Japanese-themed paper crafts. Japanese types of needlework. Paper doll "Yaponochka". Master Class

21.09.2019

Japan is an amazing country that very carefully honors and preserves its customs and traditions. Japanese handicrafts just as varied and amazing. In this post, I will review the main handicraft arts, whose homeland is Japan - amigurumi, kanzashi, temari, mizuhiki, osie, kinusaiga, terimen, furoshiki, kumihimo, sashiko. You've probably heard about some of the types, maybe you yourself began to create in this technique, some are not so popular outside of Japan itself. A distinctive feature of Japanese needlework is accuracy, patience and perseverance, although ... most likely these features can be attributed to world needlework).

AMIGURUMI - Japanese knitted toys

Amigurumi- translated from Japanese - knitted-wrapped - Japanese needlework, which has become popular in our country. Its essence consists in crocheting or knitting small animals and humanoid creatures. Usually amigurumi is knitted in a spiral, the hook or knitting needles are chosen smaller than the yarn requires, so that the knitting is without gaps and holes through which the padding material can look out. And since the amigurumi toy requires us to knit density, then we need to start knitting in a circle so that there are no holes left, for this a method called "" was invented (detailed photo master class at the link). We wrote about it in more detail in the article earlier on the site.

Japanese kanzashi - fabric flowers

Kanzashi - we also got acquainted with this type of Japanese needlework. I will only add that more and more people began to engage in handmade kanzashi making, and it is not surprising how amazingly beautiful flowers are obtained from ordinary satin ribbons. Of course, it is worth mentioning that real kanzashi are made of silk fabric and fastened with rice glue. And satin ribbons and their sewing is already an adaptation to our realities. Kanzashi is akin to origami technology.

Temari - the ancient Japanese art of embroidery balls

Temari- the ancient Japanese art of embroidery balls, which has won many fans around the world. True, Temari's homeland is China; this handicraft was brought to Japan about 600 years ago. Initially, temari was made for children using the remains of old kimonos, with the invention of rubber, braiding balls began to be considered arts and crafts. as a gift symbolizes friendship and devotion, there is also a belief that they bring good luck and happiness. In Japan, a professional temari is a person who has passed 4 levels of skill, for this you need to weave 150 temari balls and study for about 6 years!

Mizuhiki - the Japanese art of tying cords

Mizuhiki Another thriving type of Japanese applied art, similar in technology to macrame weaving, but more graceful and miniature.

So, what is mizuhiki - this art of tying various knots from cords, as a result of which patterns of stunning beauty are created, goes back to the 18th century.

The area of application is also varied - postcards, letters, hairstyles, handbags, gift wrapping. By the way, it was thanks to the gift wrapping that mizuhiki became widespread. After all, gifts are relied on for every event in a person's life. There is such an enormous number of knots and compositions in mizuhiki that not even every Japanese knows them all by heart, along with this there are the most common basic knots that are used for congratulations on the birth of a child, for a wedding, commemoration, birthday or university admission.

Osie - the Japanese art of creating three-dimensional paintings from fabric and cardboard

Osie- Japanese hand-made to create volumetric paintings from cardboard and fabric or paper using applique technology. This type of needlework is very popular in Japan, in Russia it has not yet received much distribution, although it is very easy to learn how to create pictures using the axie technique. To create axie-paintings, Japanese paper washi (based on fibers of mulberry, gampi, mitsumata and a number of other plants) are needed, fabrics, cardboard, batting, glue, scissors.

The use of Japanese materials - fabrics and paper - is fundamental in this art form, because washi paper, for example, resembles fabric in its properties, and, therefore, is stronger and more flexible than usual. As for the fabric, the fabric from which the kimono is sewn is used. Of course, the Japanese craftswomen did not buy specially new fabric for the Osie, they gave their old kimonos a new life, using it to create paintings. Traditionally, the Osie-paintings depicted geisha, samurai, children in national costumes, scenes from fairy tales.

If you decide to comprehend the basics of this art I can offer you, though it is in Japanese, but you can figure it out with photographs.

Before starting work, you need to choose a drawing for the picture, such that all its elements have a finished clear appearance, all lines should be closed, as in a children's coloring. In short, the technology for creating the axle is as follows: each cardboard element of the picture is wrapped in cloth, and batting is previously glued to the cardboard. Due to the batting, the picture is given volume.

Japanese handicraft kinusaiga - silk paintings

Kinusaiga combined several techniques at once: woodcarving, patchwork, applique, mosaic. To create a picture of kinusayga, you first need to make a sketch on paper, then transfer it to a wooden plank. Depressions are made on the board along the contour of the drawing, a kind of groove. After that, small shreds are cut from the old silk kimono, which then fill in the cut grooves on the board. As a result, the resulting picture of kinusaiga is striking in its beauty and realism.

