Lots of Flowers and a few Birds

Before we’re hit with the full force of summer, how about a nod to the flowers of spring?

We’ve had the best spring here, the flowers are going crazy! Everywhere I look, they are thriving.

Besides me and most everyone else I know, the Japanese love nature in all forms, most definitely including flowers. Blooms and blossoms are represented in all of their arts forms, which of course includes kimonos.

Peonies, cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums, roses, daisies, wisteria and hydrangeas are just some that I could find in these coats and jackets sewn from vintage kimonos.

How about this one? A long coat sewn from a kimono silk that was woven with a metallic thread so that the entire piece is covered with subtle sparkles. Shown with a shell sewn from the same kimono.

This one, in gorgeous turquoise, pink, aqua and purple with a deep black background. Shown with a matching shell underneath. All those beautiful colors, fitting together perfectly.

After the kimono has been taken apart and is ready for its new life, I take the pieces, arrange and rearrange, then rearrange again looking for the best way to lay out the design. Kimonos often have the design along the bottom edge. I like to change the layout and not only bring the design up but also reposition it in a new way that highlights western clothing shapes.

Green and white Peonies with colorful birds.

How about this one with gorgeous citrus fruit colors? Lemon yellow and orange flowers, including roses with a few butterflies tucked in here and there. So beautiful!

Also with its own matching shell.

Here’s one completely covered with blooms of all kinds. I like to lay out the design so that the eye dances around and all over the entire piece. The more you look the more you see.

And this one in a beautiful teal blue with little round, white, abstracted chrysanthemums.

How fortunate am I to be able to work with these amazing fabrics? They are all so, so, so beautiful.