Hello everyone!
Now that I have a couple posts up that show off a little bit of MY Kanzashi creations, I thought it would be nice to share with all of you the real history behind these beautiful hair pieces...
When I first discovered Kanzashi, there was really not too much information about them on-line, or anyone who was willing to share any secrets about how to make the flowers... So I started researching the topic and practicing with the little information I had. With time I learned that making Kanzashi flowers is really an art- and takes lots of skill (as well as patience). Now that there is more and more information that is becoming available, I continue to learn and practice my creativity. I hope to make this blog a good one-time-stop page for those who want to learn about the art. Now- some history:
I have taken a little bit of time to gather some information from all over the web about this topic, little bits from here and there that I thought were relevant. Hope you enjoy!!! (I promise it's interesting)
The term Kanzashi refers to elaborate hair ornaments worn by women in Japan. They originated around 1600, when hairstyle fashions shifted from a long, straight style to up-do's. You can see a lot of these hair ornaments in traditional Japanese artwork and pictures. Currently, the use of kanzashi has declined significantly in favor of more Western hairstyles. The most common use of kanzashi now is in Shinto weddings and use by maiko (apprentice geisha). However, there is currently a revival among young Japanese women who wish to add an elegant touch to their business attire.
Kanzashi are fabricated from a wide range of materials such as lacquered wood, gold and silver plated metal, tortoiseshell and silk, fabric, and recently- plastic. Nowadays the art of Kanzashi begins with squares of fabric. In the traditional form of the craft, it's silk squares. Each square is then folded into a dimensional petal, using a simple series of origami-like folds... Sewn together, and ta-da! A beautiful and unique flower.
There are many types of Kanzashi, from metal hair pins to fan shaped hair accessories. The pieces that I create are called: Tsumami Kanzashi.
Tsumami Kanzashi - literally, 'folded fabric hair ornament'. Tsumami kanzashi are made from tiny (usually 1") squares of silk which are folded into petals using origami techniques. Flowers are made from these folded fabric petals and may contain anywhere from five petals to 75 or more, depending on the particular flower made.
I SO enjoy making these fun pieces, it's like doing oragami- with fabric! Of course, I'm no expert yet- but I do enjoy learning new styles and techniques all the time. The best part about all of it is that I get to share it with others (and shopping for fun patterned material).
So there you have it.
A brief history lesson in the area of Japanese hair accessories (we DO learn something new everyday don't we?)
I hope this is some good new information for those of you who were curious in that department :)
Enjoy!
