira 1940. It is very lightweight and airy, and when draped over your arm, feels like it is not even there. I have approx. 35 yards of it.

Though it is antique, it has never been used, and it still on it’s bolts (there are 5 bolts of it), and is in mint condition, whoever owned it stored it well, it looks like any new fabric you’d buy at the store.

On the ends of the cloth, where it was cut from the loom, are stamped some Japanese symbols (words?), (stamped with that red stuff that they stamp on art scrolls and such), and the dealer told me that these markings are the weaver’s signature, that they are stamped on just like an artist signing a work of art.

And here are some pics of it:

The costume is for a fictional character (cira 1558) from a book series, and it gives a very detailed info about his cloths, plus there loads of pictures of him, (points to the dozen or so picture of him that are floating all over this blog —–> ) so I know pretty well, every detail of the costume, it’s pretty accurate with real Japanese history and stuff that ain’t accurate I’m changing so that it will be… the author really did her research. I’m making it a period style kosode not modern style cause there is such a big difference in what they look like. Anyways, the embroidered silks kimonos are an upper or outer layer, so yea, there’s going to be under layers as well, I’m thinking of using cotton for the under layers.

I see people making this costume all the time for CosPlay, but never sticking with the historically accurate details the author put into the book. I don’t CosPlay, I do historical reenactment stuff, so I’m making this a bit different from the way a CosPlayer would be making it. I took it on, more as a “art project” than anything else, to challenge myself, because the whole costume is pretty advanced on it’s own. It’s more a display item, I don’t think I’ll wear more than once or twice. I just got sick of seeing people making a very modern looking costume, and wanted to see what the real outfit would have looked like, so that’s my goal. I actually wanted older silk, but I didn’t think that’d be possible to work with even if I did find it.

I asked someone else what would have been done “historically” and they told me that historical the cloth would have been laid out in a brook to let the water “rinse it” and than it would have been hung in the shade on a tree to dry. They said not to use any type of soap on this at all, and just use cold water. The brook in my yard comes through the swamp, and my trees are pine: I can just see it getting muddy in a brook and than spotted with tree sap, so that’s out. LOL!

I might not wash it at all. But I’m worried about it shrinking too, so I’m thinking a soak in the tub, is the best road, so I’ll probably do that.

I’ve asked a cleaner about dry cleaning my type of embroidery work before (I do a lot of really big embroidery projects, wall hangings and such) and was told that most dry cleaners wouldn’t risk it. They told me that unless something spilt on it and it got really soiled, that the best way to clean large embroidery was to spot clean it, but pressing a damp sponge on the cloth and letting it soak out the dirt. They told me that washing or cleaning would likely pull out the threads and cause massive damage to the embroidery work.

This is actually started out as an embroidery project, for me, because I loved the amazing embroidery I’ve seen on Noh kimono’s from the 1500′s, and I wanted to recreate one. I picked a fictional character, rather than a real character, because it would allow me more creative freedom. My plan just got bigger as I did more research into the character and now I’m doing the entire outfit (which includes Samaria battle armor as well…but that a whole other story!) Anyways, my goal it not so much to wear this, as it is, just to make it.

Lord Sesshomaru wears 6 different kimonos, 4 of which a white based, and are the 4 I’m using this fabric to make. Here are my drawings of what the finished kimonos will look like:

Has anyone ever dealt with a fabric like this one before? If so, could you tell me what you did? How you did it, and what the end results were? Do you have any special tips or advice of washing and handling silks or antique fabrics?

Thanks millions!

EDIT:

Thanks to a response on a thread I started on a forum, I think this question has been answered! WOW! And so quickly too! OMG< I never expected an answer to come back right after I posted the question! YAY! (I'll still take more advice though if anyone else has anything else to say on this!)

I just looked up the info given me found this site: http://www.serve.com/marbeth/soap.html about how Orvus is used to clean needlwork projects. WOW! I think this might be what to do with my silk too. It sounds like it’ll work out better than anything else.