Furoshiki - the Japanese art of packaging

Furoshiki - the Japanese art of folding fabric, the history of its appearance and the main methods of packaging in this technique, we considered in the article. It is beautiful, profitable and convenient to use this technique for packaging. And on the Japanese market of computer technology, a new trend - notebooks packed in the Furoshiki style. Agree, very original!

Teriman - miniature fabric sculpture

Teriman(Chirimen craft) - an old Japanese handicraft that originated in the era of late Japanese feudalism. The essence of this arts and crafts is the creation of toy figures from fabric, mainly the embodiment of animals and plants. This is a purely female type of needlework, Japanese men are not supposed to do it. In the 17th century, one of the directions of the “teriman” was the manufacture of decorative bags, into which fragrant substances were inserted, they were carried with them (like perfume) or used to flavor fresh linen (a kind of Sachet). Currently, terimen figurines are used as decorative elements in the interior of the house. You don't need any special training to create Terimen figurines, just have cloth, scissors and a lot of patience.

Kumihimo - weaving laces

Kumihimo- one of the most ancient types of weaving laces, the first mentions date back to 50. Translated from Japanese kumi - folding, himo - threads (folding threads). Laces were used both for functional purposes - fastening samurai weapons, tying armor on horses, tying heavy objects, and for decorative purposes - tying a kimono (obi) belt, wrapping gifts. Kumihimo laces are weaved mainly on looms, there are two types of them, takadai and marudai, when using the first, flat cords are obtained, on the second - round.

Sashiko - the Japanese art of embroidery

Sashiko- simple and sophisticated Japanese handicraft, somewhat similar to patchwork. Sashiko Is a simple yet sophisticated hand embroidery. Translated from Japanese, the word "sashiko" means "small puncture", which fully characterizes the stitching technique. Initially, sashiko patterns were used for quilting and warming clothes, poor women folded worn fabric in several layers and connected it using the sashiko technique, thus creating one warm quilted jacket. Nowadays, sashiko is widely used for decorative purposes.

Basic principles of sashiko:

The contrast of fabric and thread - the traditional color of the fabric is dark blue, indigo, the color of the thread is white, a combination of black and white was often used. Now, of course, the color palette is not so strictly adhered to.
The stitches should never intersect at the intersections of the ornament, there should be a distance between them.
The stitches should be the same size, the distance between them should also not be uneven.

Kusudama - the art of making balls

Kusudama- translated from Japanese kusuri (medicine) and tama (ball), literally "medicine ball". The art of kusudama comes from ancient Japanese traditions, when kusudama was used for incense and a mixture of dried petals. In general, kusudama is a paper ball consisting of a large number of modules folded from a square sheet of paper (symbolizing flowers).

Individual modules can be connected to each other using glue or threads. Sometimes a tassel is attached to the bottom of the kusudama. The result is a very original bouquet of flowers that can be gifted or decorated. Kusudama balls are considered the predecessors of modular origami. Kusudama is sometimes confused with modular origami, since its elements are not nested into each other, but sewn or glued together.

Studying the historical and cultural development of our civilization, scientists discovered, at all stages of the development of human society, the presence of one single subject common to all -. Toys existed in primitive society, and they still exist in the developed twenty-first century. In different eras and different peoples had their own toys - they differed in their appearance and purpose (for example, there were special ones - they were used for serious purposes, and there were also ordinary toys - for children). The only common thing was that these objects were always created with love and endowed with a special meaning.

With the development of industrial production, toys began to be produced in large quantities, and lost their individuality. However, people all over the world still enjoy creating toy masterpieces with their own hands, thus continuing the traditions of their ancestors. This kind of needlework is especially popular in Japan. We have already talked about Japanese - varieties of toys and decor items. Today we will talk about no less interesting objects - japanese teriman toys .

Teriman cannot be called only toys. These items perform several functions at once. The first is, of course, an object for play - children love to tinker with such miniature dolls. The second function of the teriman is to be - being a handcrafted item, teriman crumbs are able to bring a touch of comfort to the house. To do this, just sit them on the windowsill, chest of drawers, or - and now your house has already been transformed and filled with home warmth, which can only be created by the skillful hands of the hostess. In addition, it is not at all a shame to present teriman as a gift, or in addition to it - this will add originality and warmth to your present. And naturally terimen is an art, in Japan it is also called fabric sculpture , and one cannot but agree with such a definition ...

But we must not forget about another, no less important role of teriman, which is associated with the historical past of this subject. Initially, the Therimen were simply sacks filled with various fragrant herbs, and thus acted as something of a modern kind. Such bags were worn both under clothes and hung in different parts of the house to create a pleasant atmosphere in the home. With the development of the perfume industry, the need to "aromatize oneself" in this way has disappeared. But such a natural way to give the air in the room a pleasant smell has survived to this day. Therefore, current housewives are happy to use terimans both in and for aromatizing wardrobes and chests of drawers with linen.

