Spent the last two days prepping fabric and planning, and spent the whole morning block-printing some fabric.
Drying
Now, every available surface in my office is draped with fabric. There’s very little bleed through the fabric, and the printing is actually thin enough that it does not run or drip, and dries quickly. I used Jacquard “Textile Color” with “Air Fix” additive. Even so, I will probably spend tomorrow heat setting with an iron just in case.
All in all, I did almost 100 impressions of the badge today, and another dozen or so impressions while testing. This is all from just one of those little 2.25 fluid ounce jars of paint. There’s still some paint left, too.
First complete garment from block-printed fabric is this kataginu vest. I have a much larger project I’m working on, but this garment enabled me to do a batch of test prints like the one I posted the other day. Later, I was able to make a garment from some of the tests.
Kataginu front
Kataginu back
It’s really super difficult to get all the wrinkles out of linen this thick. It’s great stuff, going to make awesome garb, but wrinkly. The printing came out good. I had to print back mon on both pieces before sewing, because printing across the seam with allowances on the inside would not have worked as smoothly.
When you are recognized for your achievements in the SCA, you are typically inducted into an order, and you receive both a scroll and a piece of regalia. Usually, the regalia is a medallion or belt favor that displays the heraldry of the order. Making belt favors is one of the main uses to which I put my embroidery machine. I’ve designed stitch patterns for most of the kingdom orders, and try to set aside some time and resources each year to make some for donation.
Millrind, Sycamore (2), Alce, Gage, Keystone, and Fleur
New for this batch is the Gage. The symbol of this order is actually a black glove, and the regalia given is often an actual glove, but I figured someone might prefer a belt favor.
I want to make a daimon hitatare to imitate one that I saw in a scroll. This will be so awesome, but I need a way to print my badge (which is a graphical device registered with the SCA’s College of Arms) dozens of times on the fabric I bought for this project. After months of noodling on the idea, and about a week of carving and re-carving, here is the block itself, ready for block printing.
I’ve tried it out on some crap fabric, and I’m pretty happy with the results of my tests. next up is to start cutting fabric into panels, and start printing with blocks. It’s interesting that although some paint does get into the detail grooves of the craving, that ink doesn’t reach the fabric.
I didn’t manage to get my tabi for last year finished until February of this year, but i’m now way ahead of last year when I didn’t finish my 2018 tabi until more than half way through the year.
Tabi 2019 in brown raw silk
The uppers and soles of these tabi are made from the same raw silk I used for this suoh. The ties are made from some green linen I had left over from this hapi that I made so long ago. I did save some time making this pair by just overcasting all four layers (two layers of upper, two layers of sole) together at once instead of sewing the inner and outer layers together separately and then joining them with the himo ties. This leaves a raw edge rubbing against the feet, but hiding this edge between layers is bulkier and actually less traditional. Anyway, as you can see in the photo, I usually wear socks inside my tabi.
Just in case you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about here, tabi aretraditional Japanese footwear. Common tabi are made of two layers of fabric. Modern tabi have closures at the back, but historical tabi close in front and either tie at the top or are tall enough to be held shut by the kyahan. Since they are fabric and you walk on them, they tend to wear out pretty quickly. I try to make a new pair every year so that as old ones fall apart or get too dirty I have new clean ones to take their place. Since they don’t need very much fabric, I usually piece them together from bits of surplus fabric left over from other projects.
Here’s a picture of me from our Baronial 12th Night event wearing a Kataginu Kamishimo of mostly new-for-2020 garb.
Kataginu Kamishimo in blue linen
I’m wearing a kataginu vest and hakama pants in matching blue linen, printed cotton kosode, white linen kosode, white linen kyahan shin covers, black linen tate eboshi hat, and purchased jika tabi shoes. Sagemono belt-hangers are a belt favor of the three baronial orders to which I have been inducted (Order of Copernicus, Order of the Blue/Silver Comet, Order of the Gold Comet) and a kinchaku made from the same black silk brocade as my elevation garb which has been machine embroidered with a Laurel wreath.
I never posted about my Gold Comet! The Gold Comet, or Comet D’Or, is the service order for the Barony Marche of the Debatable Lands, our local SCA group. apparently, I was given this award while we were out of the country and unable to attend the Agincourt event, but the scroll was bestowed in November at the Harvest Revel meeting.
Calligraphy and Illumination by Gesa Wellenstein
The scroll reads:
The early morning sun shines its warm rays over field and forest. There among the verdant wood glows the bright gold of a comet for our worthy Ishiyama-Shonagon Gen’tarou Yori’ie. The delicate strands of webs also gleam in the light, bedecked with morning dew. So, too, do his efforst to grow the woodworking guild please us well. For this and his numerous past services to the Barony marche of the Debatable Lands, we brandubh et Hildarun, Baron and Baroness, bestow upon him the Comet D’Or, at Agincourt on the 19th day of October, A.S. LIV.
At the 12th Night celebration of the Barony Marche of the Debatable Lands (the local SCA group), I was inducted into the Order of the Keystone of the Kingdom of Aethelmearc, the order of merit recognizing service.
Calligraphy and Illumination by Mistress Ekaterina Volkova
The scroll reads:
The quiet rabbit shapes wood, building a sound foundation of service upon which our society flourishes. Always stepping forward, Ishiyama serves through representation and organization, helping others learn the crafts of our times. Timothy and Gabrielle, Emperor and Empress of Aethelmearc, see this hard working rabbit, Ishiyama Gen’tarou Yori’ie, and bestow upon him a keystone at BMDL 12th night, January 18, AS 54.
Words by Baroness Isabel Fleuretan
I am deeply grateful to their Majesties Timothy and Gabrielle, those who recommended me for this award, and the two fine artisans who created my award scroll.
One of our favorite commercial sewing patterns is Folkwear #112 “Japanese Field Clothing“. I’ve used it for more than a dozen items of informal garb, and Sharon has probably used it for more than two dozen items. Monpe are basically baggy sweatpants, much like very simple hakama with only four panels total. Hippari are simple shirts with an open front that ties closed, and small sleeves. Together, they make good “peasant garb” for Pennsic, or work clothing for other events during the year. In movies, you’ll often see these garments with multiple patches and fixes, giving you the impression that most people in medieval Japan would only have one set of clothing, and they would wear that for as long as humanly possible. Anyway, they’re a good thing to have available in the Japanese medieval garb wardrobe, even though the Folkwear pattern isn’t quite medieval. Here’s the set I made in 2019 to replace some stuff I made more than a dozen years ago that I just can’t wear anymore.
Blue Linen Hippari and Black Linen Mompe
Both of these are made from linen fabric that I bought at the fabric store. The weave on both of these is a simple weave with color threads in one direction and white threads in the other. This gives the fabric sort of a homespun appearance, in my opinion. Anyway, these two items look pretty good together.
