Happy New Year!

And what a way to start it.  The fabulous artist, friend and Brooklyn neighbor, Ann Wood, sent me a big, mysterious box.  Inside was a buoyant, papier-mache boat with a “boro” sail, below.  And that’s not all: you can see how to make one on Ann’s blog, right here.

Ann’s hand made boat is riding the crest of a wave in a sea of children’s yukatas, and it seems to be very happily going forward into the new year.

May yours be healthy, happy and prosperous.

HAPPY 2010!

Sometimes the most humble of things can continue to fascinate, the reasons for which are not easy to describe—or may not ever be fully understood.  Such is my interest in the anchor motif, and in particular as it is depicted on this wonderful and modest sashiko stitched diaper.  The anchor is rendered in the stencil resist dye method called katazome.

I just love the anchor form, which is popular in Japanese folk textiles, however it is not commonly used.  It mainly appears on items used for the wedding trousseau, such as this diaper, as the anchor symbolizes holding the bride secure in her new life.

Most likely this diaper comes from Izumo or present day Shimane: diapers such as this one were included as a set of seven in a wedding trousseau–often a customary gift from the bride’s family to the groom’s family–as they were auspicious tokens that welcomed and celebrated new life.  This diaper dates to the Meiji Era (1868-1912) and measures 22″ x 12″, 56 cm x 12.5 cm.

This anchor motif ties in to the subject of my next posting which will welcome the new year.  Stay tuned!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This is a girl’s meisen silk kimono which dates to the early 20th century.  On the emerald green ground is shown a fanciful pattern of interlocking Genji-guruma or Genji wheels, a popular motif based on a Heian Period (794-1185) ox drawn carriage, a reference to the motif-rich and much alluded to 11th century novel by Murasaki Shikibu,  The Tale of Genji.

…and many thanks to all of you who are regular and intermittent visitors to this blog.  It’s really enjoyable writing these posts and please do stay tuned for more in 2010.

A client stopped by to look at my collection of ralli quilts from Sindh, a region that straddles the Pakistan/India border.  I pulled out all the quilts so we could look at them, and they ended up in a big pile–and I thought this haphazard arrangement showed off their diverse colors and patterns really nicely.

These rallis all happen to be bedcovers, but using the same technique of piecing and quilting, the ladies of Sindh would also fashion bags, saddle blankets and other household items.

The photos shown on this post show the proper fronts of the rallis, which are always based on a kind of repeat-pattern geometric design using scraps of  cotton cloth as the medium.  Very often, however, the backs of rallis employ a more expressionistic and less formalized piecing of repurposed cloth— and the backs are generally more to my liking.

Notice the tremendous amount of piecing, applique work and hand stitching that make up each of these rallis.

This Wednesday, on my website, I’ll be offering one of these beauties for sale.  I selected to show a ralli with a beautifully composed “front” and a back that is stylistically very different from the formalized design of the front.

Stay tuned.

Every day, until Christmas Eve, at a light-filled showroom in New York’s East Village, Shane Powers is showing his collection of gorgeous accessories for the home and to wear—most of them designed by him in Nepal, some others the designs of friends.  All of them exquisite.

Pipalbot Outpost Market is located at 604 East 11th Street and is open daily from 11 – 6 through 24 December and by appointment from       28-31 December.  718-594-2324 if you have questions.

Shane uses an alchemist’s magic to transform traditional Nepalese brass hand craft into stunning, modern, table accessories.

And of course there’s cashmere…and more.

It’s all one-of-a-kind and quantities are limited— and you won’t be able to walk away without finding something you didn’t know you couldn’t live without.