Unfortunately, nothing more concrete can be said about the history of the appearance of the teriman. It is only known that this art arose conditionally in the seventeenth century and only women could practice it. However, the latter fact is not surprising - since only ladies can do such a small and painstaking work - men, for such an occupation, definitely do not have enough patience.

We have already said so much about terimane, but still have not revealed the essence of creating such items, which is absolutely simple. But after all, everything ingenious is simple. To create a teriman, you need a minimum of materials.:, threads, a needle, scissors, a little accessories, filler (synthetic winterizer or fragrant herbs - optional) and, of course, there should be an idea for creating a future toy. It should be noted that Teriman is sewn exclusively by hand - no machine seams !

As we remember, the teriman was originally a sack, so now the basis of the toy is a sack made of scraps (scraps are selected and sewn according to the author's idea - depending on what should be the result). Of course, this does not mean at all that the sewn workpiece must necessarily resemble a square or rectangular bag - you can make darts in the right places, leave fabric "tails", etc.

After the shreds are sewn, the toy is turned onto the front side, stuffed, the hole is pulled together with special loops or a ribbon (for this, when sewing, appropriate devices are made to tighten the fabric - this technique is a kind of reminder of the “sack” past of the teriman). And now the finalization of the toy is already beginning - eyes are sewn, a mouth is embroidered, etc. - it all depends on which one you are doing. Most often, the authors of such objects create terimans in the form of figures of animals (less often men) and flowers... However, no one limits the flight of the craftswomen's imagination, and something else can be done.

Despite the fact that making terimen is a purely Japanese look, now its popularity is spreading to Western countries, where many craftswomen are happy to attend classes on creating such toys. Yes Yes! Exactly classes, because, like any kind of art, work on the manufacture of teriman needs to be learned from specialists - after all, each technique has its own secret techniques. Many Japanese craftsmen claim that, despite the fact that they have been making toys themselves for many years, they always have something to learn from their colleagues, which they are happy to do, thus exchanging the secrets of their work.

Undoubtedly, Western craftsmen, including needlewomen from our country, bring their own ideas to such toys - adding knitted motifs slightly deviate from the classical methods of making a "base bag", etc. But this does not spoil the teriman at all - on the contrary, it brings original notes to it..

The Japanese discovered the beauty hidden in things in the 9th-12th centuries, in the Heian era (794-1185) and even designated it with the special concept of "mono no avare" (Japanese ???? (??????)) , which means "the sad charm of things." "The charm of things" is one of the earliest definitions of beauty in Japanese literature, it is associated with the Shinto belief that every thing has its own deity - kami - and its own unique charm. Avare is the inner essence of things, that which causes delight, excitement.

Wasi or wagami.
Manual paper making. The medieval Japanese appreciated washi not only for its practical qualities, but also for its beauty. She was famous for her subtlety, almost transparency, which, however, did not deprive her of its strength. Washi is made from the bark of the kozo (mulberry) tree and some other trees.
Washi paper has been preserved for centuries, as evidenced by albums and volumes of old Japanese calligraphy, paintings, screens, engravings that have survived through the centuries to the present day.
Wasya's paper is fibrous, if you look through a microscope, you will see slits through which air and sunlight penetrate. This quality is used in the manufacture of screens and traditional Japanese lanterns.
Washi souvenirs are very popular among Europeans. Many small and useful items are made from this paper: wallets, envelopes, fans. They are strong enough and lightweight at the same time.

Komono.
What remains of a kimono after it has served its term? Do you think they are throwing it away? Nothing like this! The Japanese will never do that. Kimono is an expensive thing. It's so easy to throw it away is unthinkable and impossible ... Along with other types of reuse of kimono, the craftswomen made small souvenirs from small scraps. These are small toys for children, dolls, brooches, garlands, women's jewelry and other products, old kimono is used in the manufacture of small cute little things, which are collectively called "komono". Little things that will take on a life of their own, continuing the path of the kimono. This is what the word komono means.

Mizuhiki.
Analogue of macrame. This is an ancient Japanese applied art of tying various knots from special cords and creating patterns from them. Such works of art had an extremely wide range of applications - from gift cards and letters to hairstyles and handbags. Currently, mizuhiki is extremely widely used in the gift industry - for every event in life, a gift is supposed to be wrapped and tied in a very specific way. There are a lot of knots and compositions in the art of mizuhiki, and not every Japanese knows them all by heart. Of course, there are the most common and simple nodes that are used most often: when congratulating on the birth of a child, for a wedding or memorial, birthday or university admission.