I didn’t know that Woolite distresses fabric! ACK! Good to know. I’ll have to rethink how I use it.

SECOND EDIT:

well, I unrolled the bolt, and I’m not seeing any markings on it at all. I don’t think it was ever even unrolled before. It’s really nice and clean, and there’s no “smells” or anything either.

I was looking at the fabric and I started thinking about the washing machine and thought “ACK! The agitator will ruin this!”, and than I was thinking about the tub and thought: “No way is the tub clean enough to get near white fabric!”

I think I’m leaning more and more to not washing it at all, cause it might do more damage than good, plus I really can’t see it ever being washed once it’s finished.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume.

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Antique Silk: To Wash or Not To Wash? What Would You Do?

Okay, so if you’ve been reading my blogs or websites for a while, than you’ve probably heard me talking about my costume and how I’m gone nuts over historical accuracy with it. Part of my historical accuracy obsession, was to seek out antique 15″ wide Japanese silk to use to make Lord Sesshomaru’s kimono and hakama.

I started my search in March 2008 and after several weeks I finally found what I was looking for. I bought it from a dealer in Japan, and it just arrived in the mail yesterday. It is the most beautiful fabric I have ever owned, however, now that I have it here in my hands, I’m looking at it and I’m thinking, what have I gotten myself into? This amazing little piece of cloth has now opened up a whole world of questions, most of which I should be able to deal with on my own, but one, is just nagging at me, and I don’t know what I should do, so I thought I’d come here and ask you guys, and see what you say.

Normally I buy a new fabric and throw it in the washing machine to pre-wash it and pre-shrink it, before I even consider cutting it out and sewing it into anything. Wither or not it goes in the dryer depends on what type of fabric it is.

Here’s my dilemma:

• This fabric is 100% pure silk, and a very lightweight one too.
• This fabric is handwoven.
• This fabric is antique.

So… each of those types of fabric would require special care, but this fabric is all three in one!

As you know, this fabric is going to be used to make the 4 kimonos worn by Lord Sesshomaru through the series, (The red one, the purple one, the blue one, and the pink one.) and the white hakama. The white on each of these kimono, is of course the color of the fabric, while the colored sections on the kimonos, I am going to add via hand embroidery. It’s going to take me 3 or 4 months to do the embroidery on each kimono, so an awful lot of time and work is going into these. The embroidery once finished, will not be able to be washed, by either machine or hand, and can only be “spot cleaned” with a sponge. So, that said, once these kimonos are finished, I will never be able to wash them.

Now, that brings us to my question and why I am writing this post:

I know that silk can shrink like crazy when washed, so pre-washing is recommended. On the other hand the finished garment is not likely to ever be washed, ever. The fact that this silk is an antique, means that it should be handled with more care too.

So, should I pre-wash this fabric or not? What would you do? Would YOU wash it? If so, would you wash it by hand or by machine? Hot water or cold? With soap or just plain water? If with soap, what type should I use?

Normally when I wash delicates, I use one of these to wash them in instead of detergent:

• Blueing
• Irish Spring Body Wash
• SoftSoap Body Wash
• Woolite

Would you wash this silk using any one of these? Why or why not?

Should I use a liquid fabric softener on this?

Here are the details of the fabric, if that helps:

The fabric in question I am told was originally made to be used to create a lightweight summer kimono.

It has a woven pattern on it, (clouds, chrysanthemums, and cherry blossoms). The pattern being of a matte raised texture, while the background is a smooth glossy texture. The picture looks snow white, but it’s actually a natural undyed silk and is a creamy off-white color. The dealer I bought it from called it “Rinzu Silk”, and said it was handwoven and from approx cira 1940. It is very lightweight and airy, and when draped over your arm, feels like it is not even there. I have approx. 35 yards of it.

Though it is antique, it has never been used, and it still on it’s bolts (there are 5 bolts of it), and is in mint condition, whoever owned it stored it well, it looks like any new fabric you’d buy at the store.

