Shoshin

Beginner's mind.

This idea is integral to Zen Bhuddism and traditional karate and applicable to life in general. It's also the most terrifyingly difficult and ultimately rewarding concept in state of mind.
To be able to look at everything as if for the first time is to completely abandon any sense that you master any knowledge. That everthing is how it appears to be every day. That life is mundane. That the things you do day in and day out are constant.
Every day is new. It is the first and last. There is mystery and knowledge and newfound joy in everything around you.

It is a concept that Master Ochiai, my sensei, speaks about often in class, and although I doubt that I will ever master it, I do hope to at least glimpse what it means to let go of what I think I know and open my mind to something greater.

Shibori

This week, between moving and biking to work, I got to model a few vintage Kimono and Michiyuki and helped prepare fabric bundles for Kyoto Kimono. I tried on some fabulous pieces for sale and learned a bit more about the traditional processes used to create some of the most stunning types of material.
Shibori (tie-dye!) is one of my new favorites. The patterns, whether accents or all-over designs, are created by stitching or tying small portions of material and then dying the entire fabric. There are actually many different techniques for this process; the type used depends not only on the fabric itself, but also on the desired result.
Kanoko shibori, like western tie-dye, uses string wrapped and knotted around portions of material. When the fabric is dyed, no color touches the bound fabric, creating patterns. Often, intricate designs are made by untying and retying before a second dye bath.
Muira shibori, or looped dying, is another one of the most common and recognizable types. A hooked needle is used to gather small bits of fabric and looping a thread around each section twice. The tread is not knotted, as it is in kanoko shibori, so it's faster and results in a water design.

Hello, world

I always thought that kimono were stunning. Their elaborate formality, intriguing beauty, and mystery begged my attention. So I set out not just to learn, but also to familiarize myself with the fabric, the art, and the culture of kimono. And after modeling, some sewing, and research, I'm even more interested, more enamored by their perfect balance of ostentatiousness underscored by subtle simplicity.