A note from Kathleen:
I've had the privilege of meeting author Vicki Square, and she's as gracious as
you would imagine. Although I haven't (yet!) knitted a kimono from one of her
books, I certainly plan to do so. What draws me to Vicki's kimono designs is the
style they convey, how comfy they look, and the color possibilities. Here's
Vicki to tell you a little about kimono history and color.
Kimono was distilled from its Chinese influence to a fully Japanese aesthetic
in the Heian period of history (794-1185). For 300 years spanning the end of
the first millennium, nature-inspired color themes were orchestrated as visual
art in clothing. Kimono was the canvas on which artists painted—literally or figuratively—their
aesthetic visions.
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Special occasion color palettes often used maroon (suo) as a major tone. |
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Arranging shades of one color in order of graduated value was known as nioi, as shown in this sprout green (moegi no nioi) example.
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In a spectacularly commanding presentation of royalty, Empress Tashi could choose the forbidden color of deep purple, gradually lightening to a pale purple and finishing with white inner robes. |
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The layering of colors was practiced to perfection, and what began as color
sequences influenced by nature evolved into an elaborate list of colors
dictated by tradition. Through this cultural process, distinct parameters were
defined by which a person could display a personal sensibility of color nuance.
Color in kimono became known as definitive combinations called
irome no kasane.
Poetic names were given to color groupings that referred to nature's
characteristics. Color names also referred to the affect of one color overlaid
on another, called
awase-iro—translucent white silk gauze over a dark green produces
a frosty green called willow.
From the early to late Heian era, the basic apparel of noble ladies evolved
from an opulent twelve to twenty layers of kimono to a more manageable layering
of five robes, called
itsutsugino. Specific colors were named for each robe,
its lining and the unlined chemise or under
kosode, and the entire set was then
given a specific
kasane name. The Senior Grand Empress Tashi of this era
referred to a detailed manuscript that documented ensembles of named color sets
in appropriate fabrics for each season of the year. This is the equivalent of a
fashion consultant artistically coordinating all of your clothing and making a
record of all the combinations so that there are no errors in your choices.
Even today, the nature-inspired Heian color sensibility is practiced throughout
the world. We choose muted or saturated hues in dark shades for autumn and
winter and light and fresh hues for spring and summer. There are no rules for
how to use color, but there are exquisite examples of beautiful color
arrangements. Creating a personal aesthetic can be as simple as following the
lead of Japanese kimono color of as individual as observing nature's guidelines
and choosing those colors that satisfy your soul.
The Murasaki Akai
Purple and red is a royal color combination. For the Murasaki Akai kimono, I
used a range of muasaki purples, from usuki (pale violet) to fugi (wisteria) to
koki (deep violet). The front and back panels feature garter-stitch short-rows
that create triangles and rectangles in a bold graphic. The center back panel
is attached to the side back panels as it is knitted. Akai (true red) bobbles
are added at the end.
Light cotton unlined kimono are typically worn in the summer months; the matte
cotton I used for this design is comfortable for all seasons. Colors for
kimono, layering, and surface decoration vary with the season and the month
within the season. A traditional school of Japanese etiquette lists lavender
and burgundy as the color scheme for September. This kimono not only fits with tradition,
it is also contemporary in its presentation and wearability.
—Vicki Square, from Knit Kimono, Too
I hope you'll try the Murasaki Akai, available in Knit Kimono, Too, or one of the other beautiful knitting patterns for women in Vicki's kimono book collection.
Cheers