On the ends of the cloth, where it was cut from the loom, are stamped some Japanese symbols (words?), (stamped with that red stuff that they stamp on art scrolls and such), and the dealer told me that these markings are the weaver’s signature, that they are stamped on just like an artist signing a work of art.

And here are some pics of it:

The costume is for a fictional character (cira 1558) from a book series, and it gives a very detailed info about his cloths, plus there loads of pictures of him, (points to the dozen or so picture of him that are floating all over this blog —–> ) so I know pretty well, every detail of the costume, it’s pretty accurate with real Japanese history and stuff that ain’t accurate I’m changing so that it will be… the author really did her research. I’m making it a period style kosode not modern style cause there is such a big difference in what they look like. Anyways, the embroidered silks kimonos are an upper or outer layer, so yea, there’s going to be under layers as well, I’m thinking of using cotton for the under layers.

I see people making this costume all the time for CosPlay, but never sticking with the historically accurate details the author put into the book. I don’t CosPlay, I do historical reenactment stuff, so I’m making this a bit different from the way a CosPlayer would be making it. I took it on, more as a “art project” than anything else, to challenge myself, because the whole costume is pretty advanced on it’s own. It’s more a display item, I don’t think I’ll wear more than once or twice. I just got sick of seeing people making a very modern looking costume, and wanted to see what the real outfit would have looked like, so that’s my goal. I actually wanted older silk, but I didn’t think that’d be possible to work with even if I did find it.

I asked someone else what would have been done “historically” and they told me that historical the cloth would have been laid out in a brook to let the water “rinse it” and than it would have been hung in the shade on a tree to dry. They said not to use any type of soap on this at all, and just use cold water. The brook in my yard comes through the swamp, and my trees are pine: I can just see it getting muddy in a brook and than spotted with tree sap, so that’s out. LOL!

I might not wash it at all. But I’m worried about it shrinking too, so I’m thinking a soak in the tub, is the best road, so I’ll probably do that.

I’ve asked a cleaner about dry cleaning my type of embroidery work before (I do a lot of really big embroidery projects, wall hangings and such) and was told that most dry cleaners wouldn’t risk it. They told me that unless something spilt on it and it got really soiled, that the best way to clean large embroidery was to spot clean it, but pressing a damp sponge on the cloth and letting it soak out the dirt. They told me that washing or cleaning would likely pull out the threads and cause massive damage to the embroidery work.

This is actually started out as an embroidery project, for me, because I loved the amazing embroidery I’ve seen on Noh kimono’s from the 1500′s, and I wanted to recreate one. I picked a fictional character, rather than a real character, because it would allow me more creative freedom. My plan just got bigger as I did more research into the character and now I’m doing the entire outfit (which includes Samaria battle armor as well…but that a whole other story!) Anyways, my goal it not so much to wear this, as it is, just to make it.

Lord Sesshomaru wears 6 different kimonos, 4 of which a white based, and are the 4 I’m using this fabric to make. Here are my drawings of what the finished kimonos will look like:

Has anyone ever dealt with a fabric like this one before? If so, could you tell me what you did? How you did it, and what the end results were? Do you have any special tips or advice of washing and handling silks or antique fabrics?

Thanks millions!

EDIT:

Thanks to a response on a thread I started on a forum, I think this question has been answered! WOW! And so quickly too! OMG< I never expected an answer to come back right after I posted the question! YAY! (I’ll still take more advice though if anyone else has anything else to say on this!)

I just looked up the info given me found this site: http://www.serve.com/marbeth/soap.html about how Orvus is used to clean needlwork projects. WOW! I think this might be what to do with my silk too. It sounds like it’ll work out better than anything else.

I didn’t know that Woolite distresses fabric! ACK! Good to know. I’ll have to rethink how I use it.

SECOND EDIT:

well, I unrolled the bolt, and I’m not seeing any markings on it at all. I don’t think it was ever even unrolled before. It’s really nice and clean, and there’s no “smells” or anything either.

I was looking at the fabric and I started thinking about the washing machine and thought “ACK! The agitator will ruin this!”, and than I was thinking about the tub and thought: “No way is the tub clean enough to get near white fabric!”

I think I’m leaning more and more to not washing it at all, cause it might do more damage than good, plus I really can’t see it ever being washed once it’s finished.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume.

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

Antique Silk: To Wash or Not To Wash? What Would You Do?

Okay, so if you’ve been reading my blogs or websites for a while, than you’ve probably heard me talking about my costume and how I’m gone nuts over historical accuracy with it. Part of my historical accuracy obsession, was to seek out antique 15″ wide Japanese silk to use to make Lord Sesshomaru’s kimono and hakama.

I started my search in March 2008 and after several weeks I finally found what I was looking for. I bought it from a dealer in Japan, and it just arrived in the mail yesterday. It is the most beautiful fabric I have ever owned, however, now that I have it here in my hands, I’m looking at it and I’m thinking, what have I gotten myself into? This amazing little piece of cloth has now opened up a whole world of questions, most of which I should be able to deal with on my own, but one, is just nagging at me, and I don’t know what I should do, so I thought I’d come here and ask you guys, and see what you say.

Normally I buy a new fabric and throw it in the washing machine to pre-wash it and pre-shrink it, before I even consider cutting it out and sewing it into anything. Wither or not it goes in the dryer depends on what type of fabric it is.

Here’s my dilemma:

• This fabric is 100% pure silk, and a very lightweight one too.
• This fabric is handwoven.
• This fabric is antique.

So… each of those types of fabric would require special care, but this fabric is all three in one!

As you know, this fabric is going to be used to make the 4 kimonos worn by Lord Sesshomaru through the series, (The red one, the purple one, the blue one, and the pink one.) and the white hakama. The white on each of these kimono, is of course the color of the fabric, while the colored sections on the kimonos, I am going to add via hand embroidery. It’s going to take me 3 or 4 months to do the embroidery on each kimono, so an awful lot of time and work is going into these. The embroidery once finished, will not be able to be washed, by either machine or hand, and can only be “spot cleaned” with a sponge. So, that said, once these kimonos are finished, I will never be able to wash them.

Now, that brings us to my question and why I am writing this post:

I know that silk can shrink like crazy when washed, so pre-washing is recommended. On the other hand the finished garment is not likely to ever be washed, ever. The fact that this silk is an antique, means that it should be handled with more care too.

So, should I pre-wash this fabric or not? What would you do? Would YOU wash it? If so, would you wash it by hand or by machine? Hot water or cold? With soap or just plain water? If with soap, what type should I use?

Normally when I wash delicates, I use one of these to wash them in instead of detergent:

• Blueing
• Irish Spring Body Wash
• SoftSoap Body Wash
• Woolite

Would you wash this silk using any one of these? Why or why not?

Should I use a liquid fabric softener on this?

Here are the details of the fabric, if that helps:

The fabric in question I am told was originally made to be used to create a lightweight summer kimono.

It has a woven pattern on it, (clouds, chrysanthemums, and cherry blossoms). The pattern being of a matte raised texture, while the background is a smooth glossy texture. The picture looks snow white, but it’s actually a natural undyed silk and is a creamy off-white color. The dealer I bought it from called it “Rinzu Silk”, and said it was handwoven and from approx cira 1940. It is very lightweight and airy, and when draped over your arm, feels like it is not even there. I have approx. 35 yards of it.

Though it is antique, it has never been used, and it still on it’s bolts (there are 5 bolts of it), and is in mint condition, whoever owned it stored it well, it looks like any new fabric you’d buy at the store.

On the ends of the cloth, where it was cut from the loom, are stamped some Japanese symbols (words?), (stamped with that red stuff that they stamp on art scrolls and such), and the dealer told me that these markings are the weaver’s signature, that they are stamped on just like an artist signing a work of art.

