"Habutae" and "Bias" and "Tsumami Zaiku"
I thought about how traditional tsumami zaiku (Kyoto flower kanzashi and Edo tsumami kanzashi) made from silk are sometimes beautiful.
This is because we at Ichirindo want to be able to give a proper explanation when asked, "What are the characteristics and beauty of Tsumami Zaiku?"
This is necessary to continue to pass on the traditional culture of tsumami zaiku, and we thought it was important to make it widely known among all those who enjoy making tsumami zaiku so that it can be passed down for a long time to come.
1. What is silk?
Silk thread was first produced in China about 5,000 to 6,000 years ago.
Each silkworm spins a single cocoon thread that is 1,000 to 1,500 meters long.
The threads are made entirely of protein, with a central core called "fibroin" and the outer layer made of "sericin," a substance used in cosmetics.
These are bundled together to make raw silk, and then the outer sericin is washed away, a process called "refining," leaving only the fibroin, which becomes "silk thread."
Most Japanese silk materials are "post-dyed," meaning that the color is applied after the undyed silk thread has been woven.
(Thai silk and Indian silk are dyed before weaving, meaning that the silk thread is dyed first and then woven in different colors and shades. A typical example is chambray.)
The double layer of silk feathers has also been used in the manufacture of parachutes in the past.
2. What is Habutae?
A single thread that is not twisted is called "untwisted thread," and since two warp threads are used when plain weaving (the warp and weft threads are woven together), it is called habutae (double warp threads).
The 4 momme habutae fabric, which is said to be the thinnest of the materials mainly used in tsumami zaiku, is actually made hard with starch paste, so it is not officially correct to talk only about its weight (thinness).
Momme is a unit of weight, and the standard size of silk fabric (93 x 93 cm) is 3.75 g.
●Even if the fabric is extremely thin, starched fabric will naturally be heavy.
Silk crepe, a fabric made from silk, weighs 180-200g per square meter, so you'll enjoy the lightness of the habutae fabric.
When dyeing woven fabric, the lack of twisting reduces the glossiness, but results in a certain color, which has long been used to express the ``unmistakable'' Japanese colors.
Also, fabric made from twisted yarn and woven in a plain weave is called "chiffon."
Untwisted yarns have a smooth surface with fewer irregularities, making them more reflective of light, resulting in a lustrous woven fabric.
Chiffon fabric is twisted, which creates unevenness on the surface of the yarn, which absorbs light and makes it less shiny than untwisted yarn.
On the other hand, it can express delicate and pale colors, like those seen through extremely thin shoji paper.
3. What is prejudice?
The original meaning of the word has been adapted to mean "forward-looking," "positioned in a lotus position," and "looking at the world at an angle," but in textile terminology it is used to mean "diagonal (45 degrees)."
The state of being exactly 45 degrees (diagonal) is called "positive bias."
Silk fibers are highly flexible, so when they are folded on a positive bias, a unique tension is created due to the resilience, and it can be said that the ultimate beauty of the scarf is expressed by folding the silk fabric diagonally.
Silk ties are also sewn on the positive bias, which is why they are designed to be easy to untie, prone to wrinkles even after being untie, and have the most beautiful dimples (knots).
From these facts, it can be said that "Tsumami-zaiku petals are made by supporting the plain weave with a positive bias.
It can be said that beauty can be expressed.
On the other hand, if you try to cut the fabric with a focus (wax cutting), the fabric will be pushed by the elasticity of the fiber structure.It didn't cut asIexpected .
yeah.
Reference: "Nureyoko" traditional manufacturing method handed down in the Kawamata region of Fukushima Prefecture
Ichirindo's habutae fabric is woven at the Konno Weaving Factory in the Kawamata region of Fukushima Prefecture.
"Nureyoko" is a traditional method passed down in Kawachimata, in which the weft threads are wetted with water before being woven.
The extremely thin Habutae fabric with little distortionisan essential material for traditional Edo Tsumami Kanzashi.
.
When dry, it is too stiff and breaks easily when sewn tightly.
Therefore, by moistening the thread, the proteins inside the thread (sericin and fibroin) temporarily soften.
, the friction and pressure between the threads is improved
The moisture causes the threads to increase slightly, making it easier to obtain uniform and neat "vertical and horizontal grain" even after weaving, resulting in uniformity, transparency, and glossiness of the entire fabric.Unity
is born.
This is an element that confirms the quality of Edo Kanzashi.