塩沢おめし | Shiozawa Omeshi | Shiozawa Twist Dye Ikat | Fabrics #23

Shiozawa is a type of Omeshi made around Niigata prefecture. It is designated as Juji Gasuri ( じゅじがすり｜crossed splash patterns ) which denotes the specific cross styles found across the tanimono.  Threads were first tye-dyed.[1] The weft is tightly wound before being spun and then placed onto a Takahata loom which leaves these distinctive cross patterns.[2] All bolts are to this day made by hand on these looms.[1] Warp threads are then dyed using tye-dye, stencils dyes or paper stencils.[3] These patterns can also be used to make different layers and levels of the work to leave a distinctive fabric gradient type effect on the final bolt. A type of silk crepe, Shiozawa uses these effects to leave a light textile crimp, much like linen.[2] Afterwards the cloth is washed in hot water and left to dry leaving the crosses exposed to the eye.[2]

Shiozawa Town (2016, CC4.0) Tariqsheikh

The murky proto history of Shiozawa Omeshi emerges from a Ramie sample known as Echigo Jofu found in the Shosoin, around 794 CE.[3] Shiozawa Hon emerged around 1750, after the Komin Masatoshi Hori created the modern hard-twist thread method used to make Shiozawa Omeshi by 1679 CE.[2][3] These were artisanal works though and are mostly thought to have been workshop specific pieces until the 20th century.[3] Modern Shiozawa Omeshi arose out of a need to create a new market for fabric in the area when industrialisation took root in the Taisho period (1912-1926). Shiozawa bolts were mostly created in masculine coded colours such as brown, blue, black and white. As time has gone on and the methods of production have turned to more fashion oriented needs rather than as everyday items, more variety has become available since the 1960s when presumably Shufu were targeted and has been made in more bold colours like reds.[1] 

Bibliography

[1] http://www.kimono.or.jp/dictionary/eng/honshiozawa.html

[2] https://kougeihin.jp/en/craft/0114/

[3] https://kogeijapan.com/locale/en_US/honshiozawa/

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しゅりおり | Shuri Ori | Banana Kasuri Weave | Fabrics #22

Shuri Brocade is a fabric which is made in the lowermost points of Okinawa. The two main types of Shuri are Kasuri and Mon Orimono. Shuri refers to a weave type and is mostly describing a mixture of different strenght materials made on the same island made from silk, cotton, hemp or banana fibre which are affected in design by the Islands climate at the time of harvest or weaving. All Shuri weaving is done by hand. First a traditional design is chosen, then Itokuri ( 糸繰 | Thread Winding ) occurs where threads are sized, starched and spun. Warping then produces the Tanmono, with Kasuri Kukuri (Warp-tying) is done on the loom to create the design outline, first warp and then weft. Dyed in a vat of usually traditional plant dyes and woven on a Takahata loom, up to 30 cm a day and then washed and dried.[1]

Historically this fabric made have been traded with China and Korea since the 14th century when the Ryukyu kingdom began exporting en masse. The royal family there used only Hanakuri or Doton Ori weaves. It can also be regarded as Kasuri and is though to have helped influence some Japanese traditions with regards to Kasuri. During WWII a lot of the workmanship and equipment used to make the fabric was lost, making it a heritage craft.[1]

Bibliography

[1] https://kogeijapan.com/locale/en_US/shuriori/

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