And here are some pics of it:

The costume is for a fictional character (cira 1558) from a book series, and it gives a very detailed info about his cloths, plus there loads of pictures of him, (points to the dozen or so picture of him that are floating all over this blog —–> ) so I know pretty well, every detail of the costume, it’s pretty accurate with real Japanese history and stuff that ain’t accurate I’m changing so that it will be… the author really did her research. I’m making it a period style kosode not modern style cause there is such a big difference in what they look like. Anyways, the embroidered silks kimonos are an upper or outer layer, so yea, there’s going to be under layers as well, I’m thinking of using cotton for the under layers.

I see people making this costume all the time for CosPlay, but never sticking with the historically accurate details the author put into the book. I don’t CosPlay, I do historical reenactment stuff, so I’m making this a bit different from the way a CosPlayer would be making it. I took it on, more as a “art project” than anything else, to challenge myself, because the whole costume is pretty advanced on it’s own. It’s more a display item, I don’t think I’ll wear more than once or twice. I just got sick of seeing people making a very modern looking costume, and wanted to see what the real outfit would have looked like, so that’s my goal. I actually wanted older silk, but I didn’t think that’d be possible to work with even if I did find it.

I asked someone else what would have been done “historically” and they told me that historical the cloth would have been laid out in a brook to let the water “rinse it” and than it would have been hung in the shade on a tree to dry. They said not to use any type of soap on this at all, and just use cold water. The brook in my yard comes through the swamp, and my trees are pine: I can just see it getting muddy in a brook and than spotted with tree sap, so that’s out. LOL!

I might not wash it at all. But I’m worried about it shrinking too, so I’m thinking a soak in the tub, is the best road, so I’ll probably do that.

I’ve asked a cleaner about dry cleaning my type of embroidery work before (I do a lot of really big embroidery projects, wall hangings and such) and was told that most dry cleaners wouldn’t risk it. They told me that unless something spilt on it and it got really soiled, that the best way to clean large embroidery was to spot clean it, but pressing a damp sponge on the cloth and letting it soak out the dirt. They told me that washing or cleaning would likely pull out the threads and cause massive damage to the embroidery work.

This is actually started out as an embroidery project, for me, because I loved the amazing embroidery I’ve seen on Noh kimono’s from the 1500′s, and I wanted to recreate one. I picked a fictional character, rather than a real character, because it would allow me more creative freedom. My plan just got bigger as I did more research into the character and now I’m doing the entire outfit (which includes Samaria battle armor as well…but that a whole other story!) Anyways, my goal it not so much to wear this, as it is, just to make it.

Lord Sesshomaru wears 6 different kimonos, 4 of which a white based, and are the 4 I’m using this fabric to make. Here are my drawings of what the finished kimonos will look like:

Has anyone ever dealt with a fabric like this one before? If so, could you tell me what you did? How you did it, and what the end results were? Do you have any special tips or advice of washing and handling silks or antique fabrics?

Thanks millions!

EDIT:

Thanks to a response on a thread I started on a forum, I think this question has been answered! WOW! And so quickly too! OMG< I never expected an answer to come back right after I posted the question! YAY! (I'll still take more advice though if anyone else has anything else to say on this!)

I just looked up the info given me found this site: http://www.serve.com/marbeth/soap.html about how Orvus is used to clean needlwork projects. WOW! I think this might be what to do with my silk too. It sounds like it’ll work out better than anything else.

I didn’t know that Woolite distresses fabric! ACK! Good to know. I’ll have to rethink how I use it.

SECOND EDIT:

well, I unrolled the bolt, and I’m not seeing any markings on it at all. I don’t think it was ever even unrolled before. It’s really nice and clean, and there’s no “smells” or anything either.

I was looking at the fabric and I started thinking about the washing machine and thought “ACK! The agitator will ruin this!”, and than I was thinking about the tub and thought: “No way is the tub clean enough to get near white fabric!”

