Photo Post - Butterflies and Nagajuban

Photo post today. Some things that made me ooh and aah and squee with joy ^^


This guy was on one of the curtains on our porch. He was so still and so lovely, even though it was really windy at the time.

I was chatting to a lovely local Japanese lady about kimono and Japanese culture yesterday and I mentioned my love of Japanese design and particularly of Japanese fabrics, and she mentions she has an old Nagajuban (the garment worn under the kimono) 'just hanging in the back of her closet' and that seeing how much I love and appreciate all things kimono, she offered it to me!
'Excited' is an understatement, I would have jumped up and kissed her right there!

Today, when I got home from the shops, I found this gorgeous thing waiting in my mum's work room and I was positively gob-smacked at how wonderful and in how amazing condition it is.
Apparently it belonged to her mother before her, in her youth, then it was passed on to her. Now, I knew it was vintage but this garment is over 120 years old! (the lady herself is 65)

More gob-smacking occurred after that.

At first I was hesitant to take it, especially after she told me it was her mother's first but she insisted, saying she's too practical too keep such things and that she's happy to give it to someone who would appreciate it. She then suggested I pull it apart and make something from it but I reeeeeally don't see that happening, this is my first whole vintage nagajuban, it is my favourite colour, it is pure silk, hand made and it is hand dyed in both shibori and silk screening.
Nahuh.
THIS is going straight on my wall where I can oogle it forever and ever.


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