I am a member of the online guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, and in August I completed my Certificate of Achievement in natural Dyeing with Distinction from the guild.
The certificate of achievement is divided into two parts; dyeing samples using a range of dye colours and techniques, and to “design and execute a project piece… demonstrating the use of as many techniques as you wish which enhance your work.”
I knew fairly soon in my certificate journey that I wanted to make a kimono. My interest in Japan began when I was a small child. My father visited Tokyo and had his photograph taken with a tiny Japanese woman in full traditional dress. I loved the idea of designing a kimono and began my research for the piece in earnest.
Yutori
Yutori (ゆとり) is a Japanese concept referring to spaciousness, leeway, and room to breathe, encompassing a sense of mental and physical ease, balance, and freedom from overwhelming pressure. It allows for creativity and personal expression. This became the name for my kimono as I relaxed and enjoyed the year-long process of creating it. A kimono is simply ki ‘to wear’ mono ‘a thing’.
History of Kimono
The history and development of what we understand as ‘a kimono’ today began in the Asuka-Nara period (552–794 CE) and was a kosode. This was a simple garment, usually made from plant fibres, homespun of course, with a small wrist opening, for the common people. This developed during the Heian period (749–1185 CE) into a multiple layered costume with a full-length wrist opening worn by aristocratic women, and the symbolism of the fabric colours also became significant. The Samurai period developed large designs and patterns on the fabric.
A child had a waist length sleeve with a rounded end and small wrist opening. A single woman would have an ankle length sleeve with a long wrist opening (unmarried aristocratic ladies of the imperial Japanese court just sat around so didn’t need their kimono to be practical at all!). A married woman would have a waist length sleeve with a large wrist opening and rounded edges and the man’s kimono was a similar length with square edges. This square shape has now become the modern norm for everyone. Contrary to common belief, nothing was carried in the sleeves of kimono.
From the Muromachi period (1333–1573 CE) to the end of the Edo period (1615–1868 CE) the development of dye, embroidery and textile designs took off, with designs eventually covering the whole surface of the kimono. Abstract shapes, predominantly red and black were typical for men, and gold designs and surface painting were common for women. The basic shape of kimono is the same for men and women and always worn with the front left side over the right.
Decorative Kimono techniques
The decorative techniques from the Keicho and Kari-ei periods (1596–1624 CE) include:
- Tsuke-dome: immersion or dip dyeing (traditionally the cloth is repeatedly dipped).
- Painting: shapes were filled in with dye using a brush (kahi-e), brushing over a whole area with dye (hiki-zome) or filling in an outline of resist paste (iro sashi).
- Yuzen: paste resist techniques using a sticky rice paste to stencil designs before dyeing, usually by brush dyeing.
- Shibori: these are techniques we understand today of resist dyeing, shibori literally means ‘squeezed’ and is most often seen as stitched and clamped designs dyed with indigo.
- Oke-zome: a method of tub resist dyeing. The part of the fabric to be undyed is stitched off and put in a tub with a tight-fitting lid, then the piece of fabric is placed in the dye.
- Suri-haku: the application of gold leaf to fabric.
- Nui: long flat stitches to give a padded effect to landscapes, leaves etc.
The motifs and symbols on kimono are very important. I chose the iconic Japanese scene of Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi in the spring with cherry blossom (=sakura in Japanese). This would mean that my kimono would (traditionally only) be worn in the spring. Cherry blossom symbolises beauty or loveliness of nature, and Fuji symbolises longevity.
A combination of several of the techniques I described above is called tsujigahana. I used these methods in my kimono for Lake Kawaguchi (shibori), Mount Fuji snow (oke-zome), on the top of Mount Fuji (nui), gold in the cherry blossoms (suri-haku) and the silk of the kimono and lining (tsuke-zome).
Significance of colour
The colours of kimono are immensely significant because the dyers of the past believed that the colours themselves were infused with health giving properties. Dye plants were also used as herbal medicine. Black is the most formal colour (though not for mourning) and is a protection against evil. Purple (for elegance) and red (for passion) were worn by ladies of the imperial court. Colours were determined by rank, the season and the ceremony the kimono was worn for. The rarer and more difficult the dye colour, the higher the status of the wearer. Some of the most prized colours for spiritual potency were a yellowish-red (akane-iro) madder colour associated with the sun and indigo (ai-iro) which is linked to serenity and calmness like the sky.
Japanese Dyes
The Japanese dyes I used in the yutori kimono are:
- Kuchinashi (gardenia flowers), strong yellow for the sun on the kimono and the obi (kimono belt)
- Kariyasi (Japanese Miscanthus), a pale yellow on the obi and a warm yellow on the body of the kimono by using different strengths of dye.
- Yamamomo (Japanese bayberry), brownish yellow on the obi
- Suo (sappanwood), reddish pink on the obi and for brush dyeing the cherry blossoms
- Binwanoha (loquat leaf), peachy colour on the obi
- Binruji (betel nut), warm beige on the obi
- Dopkoppi (saw-tooth oak bark), warm brown on the obi and the fabrics of the tree trunk
- Murasaki (also known as gromwell), a rich purple for the kimono lining (a strong contrast of kimono and lining is quite traditional, so I wasn’t being garish mixing yellow and purple!)
- The shadow of the tree was silk chiffon, dyed with tea, PG tips to be exact!
Pattern and Dye Samples
I created my own pattern with the understanding that Japanese fabric is usually 14 inches wide (the width of a traditional loom) so all the pattern pieces could only be a maximum of 14 inches in one direction.
Dyes were trialled on cotton before dyeing the silk of the kimono itself. The yutori kimono is slub silk and the lining is chirimen silk (a traditional Japanese silk crepe fabric). Most dyes were created in the usual way by making an infusion. The difference is that the fabric is dyed, then mordanted, and often left to rest for several months to mature before re-dyeing again, and repeating this process again and again, until the required depth of colour is achieved.
Once I had colour samples, I began making the garment/s.
Making the Yutori Kimono
The obi was made first, with dyed silk ribbon in traditional colours.
The shibori silk ribbons for the lake and Mount Fuji, created by oke-zome were dyed next and sewn onto the kimono. The summit of Mount Fuji was created using nui stitching and beads to give a deep, sparkling snow effect.
The landscape was dyed with kariyasu, then indigo to create a soft green, and I deliberately left it uneven to give visual texture and added to this with slightly padded raised sections to show ‘undulations’ in the ground. I also added sashiko circles (decorative embroidery).
Then the tree was created and the bark, with lots of small pieces of dopkoppi dyed fabrics appliqued on, with gold thread and beads to add texture. Making something rough and textured from soft fabrics is quite a challenge! The blossoms were made from washable paper, brush dyed with suo and cut out with a paper punch, then sewn on by hand using kuchinashi dyed embroidery silk. About 500 of them….
Lastly, the tree shadow, the sun and the clouds were added.
The Kimono Lining
The lining was dyed with murasaki which needs to be infused in alcohol. I initially tried vodka (the checkout lady in Tescos is convinced I’m an alcoholic!) but I only got a dull purple grey. Then I tried industrial alcohol and got a beautiful strong purple. The local water authority gave me advice in its safe disposal – one litre / day down the loo and flush twice. The sleeves and the edge of the lining is bound with Japanese printed cotton.
Creating the yatori kimono has done just that – given me space and time to reflect and breathe, feel calm and create a piece of personal, artistic expression. It’s a joy to wear, gently, and to swish about a bit, not at all like traditional Japanese ladies! It makes me smile.
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