Gohei.
Mascot made of paper strips. Gohei is a ritual rod of a Shinto priest, to which paper zigzag strips are attached. The same strips of paper are hung at the entrance to a Shinto shrine. The role of paper in Shintoism has traditionally been very great, and esoteric meaning has always been attached to paper products. And the belief that every thing, every phenomenon, even words, contains a kami - a deity - explains the emergence of such a kind of applied art as gohei. Shintoism is in some ways very similar to our paganism. For Shintoists, the kami settles especially willingly in everything that is unusual. For example, in paper. And even more so in the gohei twisted into an intricate zigzag, which hangs today in front of the entrance to Shinto shrines and indicates the presence of a deity in the temple. There are 20 options for folding the gohei, and those that are particularly unusual will attract the kami. For the most part, gohei is white, but there are also golden, silvery and many other shades. Since the 9th century, it has been a custom in Japan to strengthen the gohei on the belts of sumo wrestlers before the start of the fight.

Anesama.
This is the manufacture of paper dolls. In the 19th century, samurai wives made dolls out of paper, which children played, dressing them in different clothes. At a time when there were no toys, anesama was the only interlocutor for children, “playing” the role of mother, elder sister, child and friend.
The doll is rolled up from Japanese washi paper, the hair is made of crumpled paper, dyed with ink and covered with glue, which gives it a gloss. A distinctive feature is a cute little nose on an elongated face. Today, this simple toy, which requires nothing but skillful hands, is traditional in shape and continues to be made in the same way as before.

Origami.
The ancient art of folding paper figures (Japanese ???, literally: "folded paper"). The art of origami has its roots in ancient China, where paper was invented. Originally, origami was used for religious purposes. For a long time, this art form was available only to representatives of the upper classes, where a sign of good form was the mastery of the paper folding technique. Only after the Second World War, origami went beyond the East and ended up in America and Europe, where it immediately found its fans. Classic origami is folded from a square sheet of paper.
There is a certain set of conventional signs necessary to sketch the folding scheme of even the most complex product. Most of the conventional symbols were introduced into practice in the middle of the 20th century by the famous Japanese master Akira Yoshizawa.
Classic origami prescribes the use of one square, evenly colored sheet of paper without glue or scissors. Contemporary art forms sometimes deviate from this canon.

Photo source: http://sibanime.ru/2152-yaponskie-tradicii-origami.html

Kirigami.
Kirigami is the art of cutting out various shapes from a sheet of paper folded several times using scissors. An origami type that allows the use of scissors and paper cutting in the process of making a model. This is the main difference between kirigami and other paper folding techniques, which is emphasized in the name: ?? (kiru) - cut,? (gami) - paper. In childhood, we all loved to cut snowflakes - a variant of kirigami, you can cut in this technique not only snowflakes, but also various figures, flowers, garlands and other cute things made of paper. These products can be used as stencils for prints, decorating albums, postcards, photo frames, in fashion design, interior design and other various decoration.

Ikebana.
Ikebana, (yap ??? or ????) in translation from Japanese - ike "- life," bana "- flowers, or" flowers that live. " The Japanese art of flower arrangement is one of the most beautiful traditions of the Japanese people. When composing ikebana, along with flowers, cut branches, leaves and shoots are used. The basic principle is the principle of exquisite simplicity, to achieve which they try to emphasize the natural beauty of plants. Ikebana is the creation of a new natural form, which harmoniously combines the beauty of a flower and the beauty of the soul of the master who creates the composition.
Today in Japan there are 4 largest ikebana schools: Ikenobo, Koryu, Ohara, Sogetsu. In addition to them, there are about a thousand different directions and trends adhering to one of these schools.

Oribana.
In the middle of the 17th century, two schools of Ohara (the main form of Ikebana - Oribana) and Koryu (the main form - Sseca) departed from Ikenobo. By the way, the Ohara school still studies only Oribana. As the Japanese say, it is very important that origami does not turn into origomi. Gomi in Japanese means trash. After all, how does it happen, folded a piece of paper, and then what to do with it? Oribana offers a lot of ideas for bouquets for interior decoration. ORIBANA = ORIGAMI + IKEBANA

Wrong.
A kind of fine art born of floristry. Our floristry appeared eight years ago, although it has existed in Japan for more than six hundred years. Once upon a time in the Middle Ages, samurai comprehended the path of a warrior. And mistaken was part of this path, the same as writing hieroglyphs and wielding a sword. The meaning of the mistake was that in a state of total presence in the moment (satori), the master created a picture of dried flowers (pressed flowers). Then this picture could serve as a key, a guide for those who were ready to enter silence and experience that very satori.
The essence of art "is wrong" is that by collecting and drying flowers, herbs, leaves, bark under the press and sticking them on the base, the author creates a truly "painting" work with the help of plants. In other words, she is mistaken - this is painting with plants.
The artistic creativity of florists is based on the preservation of the shape, color and texture of dried plant material. The Japanese have developed a technique to protect the "mistaken" paintings from burnout and darkening. