At Ease

Acquired
At Ease

At Ease has a long, easy shape that suits the chrysanthemum pattern beautifully. I made it from beautifully faded antique Japanese indigo katazome fabric, and on one side I added a hand-sewn plaid zanshi patch made from cloth woven from leftover threads.

Chrysanthemums are often associated with longevity and rejuvenation in Japanese culture, which feels especially fitting here. There are also five small hand-repaired areas with sashiko stitching.

With the insert, it measures 11" high × 34" wide. The cover on its own measures 11" × 33", and I pair it with a 14" × 36" insert with a 100% cotton cover and 100% polyester fill.

I backed the antique chrysanthemum fabric with new heavyweight cotton canvas for reinforcement, finished the inside edges with overlocking stitches for durability, and hid the zipper in the seam for easy removal.
At Ease

Nearby works

Other works from the studio

Nearby works that carry the same language of wear, repair, and time.

Into the Blue

Into the Blue

Into the Blue came together in my Brooklyn studio from antique Japanese cotton fabrics dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s, including katazome resist-dyed indigo and bengala iron oxide-dyed cloth.

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Garden Groove

Garden Groove

Garden Groove came together from antique Japanese katazome fabric with an indigo-dyed floral pattern. I added a single hand-sewn patch and backed it with canvas for reinforcement.

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Scripted

Scripted

Scripted is made from beautifully faded antique Japanese tsutsugaki fabric from the early 1900s. What gives this piece its character is the Japanese script across the surface.

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