ふゆ fuyu

冬 itajime

 there's something  quintessentially japanese about blue and white as summer colors. it is understandable as the weather is conductive to aizome.

i've worked my share this weekend and along the way have learned a couple of things, no rocket science, no major breakthrough. perhaps you  all already knew those things, so bear with me.

• air pockets in itajime can create nice textures, a tradeoff for tiring the vat.
• most of the problems i've had building up color are due to very weak pigment-indigotin - in my powdered indigo.
• if the cotton fabric is not woven square there's absolutely no way you can square it afterwards.
• the above makes itajime a PTA to say the least.
• i'm not japanese

one then has to go with the flow and accept the limitations. make grungy, free-flowing unorthodox itajime.the beautifully squared ones will have to wait until i use up all that cotton.

although not technically what we in the west understand by itajime, fascinating video  nevertheless.

neki desu