huntington, chinese art, japan expo, kitsuke

[aimeekitty]

still sick!

Mitch and I went to the chrysanthemums on the eastern hedge exhibit today...
isn't Huntington Garden's beautiful? This is in the desert garden.


also, don't you think this tree looks like a butt?... also, look at this wee cactus!

I might try to practice a little kitsuke if I'm not feeling too tired today. my next goal besides getting my ohashori straight is to try to learn how to tie a nagoya obi.

This month, I'm going to Hannari premeire (a geisha documentary) and the Japan Expo and I wanted to go in kimono if my kitsuke is passable enough by then!

(pst... I got a real maiko furisode. It's coming in the mail soon! O_O! )

Comments

[cassu-bean.livejournal.com]

Those fuzzy cactusus are so funny. I was at our local Botanical Gardens the other day and saying how they look like fuzzy rocks.

[april-art.livejournal.com]

The Huntington is just amazing. I really should try and get there more often... but then, even when I used to live in Pasadena I didn't go all that often... *sigh*

Lovely photos! Fuzzy cacti! ^__^

The furisode looks beautiful. Too bad you don't have a dresser to do all the work getting dressed correctly! I think it's almost impossible to do all on your own!

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

well, I'm hoping to have another huntington doll meet and/or tea sometime in the next month or two, you should come! :)

it's easy for me to forget about huntington, but every time I go I really feel relaxed when I leave. so I've been trying to get out every other time or so when they have a new art exhibit and drag mitch with me. :)

I've heard some girls have been able to tie a furisode obi by themselves by tieing it in the front and then twisting it around to the back. I'm not sure if I'll ever get that good though! haha. I'll just have to convince a friend to learn kitsuke with me.

[pumabaerchen.livejournal.com]

Oh wow what a beautiful garden!
I always enjoy your pictures of Huntington garden, I hope I can go there someday and see it for myself ^-^

[supinternets.livejournal.com]

Wow, those cacti are lovely! And grats on the goregous maiko furisode, its beautiful! Your going to look great in it. I hope you'll post some photos of you wearing it!

[howlnonyanko.livejournal.com]

Hello :) I've been lurking your journal for a while , and I had to comment because of that pretty August Ro furisode hikizuri :) :) :) :) ! It's to die for!!!

It's SO pretty! Where are you going to get a matching juban for it from? Or did you get a juban to go with it when you bought it? Did you already get a darari obi for it?

Thank you for writing about Hannari and Japan Expo! I didn't know about Hannari at all and I totally forgot about Expo! <-I've wanted to go for a while, but every year something comes up (test, family thing, etc.). Maybe this year... *crosses fingers*

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

Hi! I'm looking for a Ro Darari, but I'm not holding my breath! darari obi are so hard to find (unless you have any ideas). Right now I have a Ro Maru obi, that's the best I can do for now.

I have a Ro red and white Juban, but it's not furisode... I think I may cut it up and try to make it furisode suitable (or at least fake-able) I'm still looking though! SIGH! Ro maiko items are so hard to find, but it's so HOT in California, and most of the conventions I go to are in the summer.

[howlnonyanko.livejournal.com]

Hello again :)

Actually I do have ideas :) I know you're into EGL, so you probably are familiar with Yahoo Japan Auctions?

You can buy ro fabric on a bolt there. They also sell bolts of obi shin, too. One modern bolt of ro with a komon pattern on it and a 2 bolts of obi shin fabric will make you a nice ro darari :) You can also make a juban with it...because you can obviously sew amazing things ...or if you are short on time, or too hot...you can cheat like dancers do and sew in fake juban "sleeves" and then make a susoyoke of the same fabric. It'll probably be easier for you that way since you already need an eri sugata anyway and it is one less layer! Oh, it's so nice to talk kimono again!

They had a ro darai obi on Rising Sun a while ago...but I think it got sold. If you have a ro maru...you could cut it in half and find some backing fabric and make it into a darari... :) I did that with a green maru obi. It makes a darai sized zentsuu fukuro looking thing.

Sorry, if I typed too much stuff...I just like talking kimono :)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

But the bolt wouldnt have the design on it, you know? I just don't feel like it would be the same. I'm not experienced in traditional kimono/obi painting techniques.
I feel like actually cutting up a Maru Obi and extending it would be easier.

as for the juban, yes, that's what I was going to do, cut it up and make it furisode-like with extensions.

I'd prefer though to find a Ro bolt in red and white! But I haven't seen one at all!

(yes, I've been looking on yahoo japan auctions!)

I have found a maiko haneri though, so I'll probably use that (with an addition of some more hand-embroidery on it.) since they dont seem to have Ro Haneri (I've been checking photos...)

*SIGH*! :(

[howlnonyanko.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm still working...and this is MUCH more interesting than overtime!

There are a few ro bolts with designs on them at YJA right now?
http://search.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/search?p=%e5%b8%a1%a1%c8%bf%ca%aa&f=0x2&alocale=0jp&mode=1&auccat=0
The pampas grass white and blue one would work design-wise, but the colors aren't that great with your kimono...The ro oshidori one is way cute, but doesn't match either...

This fern-y one is red and white..
http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m30576586

This maru obi is nice and would go (hmm...some stains, but it's only $30 about):　http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/79051763

It makes me want to buy more kimono stuff again *drool*

Have you tried Rakuten? They sell kimono fabric bolts, too...
Whoa, this one would make a cool obi!　It's a rayon-y feel fabric you can wash (that "Azuma le silk" stuff or maybe it's pronounced "Tou le Silk?" I never found out which reading it was...)
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/asakusa1393/f04007/
Here is a search for ro bolts on rakuten...I should get back to work or I'll be looking at kimono stuff all night :)
http://esearch.rakuten.co.jp/rms/sd/esearch/vc?sv=2&sitem=%E5%B8%C8%BF%CA%AA

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

well, your search term is better than what I was using, thanks! I'll bookmark that!

I have until next year so maybe I'll just keep looking

(the Ro Maru obi I already have is ok if I can't find something better.)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

oh, does rakuten do custom or larger size kimono? do you know?

[howlnonyanko.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

Most of the stores at Rakuten who sell bolts of kimono fabric do sew up the bolt to the customer's size :) It will say:
お仕立て致します
which basically means they will sew the bolt to order :)

How big they can make it depends on the width of the bolt. The biggest preta (short for preta porte...or ready made) size I remember is LL (also called Model Size). I can't remember the height measurement for that and I can't seem to find it on Rakuten right now. I remember it fit my friend who is 5'8" but I don't remember how much extra oshashori there was for it...

Oh, and some of the YJA sellers will sew the bolt for you, too.

Hope this helps?

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I think LL size typically fits me. I'm 182 cm.

waaah, this site is hard to surf! Their "Tall" size would fit me (marked as TL). I'm having a hard time finding the custom section itself though

I've noticed that with some YJA sellers! always the one I want goes for over $500 though (not including the sewing) haha. silly me. :) I will keep looking though.

Thanks so much for all the help! It's kinda fun in a way, like a treasure-hunt to find items that will fit me (for me anyway it's amusing in a weird way)

[howlnonyanko.livejournal.com]

You're welcome :)

"the one I want goes for over $500" <-just means you have good taste :)

I this YJA is a treasure hunt :) I always find cool things that I don't need but all of a sudden MUST have!