series one – textiles of japan
This is the first of several series to be added each year focusing on the vast range of textiles produced in Japan. The links down below are of the recordings prepared over the course of the 2023 season. They include the talks alone – the discussion portion of the programs are reserved for members.
As a member, you are invited to participate in the Zoom-based recording sessions, during which time we go over the details of the information presented and discuss the samples mailed out. These sessions are live – updated and presented fresh for each season. Members are welcome to download and keep the recordings from all seasons within their series.
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Non-members are welcome to enjoy the YouTube uploads, updated monthly. The YouTube links are listed below.
Sign Up–
Start your subscription by clicking on one of the buttons below.
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Monthly Subscription: The first payment is $78 plus postage and CA sales tax (if applicable). This includes the beautifully made, hinged wooden box in your choice of ebony-black lacquer or rich mahogany red, along with your first sample – hand-dyed oboro-bingata silk chirimen from Okinawa.
Afterward, you will be automatically billed $22, plus postage and CA sales tax, if applicable, on a monthly basis and with your monthly sample mailed out as soon as payment is received. You may cancel at any time.
You will be billed separately for postage. International orders welcome.
Full Set at One Time: You may also opt to order the full set for delivery and save on postage. $295 plus postage and CA sales tax, if applicable.
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All samples are hand-woven/hand-dyed in the highest quality Japanese traditions. The actual samples are one-of-a-kind representatives of the featured technique and may vary a bit from the photos shown on this page.
Each sample is mounted on an acid-free, dye-cut paper frame, allowing the textile to be viewed easily from both the front and the back - so important in fully appreciating the techniques employed!
Additional Benefits to Becoming a Member
–Each month, beginning in January, I will be posting a thirty-minute-plus video to YouTube describing that month’s category of textiles, highlighting the sample of the month. Included will be information of historical and cultural interest. As a member, you will be invited to participate in a Zoom meeting in which we watch the vid-clips and diagrams together. You’ll be able to ask questions and discuss the topic at hand. This roughly hour-long presentation will also be available for members to download and keep.
The roughly half-hour presentation will be posted on YouTube for the general public to enjoy but will not include our private Q&A session, nor will they be able to download the video.
–Periodically, I will be offering special shopping opportunities, pulling from my vast collection of textiles. Members will be able to shop ahead of non-members and will be given substantial discounts on all items listed.
-Members will also receive advance notice of all classes and events to help ensure you make it into that special program you’ve been waiting for.
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–From time to time, I'll be offering culturally related programs and members will be welcome to join in, free of charge.
If this subscription is to be a gift, please let me know when you sign up and I will gladly include a nice gift card from you saying so.
series two – textiles of japan
This is the second of several series to be added each year focusing on the vast range of textiles produced in Japan. Each session will be recorded during the Zoom presentation and afterward members will be welcome to download and keep the full session. Shorter versions will be posted below once they are uploaded to YouTube. They include the talks alone – the discussion portion of the programs are reserved for members.
As a member, you are invited to participate in the Zoom-based recording sessions, during which time we go over the details of the information presented and discuss the samples mailed out. These sessions are live – updated and presented fresh for each season. Members are welcome to download and keep the recordings from all seasons within their series.
​
Non-members are welcome to enjoy the YouTube uploads, updated monthly. The YouTube links are listed below.
Sign Up–
Start your subscription by clicking on one of the buttons below.
​
Monthly Subscription: The first payment is $78 plus postage and CA sales tax (if applicable). This includes the beautifully made, hinged wooden box in your choice of ebony-black lacquer or rich mahogany red, along with your first sample – hand-dyed yuuzen silk chirimen from Kyoto.
Afterward, you will be automatically billed $22, plus postage and CA sales tax, if applicable, on a monthly basis and with your monthly sample mailed out as soon as payment is received. You may cancel at any time.
You will be billed separately for postage. International orders welcome.
Full Set at One Time: You may also opt to order the full set for delivery and save on postage. $295 plus postage and CA sales tax, if applicable.
​
All samples are hand-woven/hand-dyed in the highest quality Japanese traditions. The actual samples are one-of-a-kind representatives of the featured technique and may vary a bit from the photos shown on this page.
Each sample is mounted on an acid-free, dye-cut paper frame, allowing the textile to be viewed easily from both the front and the back - so important in fully appreciating the techniques employed!
Textile of the Month On YouTube
The movie clips represented in the column to the left below, were filmed as part of the 2023 Textile of the Month Club, Series One. Members received mounted samples of the textiles covered in this series and were invited to participate in the live Zoom talks, which were followed by Q&A. These links will be updated as the newly-recorded, 2024 editions are produced.
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The topics in the right-hand column represent the samples I'm offering as part of Series Two, and will be uploaded monthly, once recorded, starting in January, 2024.
video clips–in monthly order of presentation
series one, 2023 recordings
01 Bingata–oborobingata sample, natural dyes on silk chirimen
series two, 2024 recordings
01 Yuuzen–like painted fans in their delicacy of imagery, we'll be discussing both Kyoto and Kaga styles –includes two samples
02 MinTsudure–what the Japanese call Ming-style tapestry weave, hand woven, silk
02 HonTsudure–Japanese-style tapestry weave / weft faced obi fabric – includes two samples
03 Velvet–combination but and uncut silk velvet
03 Meisen–screen printed kasuri dyeing which allows for quick turn around of timely patterns
04 KaraOri–a unique category of Japanese weaving which was initially an attempt to imitate T'ang Period Chinese embroidery
04 SagaNishiki–gilded paper warp with twill weave
05 KumiHimo/KumiOri–Japanese weaving on non-traditional looms
05 RadenOri–woven mother-of-pearl
06 Ooshima Tsumugi–mud-dyed ikat
06 Kyoukechi–complex clamp resist with safflower dye
07 UrushiOri–lacquer weave
08 Kanoko Shibori–small pattern tie-dye
08 Ise Katagami–hand-carved paper stencils used to apply the patterning in edo komon dyeing
07 Edo Komon–minutely patterned geometric imagery using stencils and rice-paste resist
These two samples will be discusses together in July.
09 NishikiOri–taquete-style weaving in silk
09 SakiOri–rag weaving
10 MonRo–patterned leno weaves
10 Kinkoma–couched textiles
11 KusakiZome–textiles making use of natural dyes
11 Moriage–high relief painted/coned imagery on silks
12 Shifu–paper-woven textile
12 Minomushi–bagworm skin appliqued and piece-quilted textiles
13 SumiNagashi–marbled textiles using ancient Japanese techniques
