Shibori

A popular form of textile art in Japan is Shibori (intricate tie dye), found on some of the more expensive kimono and haori kimono jackets. Patterns are created by minutely binding the fabric and masking off areas, then dying it by hand. When the bindings are removed, an undyed pattern is revealed. Shibori work can be further enhanced with Yuzen (hand applied) drawing or painting with textile dyes or with embroidery, known as Tsujigahana. Shibori textiles are very time consuming to produce and require great skill, so the textiles and garments created from them are very expensive and highly prized.

The word Shibori came from the Japanese verb root “shiboru” meaning “to wring, squeeze, or press.” In Japan, the earliest known example of cloth dyed with a shibori technique dates from the 8th century. There are an infinite number of ways one can bind, stitch, fold, twist, or compress cloth for shibori, and each way results in very different patterns. Each method is used to achieve a certain result, but each method is also used to work in harmony with the type of cloth used. Therefore, the technique used in shibori depends not only on the desired pattern, but the characteristics of the cloth being dyed. Also, different techniques can be used in conjunction with one another to achieve even more elaborate results.

History of Kimono:

Throughout most of its history, kimono, traditional Japanese clothing remained relatively consistent in its structure and silhouette. The kimono pay little mind to the body of the wearer and mask the figure beneath. The shape rarely changes, regardless of the wearer’s class, gender or position. All personal details and identifying factors appear on the surface, in the fabrics, colors, patterns and details adorning the kimono’s rich surface.

Originally, "kimono" was the Japanese word for clothing. But in more recent years, the word has been used to refer specifically to traditional Japanese clothing. Kimonos as we know them today came into being during the Heian period (794-1192).

From the Nara period (710-794) until then, Japanese people typically wore either ensembles consisting of separate upper and lower garments (trousers or skirts), or one-piece garments. But in the Heian period, a new kimono-making technique was developed. Known as the straight-line-cut method, it involved cutting pieces of fabric in straight lines and sewing them together. With this technique, kimono makers did not have to concern themselves with the shape of the wearer's body.

Straight-line-cut kimonos offered many advantages. They were easy to fold. They were also suitable for all weather: They could be worn in layers to provide warmth in winter, and kimonos made of breathable fabric such as linen were comfortable in summer. These advantages helped kimonos become part of Japanese people's everyday lives.

Over time, as the practice of wearing kimono in layers came into fashion, Japanese people began paying attention to how kimono of different colors looked together, and they developed a heightened sensitivity to color. Typically, color combinations represented either seasonal colors or the political class to which one belonged. It was during this time that what we now think of as traditional Japanese color combinations developed.

During the Kamakura period (1192-1338) and the Muromachi period (1338-1573), both men and women wore brightly colored kimonos. Warriors dressed in colors representing their leaders, and sometimes the battlefield was as gaudy as a fashion show.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Tokugawa Shogun ruled over Japan. The Edo period was one of unprecedented political stability, economic growth, and urban expansion. kimono makers got better and better at their craft, and kimono making grew into an art form. Kyoto, the old capital, remained the center of aristocratic culture and luxury production and a dynamic urban culture developed in Edo which fashionable dress played a central role. During the Edo period, new techniques were developed and the use of subdued colors and fabrics became increasingly common.

During the Meiji period (1868-1912), Japan was heavily influenced by foreign cultures. The government encouraged people to adopt Western clothing and habits. Government officials and military personnel were required by law to wear Western clothing for official functions. For ordinary citizens, wearing kimonos on formal occasions were required to use garments decorated with the wearer's family crest, which identified his or her family background.

The Taishō period (1912-1926) was one of confidence and optimism in Japan. Industrial development was stimulated by the First World War, economic prosperity being matched by political democratization. It was a period of great urban growth, particularly in the capital, Tokyo (fka Edo). Although western-style clothes gained popularity among women, the kimono continued to be worn. The traditional cut of the garment remained the same, but the motifs were dramatically enlarged and new designs appeared, inspired by western styles such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Their striking patterns reflected the confident spirit of the age and provided an exuberant visual statement for the modern, independent, urban woman of the Taishō and early Shōwa periods (1926-1989).

