obi

when I finished weaving in Japan I decided I would like to weave only obi. Of course that was a dream, but a picture in the book Japanese Accents  in Western Interiors, by Rao/Mahoney  inspired me to weave a group of obi for a teacher’s display at an ANWG conference.

All the obi are informal and traditionally would only be worn with working or very informal kimono.

the first one is narrow with a cotton warp and  handspun hemp weft, twill pattern. The summer and winter pattern is woven on a cotton warp with cotton and handspun hemp weft, the colours (not black, brown) are natural dyes.  

The sakiori/rag weave obi is not one of the original group, the original was sold and it took three years to weave a replacement. Warp is cotton, the rags are cut from old kimono, silk ties and a blouse or two.

woven in a bird’s eye twill, the warp in the top obi is a handspun blend of silk and hemp dyed with my homegrown madder. The weft is shifu/handcut Japanese paper.

The fifth obi is a monk’s belt pattern, the warp is commercial and handspun silk, natural and indigo dyed. The weft is the same, indigo and madder dyed.

Obi still fascinate me, they are like a blank canvas.