I think I’m leaning more and more to not washing it at all, cause it might do more damage than good, plus I really can’t see it ever being washed once it’s finished.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume.

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

What a great post! Okay, here’s my answers:

What’s the newest project you’re working on?

My Lord Sesshomaru Costume. I started planning it in March, and I’m still working out all the details and such. He’s a fictional character from a historical fantasy book, but I’m treating this costume like it was a real historical figure from history, and so I’m doing all kinds of research into the real history of his time period, so that I can make his wardrobe as historically accurate as possible. When I say wardrobe I do mean wardrobe too. I’m not just making one outfit from the series (54 volumes in the series so far), I’m making every single item he ever wore in the series; which at my last count was 5 kimono, 3 jubans, 2 hakama, 4 different suits of Samuri armor, and about 40 separate accessory items (obi, shoes, fur stole, etc). Looking at everything I need to make, I think all together it’s going to take me about 3 or maybe 4 years to do, because I’m hand sewing everything and I’m hand embroidering all the silk too.

What’s the newest research you’re doing?

I’m buried in books I took out from 5 different libraries (37 books in all), about Japanese cloths from the 1500′s, Samurai armor, swords, life in Japanese villages during the 1500′s, authentic sewing and embroidery techniques used in 1500′s Japan, etc, etc, etc. All of this is in preparation to make the my Lord Sesshomaru costume mentioned above.

What’s the newest book you’ve gotten?

I haven’t bought any books in a few weeks, mostly because I’ve been so busy at the library taking out books for research! LOL!

What’s the newest item of garb you’ve made?

Last I made was a “Navajo” style tiered skirt, out of dark jewel toned velvets. It’s not accurate to any one period, but can be worn with most all periods in most cultures, so it’s one of my “wear it in a pinch” items.

I’ll be starting on embroidering my Lord Sesshomaru’s “pink lotus blossom” kimono in a few days.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume. Do you think Lord Sesshomaru is a Cross dresser? Join the debate and tell the world what you think!

Do you CosPlay? Here is A List of my CosPlay Aticles

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

What a great post! Okay, here’s my answers:

What’s the newest project you’re working on?

My Lord Sesshomaru Costume. I started planning it in March, and I’m still working out all the details and such. He’s a fictional character from a historical fantasy book, but I’m treating this costume like it was a real historical figure from history, and so I’m doing all kinds of research into the real history of his time period, so that I can make his wardrobe as historically accurate as possible. When I say wardrobe I do mean wardrobe too. I’m not just making one outfit from the series (54 volumes in the series so far), I’m making every single item he ever wore in the series; which at my last count was 5 kimono, 3 jubans, 2 hakama, 4 different suits of Samuri armor, and about 40 separate accessory items (obi, shoes, fur stole, etc). Looking at everything I need to make, I think all together it’s going to take me about 3 or maybe 4 years to do, because I’m hand sewing everything and I’m hand embroidering all the silk too.

What’s the newest research you’re doing?

I’m buried in books I took out from 5 different libraries (37 books in all), about Japanese cloths from the 1500′s, Samurai armor, swords, life in Japanese villages during the 1500′s, authentic sewing and embroidery techniques used in 1500′s Japan, etc, etc, etc. All of this is in preparation to make the my Lord Sesshomaru costume mentioned above.

What’s the newest book you’ve gotten?

I haven’t bought any books in a few weeks, mostly because I’ve been so busy at the library taking out books for research! LOL!

What’s the newest item of garb you’ve made?

Last I made was a “Navajo” style tiered skirt, out of dark jewel toned velvets. It’s not accurate to any one period, but can be worn with most all periods in most cultures, so it’s one of my “wear it in a pinch” items.

I’ll be starting on embroidering my Lord Sesshomaru’s “pink lotus blossom” kimono in a few days.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume. Do you think Lord Sesshomaru is a Cross dresser? Join the debate and tell the world what you think!

