World Textile Day - with pictures

We had a great day yesterday at the Minerva Centre, Llanidloes. Most of the day was very busy, with the only quieter moments while visitors were attending the talks - John Gillow on African and Asian costume and my talk on everyday kimono kitsuke. The photo above was taken at the end of the afternoon, when the kimono rail was severely depleted!

Here are some general views of the venue - John Gillow's gorgeous antique and vintage pieces from many countries across Africa and Asia -


The African Fabric Shop - love the new signboard Bob & Magie had painted on their last trip (just behind the light).

Textile Techniques -

Some of the pieces on display, plus the corner of Slow Loris, where Martin has the most amazing indigo fabric for sale (on the rolls at the bottom of the photo) - so glossy, they are almost metallic.


Magie Relph of the African Fabric Shop was my volunteer model for the full works. There's a photo on her website. I dressed her in a wool kimono (the second one I made) that has false sleeves, a kantan haneri ("easy half collar", a fake juban collar so she didnt' wear the juban layer - shown here on a dummy of course!) -


and a lovely brand new hemp hanhaba (half width) obi. Admittedly the obi was a summer one and the kimono was for winter, but I wanted a nice crisp obi that I could tie with the front section flipped over to show both sides and both colours. The talk covered all aspects of kimono underwear and several volunteers frome the audience wore a selection of vintage and modern juban, including two piece juban, a version of the kantan haneri with a kind of tabard top attached (an interesting acquisition from Yahoo! Japan Auctions) -


and the 1930s juban shown below - the first is remodelled from a yuzen-dyed houmongi (visiting wear) kimono -


while the second one made from a kimono fabric sample roll.

Bob took several photos of the kimono talk, so I'm hoping he'll send me them soon.

Looking forward to next year!