Not for the faint of heart...

[Carmen]

I know many of you will cry out in pain when you see this, so view at your own risk:

www.maison-jolie.com/index.html

To quote the site:

"We rescue vintage and antique textiles that would otherwise molder in warehouses and attics and transform them into functional fiber art."

"We travel to Kyoto...to hand-select obi that will readily adapt to new lives as pillows, table runners and coverlets in contemporary homes. No museum quality pieces are ever cut up. And no scrap is ever wasted."

Obi as old as Taisho-era are used. Even *I* am shocked.

I'm simply AGOG at the prices they've set on these little pillows, which are about 14" x 18". I've made a some of my own and I can tell you that dupioni silk can be had for as little as $11 a yard, and that's 54" wide. The gimp (trim) is equally inexpensive. There's an interior decorator fabric outlet just down the street where I can get all that AND 24" square feather inserts for $15! Smaller ones go for even less.

So do the math:

$100 for a maru on ebay + $50 or so for the fabric, trim and fiber-fill stuffing = $250 for a single pillow? I know they have to factor in labor as well, but jeez, that's Gump's pricing! Do you really think they "travel to Kyoto" to "hand-select" obi when ebay's just a click away? Maybe they really do and need to recoup their travel costs...

A tidy little profit, if anyone's actually buying them.

Carmen

PS) My criticism is not directed to their enterprise so much as their outlandish prices.
And what makes an obi "museum quality" anyway? If they only cut obi that aren't "museum quality", that puts a LOT of obi in mortal danger...

[Meiji]

*Faints*


Those prices really are far too outlandish.


Yes, not for the faint of heart. Those prices really hurt. "Museum-quality" obi? I'm skeptical about what they define for that one........

[sg715]

How sad. Those POOR obi.

That said, I have to admit that I DO own one of those pillows made from uchikake, but I am proud to say that I didn't pay NEAR the price of those And the Uchikake in questions was...well...mortally wounded before it was cut up

[alien333]

Ive seen some beautiful obi on offer and couldnt see a reason for getting them. as a male i could never wear it and the walls are looking a little over decorated.
But as a pillow??? Well a silk pillow will be nice.. so i will just get the material from our host and make my own, after all how hard can it be? That way im still preserving kimono since its already been picked apart.

alien333

[Kiyoaki]

He's a thought for everyone,

How about substituting a fukusa for obi material when making pillows.

The fukusa is already the perfect proportion and the designs are sometimes better that those intended for obi material. Then too, the reverse is usually different in color and design so you can get two looks for one price.

They tend to start at $30 or $40 dollars depending upon quality and age. That's makes the purchase price lower than an entire obi. Often they also have tassels at the corners, which is a bonus toward the pillow use.

Kiyoaki

[alien333]

Hey Thanks!
Ive just bought several fukusa and furoshiki (?)
Though they come in different sizes.
Also i had a hakama that for several reasons was just a little beyond the wear point. (though i did get great reviews on my complete kimono outfit)
I have taken out the waist stitches and the cords, washed and ironed. Then I had it rolled to a long tub, I put in on a rod over the curtains for short term storage,
Then had the idea. I pulled out a length of the material and made my own curtain. I love the way the light streams through the thin silk, and its a brown and black stripe, so It dosent look like i had martha stewart come in to decorate.

Alien333

[Flock]

I feel the same way.. it is a waste, I know a lot of people love japanese textile cushions.. but they make me sick!
I'd get way more fun out of and obi by wearing it and not chopping it up.. and I hate the ripoffageness of the whole thing.. wanna cushion? make yer own!! Though I'd never cut up my kimono colection..