Salvaged Textiles Robe

Wabi sabi, the Japanese ideal of beauty, incorporates simple truths about life and living: life is in a state of ongoing imperfection.  So relax and enjoy everything as it is; cancer and all… and be grateful. 

The first time I saw a Japanese garment created from old textile fragments, boro noragi, I was in awe that such beauty could come from mere rags (see the real thing… http://www.kimonoboy.com/ and here http://srithreads.com/index.php).  Boro noragi is the epitome of wabi sabi – beautiful imperfection.

Textile fragments - boro noragi

Equipped with reclaimed and recycled calico textiles from Mother’s fabric larder, I machine stitched a very wabi sabi version of my own happi coat pattern and hand embroidered a few daisy-chain flowers for westernized embellishment. 

Happi Patches

Hand-piecing fabrics together to create a simple and functional garment was a very satisfying way to spend a needful, therapeutic creative session, as well as a green way to recycle unused textiles.  Though my life and business frequently feels in rags while cancer visits us, I’m salvaging every piece possible, in a beautiful way.

Recycled calicos

How to cultivate a wabi-sabi attitude?

• Acknowledge nothing lasts forever… so retire, repair or accept the gradual and fascinating decline of household objects and appreciate them as they are.  This includes people.
• Allow that nothing is ever totally finished… and everything and everyone is in a constant state of maintenance even if deemed a completed project.  Allow for the metamorphosis of item, place and people.
• Recognize nothing is perfect… or faultless or flawless.  Enjoy items and people as they are… and be grateful… even for cancer.

The Iodine Robe

 We use a lot of iodine around here since Chuck became ill and it stains my hands and clothing.  The best solution I came up with was a robe created from fabric that would camouflage the stain until my body could absorb the iodine to my benefit. 

Happi Rectangles

Created from simple blocks and rectangles of fabric, similar to a long Japanese happi coat, the textile color was labeled “mustard” but looks exactly like my iodine stained skin. 

Iodine Stain

 Note: A high quality Lugol’s Solution of Iodine is what we use toward better health around here… search the internet for information about this wonderful product and how it can help many ailments.  Check this blog’s resources for links to the product itself. 

Iodine will stain your skin for as long as it takes to be absorbed – for me that takes only a few hours.  If you are a first time user, consider placing it on your skin only at bedtime in order to avoid the obvious stain or plan to avoid public contact until you know how long it takes for your skin to absorb it.  Otherwise, plan to get a few odd looks or questions.  And that’s ok, too.