Do you CosPlay? Here is A List of my CosPlay Aticles

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

What a great post! Okay, here’s my answers:

What’s the newest project you’re working on?

My Lord Sesshomaru Costume. I started planning it in March, and I’m still working out all the details and such. He’s a fictional character from a historical fantasy book, but I’m treating this costume like it was a real historical figure from history, and so I’m doing all kinds of research into the real history of his time period, so that I can make his wardrobe as historically accurate as possible. When I say wardrobe I do mean wardrobe too. I’m not just making one outfit from the series (54 volumes in the series so far), I’m making every single item he ever wore in the series; which at my last count was 5 kimono, 3 jubans, 2 hakama, 4 different suits of Samuri armor, and about 40 separate accessory items (obi, shoes, fur stole, etc). Looking at everything I need to make, I think all together it’s going to take me about 3 or maybe 4 years to do, because I’m hand sewing everything and I’m hand embroidering all the silk too.

What’s the newest research you’re doing?

I’m buried in books I took out from 5 different libraries (37 books in all), about Japanese cloths from the 1500′s, Samurai armor, swords, life in Japanese villages during the 1500′s, authentic sewing and embroidery techniques used in 1500′s Japan, etc, etc, etc. All of this is in preparation to make the my Lord Sesshomaru costume mentioned above.

What’s the newest book you’ve gotten?

I haven’t bought any books in a few weeks, mostly because I’ve been so busy at the library taking out books for research! LOL!

What’s the newest item of garb you’ve made?

Last I made was a “Navajo” style tiered skirt, out of dark jewel toned velvets. It’s not accurate to any one period, but can be worn with most all periods in most cultures, so it’s one of my “wear it in a pinch” items.

I’ll be starting on embroidering my Lord Sesshomaru’s “pink lotus blossom” kimono in a few days.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume. Do you think Lord Sesshomaru is a Cross dresser? Join the debate and tell the world what you think!

Do you CosPlay? Here is A List of my CosPlay Aticles

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

What a great post! Okay, here’s my answers:

What’s the newest project you’re working on?

My Lord Sesshomaru Costume. I started planning it in March, and I’m still working out all the details and such. He’s a fictional character from a historical fantasy book, but I’m treating this costume like it was a real historical figure from history, and so I’m doing all kinds of research into the real history of his time period, so that I can make his wardrobe as historically accurate as possible. When I say wardrobe I do mean wardrobe too. I’m not just making one outfit from the series (54 volumes in the series so far), I’m making every single item he ever wore in the series; which at my last count was 5 kimono, 3 jubans, 2 hakama, 4 different suits of Samuri armor, and about 40 separate accessory items (obi, shoes, fur stole, etc). Looking at everything I need to make, I think all together it’s going to take me about 3 or maybe 4 years to do, because I’m hand sewing everything and I’m hand embroidering all the silk too.

What’s the newest research you’re doing?

I’m buried in books I took out from 5 different libraries (37 books in all), about Japanese cloths from the 1500′s, Samurai armor, swords, life in Japanese villages during the 1500′s, authentic sewing and embroidery techniques used in 1500′s Japan, etc, etc, etc. All of this is in preparation to make the my Lord Sesshomaru costume mentioned above.

What’s the newest book you’ve gotten?

I haven’t bought any books in a few weeks, mostly because I’ve been so busy at the library taking out books for research! LOL!

What’s the newest item of garb you’ve made?

Last I made was a “Navajo” style tiered skirt, out of dark jewel toned velvets. It’s not accurate to any one period, but can be worn with most all periods in most cultures, so it’s one of my “wear it in a pinch” items.

I’ll be starting on embroidering my Lord Sesshomaru’s “pink lotus blossom” kimono in a few days.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume. Do you think Lord Sesshomaru is a Cross dresser? Join the debate and tell the world what you think!

Do you CosPlay? Here is A List of my CosPlay Aticles

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

What a great post! Okay, here’s my answers:

What’s the newest project you’re working on?

