After-event pictures!

Some pictures now...

Another picture of the akunoya, a little wet from the rain. It has actually held up much better than I expected.

Clothes I made for Richard with Reconstructing History's Elizabethan Sea Dogs pattern... (ignore the man in fundoshi - I didn't make those). He still needs proper shoes, a hat, maybe a ruff and, if he's going to be Portuguese, a capelet. But it's a decent start.

   

My own clothes (missing waraji, and might benefit from arm and leg guards when it gets cold)

I have to show you my friends from Lotus no Chi too!

Projects coming together - finally

Remember the akunoya? Well, our friend didn't have all the pieces to put his carport together, so we had to buy another one. But it was half-price, and our friend's sides and top fit on our new cheaper carport. So, it's all good!

Here Richard is starting to paint the designs on the sides...

Here is one of the designs all painted, drying.

I made him two chemises, here's the second one I put together (slightly better than the first).

I REALLY wanted to make waraji sandals, but I won't have time. So, I bought zori instead. I think they look Japanese enough :-) I bought them from at Collection du Japon (where we are also taking Japanese language classes, with Uchiyama-sensei).

Here is what the akunoya shell looks like while I'm working on it. Ugh!

And we bought our bowls and plates. We found them at a Japanese/Korean Dollar Store/Grocery on Décarie just South of Sherbrooke (here, in fact).

We also bought a bed - frame + air mattress. Big problem. The mattress leaks. I'm SO glad we tested this beforehand! We're going to get a new, different one, tomorrow.

And, finally... here is the akunoya in all its glory!

Sweing, sewing, sewing...

I've been sewing like crazy these last few weeks. Clothes for me, clothes for Richard, and an akunoya...

No time to describe it... but some pictures!

And, below, are pieces of the akunoya, all cut to length (all that was left at that point was rip to the right width and assemble).

And, below, one new costume! Not perfect, there wasn't any time for that. Next one will be much better ;-) Ah, I made the sleeves removable so he can wear it at fantasy events in the summer!

That's it for today!

Japanese clothing

I've started making my clothes for Bicolline this summer.

I *know* that on extant paintings of the time, the majority of hats are the typical Chinese pointy hats... but I don't like the fact that they're so strongly associated with Chinese now... I've found better, if less period. For 3,50 a hat, I decided it would be good enough for now.

And, this is the fabric all cut out, with all the edges properly finished (the three on the left are linen, I don't want them to fray!). I had to cheat on the two left pieces and split the collar in the middle. I didn't have enough fabric.

I've started sewing, and hit a snag... the collar seam line, as it continues into the front body piece, and the sewing line for the overlap panel.

Both Saionji and Kass say to sew the overlap to the edge of the front panel, and the diagram in Dalby seems to agree.

But Marshal (I know, modern) tells us to sew the overlap to the collar sewing line, like this:

Trouble is, when I look at pictures of extant kosode in Momoyama: The Golden Age and Japanese Costume and Textile Arts, I think he might actually be right! The okumi sewing line seems to go right into the collar sewing line...

What shall I do?

Add-on: I asked the question on SCA-JML list and I'm not sure I can explain clearly... Here's another diagram...

A: The overlap (in red) is sewn right to the edge of the main body piece.

B: The overlap (in red) is offset from the edge and lines up with the collar sewing line (dotted line). This is the version I think I'm seeing on extant pieces.

Akunoya

So, on to the akunoya project.

Let me first refer you to two excellent web pages:

• http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/miscellany/tents.html
  (and the equivalent jinmaku page here http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/miscellany/curtains.html)
• http://www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk/The_SHOGUN_Tent_Guide.htm

I was planning on making a vertically striped akunoya, but I finally changed my mind for two reasons: the leader of our group thought it looked too much like circus tents, and, most of all, a vertically striped akunoya would imply much more sewing, which I won't really have time to do this summer.

So, I settled on this design:

I'm starting from this carport (hey, it's free, so, even if the shape is not perfect, it will be good enough for us this year!)

I was planning on making a whole new shell for it, but I can't locate suitable canvas locally and ordering it online would be costly. It's the first time we go there, we don't know if we're going to want to go again next year, and with the shape of this thing not being ideal for an akunoya, I'm not sure it's worth making a whole complete waterproof replacement cover for it just yet.

What I will do instead is buy cheap broadcloth and make a quick shell to go over the plastic. We'll be dry, and if the weather is nice we can raise the sides and just leave the fabric hang down. If we like it, next year I'll make a better one and reuse the fabric for garb :-)