Recycling kimono silk

January 30, 2011
Washing kimono

Traditionally, cleaning your kimono involved more than just dunking it into a tub of water. Instead, you would completely take it apart, patch any holes, wash the silk and spread out the wet panels on boards so it would dry flat. Then, you would resew it back together.

Drying silk

I usually do not like to take apart kimonos, they are sewn together with many, many seams and it feels like it takes forever to remove all the stitching. But sometimes the fabric is so beautiful that I’ll break my rule and take one apart. After, I wash the rectangular panels and hang them up to dry. A quick run over with an iron [nope, no wooden boards for me] and I’m ready to go.

Ann Williamson, Designer

Ann Williamson

Clothing Designer Ann Williamson
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2 Comments

  1. Avatar

    Wow!!! What an amazing photos !
    I’m interested in what clothes(?) these fabrics would make for ?
    It so fun to read your blog !
    (I’m a Japanese and also love kimono and sewing )

    Reply
    • Avatar

      Thank you! I did make a jacket with the blue and silver silk. I’ll post photos soon.

      Reply

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Ann Williamson, Designer

Ann Williamson

Clothing Designer Ann Williamson
Oregon Art Beat video

 

One scarf

 

Search Ann’s Blog by Category

Ann Williamson, designer, with models
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“I measure the success of my clothing by how it looks and feels on the woman who wears it.
I want each piece to flatter and enhance the body it adorns.”