Kimono meeting in Cracow

Hello, I`d like to show you our first kimono meeting in Kimono de jack formula in Poland.

We met in Cracow in Southern Poland, old capital city. This is place is so wonderful and there is amazing international atmosphere. Initiator of the idea was Ania ((in strawberry yukata). She is is master of tea ceremony and owing her efforts we could visit Japanese cultural centre Manggha for free. Walking through streets of the Old Town was really funny, people smiled seeing us. When we reached the main place of Cravow- the Old Marketplace, we melted in the international crowd of visitors. After quick photo session under an Adam Mickiewicz`s monument we went to the sushii restaurant and have a lot of fun.

It was really great experience and really hudge challenge to wear a kimono or even yukata in such hot day! But we hope we can do it more often!!!

On these photos there is wonderful view where can be seen  something really old- Wawel Castle (the old seat of Polish Kings)  on the right river bank and  something quite new - a building of the Japanese Muzeum Manggha on the left.

and the most international place for meeting in Poland-the old Marktplace in Cracow:

....and finally I made myself to finish my embroidered haneri but regret cause have no close pic showing this piece. and I used for the first time one of kanzashi received from my friend Nela as a gift.

Busy winter evening in kimono

I often cooperate with local Cultural Centre at my neighborhood and this time they invited me to prepare Japanese evening. I was telling about my kimono passion and about secrets of Karyukai, next I showed how to put a kimoo of course:)

Cause of great frost and  severe winter weather outside I decided to wear my soft grey chirimen komon with lovely frozen flowers motif. To warm up the look I used my deep rose fukuro obi and  played with obijime shape creating rose flower with a handmade brooch.
I think the audience were glad and I am happy taking experience based on by best passion even if showing kitsuke on model was tough job.

Museums Night

The all what  happened at the night exceeded my wildest expectations. Culture Center RYBA survived the siege, which the owners can not remember. A lot of work!

I`d would like to thank all who attended for the warm words I heard during the opening and a huge thanks to Grażyna, Ania, Nina for invaluable assistance in the implementation of the Evening and the Honourable organizers!.

and so it looked like:

I helped my origami master Grażyna in workshop

I told story about kimono kitsuke tips

Thanks to Nina and her game on Yakumo-goto we commemorated the victims of the tsunami in Japan in March

We did small kitsuke show

and the evening finished at 1 a.m. Tough job!

blue iromuji

Yesterday I went for charity meeting organized in our Lodz Music Academy.

We listened classic music played by students of academy and take part in small auction. All means were raised of cource for Japan help.

There is Shoko san -she often leads kitsuke show in our town.

I put iromuji I combined with tsumugi kimono as donuki and nagoya obi with heian lady motif. After this event I got many details comments from Shoko about my ensemble. She was shocked that I used to tie obi in the front. She promised to learn me as to do it in the back to avoid destroing of seams symetry on my back.

First steps in kitsuke show

 My friend asked me to show some of my kimonos on christmas sale event. It was so interesting occassion so it changed in kitsuke presentation.   I was standing  the first time  almost in the negligee on stage :) And for the first time I had the opportunity to test my kitsuke skills  publicly. I was invited  by my two wonderful friends, Randi and Iza  to give a slightly exotic show the event  at winter  craft bazaar in ower town.
It wasn`t too perfect and professional but I did my best to say something interesting about kimono and show how to put it on more or less properely. I had a lot of questions from audience.

Tieing the obi in the back and twisting it to the front was surprising moment for many people. I had a lot of fun with it.
I think I love showing beauty of the kimono, I hope there is chance for next time:)
I`m sorry for quality of photos.
I was nervous as hell,  because I`m using the tieing technique at my front-   regarded by some as difficult. But everything ended up in its place according to plan :) But for a moment I had in my mind the image of flames, in which the smoke of a shame, for example, the belt was stuck, or the pattern found somewhere in the middle of the road :)

Even such small things I had of this show a lot of fun and satisfaction. The first cats behind fences ....