Since the end of the Second World War western-style clothing has been the everyday wear of most Japanese. The older generation often continues to wear kimono, as do geisha, actors, and those serving in traditional restaurants or engaged in activities such the tea ceremony. Generally however, kimono are only worn at a limited number of formal occasions and there are fairly rigid guidelines about what type of garment is appropriate for what event.

Today, there are kimono made with beautiful modern fabrics can be seen increasingly on the streets of Japan, while second-hand kimono are becoming popular with the young, who often re-style them or combine them with other items of dress. Antique kimono and obi are also showcased as art form to enjoy its beauty and tranquility at home.

Kimono Fabrics:

· Rinzu – Figured satin silk

· Shusu – Satin Silk

· Chirimen – Plain weave crepe silk

· Yuzen – Freehand paste-resist dyeing

· Kaki-E – Ink Painting

· Suri-Hitta – Stencil imitation tie-dyeing

· Shibori – Tie-Dyeing

· Kawari-Aya – Broken twill silk

· Itajime – Block-Clamp Resist Dyeing

Kimono for men should fall approximately to the ankle without tucking. A woman’s kimono has additional length to allow for the ohashori, the tuck that can be seen under the obi, which is used to adjust the kimono to the wearer. An ideally tailored kimono has sleeves that fall to the wrist when the arms are lowered.

Kimono are traditionally made from a single bolt of fabric called a tan. Tan come in standard dimensions, about 36 centimeters wide and 11.5 meters long, and the entire bolt is used to make one kimono. The finished kimono consists of four main strips of fabric:

· Two panels covering the body

· two panels forming the sleeves

· with additional smaller strips forming the narrow front panels and collar

The maximum width of the sleeve is dictated by the width of the fabric. The distance from the center of the spine to the end of the sleeve could not exceed twice the width of the fabric. Traditional kimono fabric was typically no more than 36 centimeters (14 inches) wide; thus, the distance from spine to wrist could not exceed a maximum of roughly 68 centimeters (27 inches). Modern kimono fabric is woven as wide as 42 centimeters (17 inches) to accommodate modern Japanese body sizes. Very tall or heavy people, such as sumo wrestlers must have kimono custom made by joining multiple bolts, weaving custom width fabric, or using non-standard size fabric.

Traditionally, kimono are sewn by hand; even machine-made kimono requires substantial hand stitching. Kimono fabrics are frequently handmade and decorated, and techniques such as Yuzen dye resist are used for applying decoration and patters to the base cloth. Repeating patters that cover a large area of kimono are traditionally done with the Yuzen resist technique and a stencil.

The kimono and obi are traditionally made of hemp, linen, silk, silk brocade, silk crepes and satin weaves. Modern kimono are widely available in less expensive easy to care fabrics such as rayon, cotton sateen, cotton, polyester and other synthetic fibers. Silk is still considered the ideal fabric for kimono.

Parts of Kimono

These terms refer to parts of a kimono:

Dōura (胴裏): upper lining on a kimono
Eri (衿): collar
Fuki (袘): hem guard
Sode (袖): sleeve below the armhole
Obi (帯): a belt
Maemigoro (前身頃): front main panel, excluding sleeves. The covering portion of the other side of the back, maemigoro is divided into "right maemigoro" and "left maemigoro"
Miyatsukuchi (身八つ口): opening under the sleeve
Okumi (衽): front inside panel on the front edge of the left and right, excluding the sleeve of a kimono. Until the collar, down to the bottom of the dress goes, up and down part of the strip of cloth. Have sewn the front body. It is also called "袵".
Sode (袖): sleeve
Sodeguchi (袖口): sleeve opening
Sodetsuke (袖付): kimono armhole
Susomawashi (裾回し): lower lining
Tamoto (袂): sleeve pouch
Tomoeri (共衿): over-collar (collar protector)
Uraeri (裏襟): inner collar
Ushiromigoro (後身頃): back main panel, excluding sleeves, covering the back portion. They are basically sewn back-centered and consist of "right ushiromigoro" and "left ushiromigoro", but for wool fabric, the ushiromigoro consists of one piece.