Thursday, February 1, 2024

Brigid,February, yarn ahoy and Japanese textiles

White rabbits, finally February got here and the daylight is, bit by bit, getting longer. Imbolc, celebrating spring and fertility. 

St Brigid's Day. She was a sixth century Irish powerhouse, both in lore and religious belief. Here's her cross

Showing the Celtic and Christian blend. 

If you remembered to put out on the evening of January 31, on a bush, a piece of fabric, emblematic of her cloak, she may bless it as she passes during the night. Then you'll have its healing properties in your house for the year.

Yesterday the mail brought this


The promised cotton yarn from lovely C.,  plus a bonus bag, seen in front,  of finer gauge cotton yarn she found and added in, wheeee!!

And right away 

That lovely green is already being incorporated into the current undie. I'm now using the first pair as a pattern to follow, since it fits.

Then this afternoon there was a short online presentation from The Textile Museum Journal, about Japanese  worsted muslin, fine wool fabric for clothing including kimonos. 









Actresses were hired to model for advertisements 



And school textbooks taught about textiles including this fabric


Here the Empress is pregnant and  the royal household announces the imperial baby will be dressed simply, in worsted muslin, probably to encourage use of the modest, inexpensive fabric, since the population might be influenced by the imperial household.

The first mention of war refers to the 1904 Russo-Japanese war. 

It's a rapid sociological look at a textile form, and the importance to the Japanese island nation which imported most of its raw wool from Australia. 

When Australia cut back on exporting wool to Japan, before WW2,  it caused shortages and the population was encouraged to economize and recycle, back in 1937. 

It was an interesting wander around a piece of  history in textiles I wasn't familiar with, with a personable presenter. Nice

Happy day everyone, misfits expected today. I have plans for chickpea potato fritters breaded in panko, when the potatoes (I think) I ordered, arrive.




23 comments:

  1. Some of the mosurin is stunning. Happy St. Brigid’s Day. I didn't know I was supposed to leave a piece of fabric out. I guess I’m taking my chances this year and will try again next. I do hope you intend to model the next pair of “pant.”

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    1. See, if you'd remembered the Brigid fabric, you wouldn't have missed your ortho appointment!

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  2. Hari OM
    Very interesting - my sister ("Mac1") is the fabrics gal (me the yarn, Mac2 the clay and Mac3 the wood). I will email her a link to this post ... she is going to Japan later this year to look at fabrics and printing, among other things. YAM xx

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    1. Oh good. She can probably track the researcher to learn more.

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  3. Japanese are very fond of superfine (merino) wool in modern textiles, I had not realized they had quite such a history of using it. Apparently merino/silk (one the warp the other the weft - I can't remember which way) - makes a fabric that is longitudinally flexible but stiffer in the circumference of the garment making it less likely to cling to the body in hot sweaty weather.

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    1. Interesting note, thank you. I learned something.

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  4. You know, I have never even known what our muslin is and so I just looked it up. It's woven of cotton, but more loosely. Huh! Well, that Japanese worsted muslin is lovely. It really does take dye well, doesn't it?
    It's a perfectly beautiful cool February 1 here in North Florida. The birds are so happy.

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    1. I wasn't aware till yesterday that there was wool muslin as well as the familiar cotton muslin.

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  5. Alas, I did not remember to put a piece of fabric on a bush. Drat!

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    1. You're on your own then, with only doctors and rx to get you through the year.

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  6. I’ll try to remember for when it’s the right time of year for us to leave out something for st Bridget to bless. I’ve been wanting to make one of the crosses. I remember making them at school.
    I think you’ll need to take step by step photos, or a video tutorial for us on how ro knit your own undies.

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    1. Funny about the tutorial! There are tutes on YouTube, mostly for crocheting them.
      You and Ana might make a Brigid cross next year?

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  7. St Brigid's cross looks like something teenagers would throw back and forth between themselves for fun, or even a weapon to be thrown.

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  8. The return of the light is well underway! Yay!

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  9. I remember the knitted/crocheted bikinis of my youth. They did NOT remain in situ when wet. I don't think I could wear knitted undies.

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    1. I'm guessing you remember wool yarn which goes heavy when wet? Modern yarns work better. And this soft cotton bamboo mix is very comfortable. Anyway, we'll see.

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  10. I knit myself several pair of cotton socks back in the day. I used to wear non matching socks, and a young boy threw a screaming temper tantrum over my unmatched socks once.

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    1. Oh dear, going against his need for order.

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  11. Those advertisements certainly are beautiful.
    Lovely yarns to keep you amused for awhile!

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