My Lord Sesshomaru Costume. I started planning it in March, and I’m still working out all the details and such. He’s a fictional character from a historical fantasy book, but I’m treating this costume like it was a real historical figure from history, and so I’m doing all kinds of research into the real history of his time period, so that I can make his wardrobe as historically accurate as possible. When I say wardrobe I do mean wardrobe too. I’m not just making one outfit from the series (54 volumes in the series so far), I’m making every single item he ever wore in the series; which at my last count was 5 kimono, 3 jubans, 2 hakama, 4 different suits of Samuri armor, and about 40 separate accessory items (obi, shoes, fur stole, etc). Looking at everything I need to make, I think all together it’s going to take me about 3 or maybe 4 years to do, because I’m hand sewing everything and I’m hand embroidering all the silk too.

What’s the newest research you’re doing?

I’m buried in books I took out from 5 different libraries (37 books in all), about Japanese cloths from the 1500′s, Samurai armor, swords, life in Japanese villages during the 1500′s, authentic sewing and embroidery techniques used in 1500′s Japan, etc, etc, etc. All of this is in preparation to make the my Lord Sesshomaru costume mentioned above.

What’s the newest book you’ve gotten?

I haven’t bought any books in a few weeks, mostly because I’ve been so busy at the library taking out books for research! LOL!

What’s the newest item of garb you’ve made?

Last I made was a “Navajo” style tiered skirt, out of dark jewel toned velvets. It’s not accurate to any one period, but can be worn with most all periods in most cultures, so it’s one of my “wear it in a pinch” items.

I’ll be starting on embroidering my Lord Sesshomaru’s “pink lotus blossom” kimono in a few days.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume. Do you think Lord Sesshomaru is a Cross dresser? Join the debate and tell the world what you think!

Do you CosPlay? Here is A List of my CosPlay Aticles

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

SCA Silk Road – What’s New?

What a great post! Okay, here’s my answers:

What’s the newest project you’re working on?

My Lord Sesshomaru Costume. I started planning it in March, and I’m still working out all the details and such. He’s a fictional character from a historical fantasy book, but I’m treating this costume like it was a real historical figure from history, and so I’m doing all kinds of research into the real history of his time period, so that I can make his wardrobe as historically accurate as possible. When I say wardrobe I do mean wardrobe too. I’m not just making one outfit from the series (54 volumes in the series so far), I’m making every single item he ever wore in the series; which at my last count was 5 kimono, 3 jubans, 2 hakama, 4 different suits of Samuri armor, and about 40 separate accessory items (obi, shoes, fur stole, etc). Looking at everything I need to make, I think all together it’s going to take me about 3 or maybe 4 years to do, because I’m hand sewing everything and I’m hand embroidering all the silk too.

What’s the newest research you’re doing?

I’m buried in books I took out from 5 different libraries (37 books in all), about Japanese cloths from the 1500′s, Samurai armor, swords, life in Japanese villages during the 1500′s, authentic sewing and embroidery techniques used in 1500′s Japan, etc, etc, etc. All of this is in preparation to make the my Lord Sesshomaru costume mentioned above.

What’s the newest book you’ve gotten?

I haven’t bought any books in a few weeks, mostly because I’ve been so busy at the library taking out books for research! LOL!

What’s the newest item of garb you’ve made?

Last I made was a “Navajo” style tiered skirt, out of dark jewel toned velvets. It’s not accurate to any one period, but can be worn with most all periods in most cultures, so it’s one of my “wear it in a pinch” items.

I’ll be starting on embroidering my Lord Sesshomaru’s “pink lotus blossom” kimono in a few days.

What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

————-
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru’s garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin’s Costume. Do you think Lord Sesshomaru is a Cross dresser? Join the debate and tell the world what you think!

Do you CosPlay? Here is A List of my CosPlay Aticles

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat’s Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

Thank You for reading my blog’s RSS feed. Don’t forget to come to my blog and check out the links in my blogroll too!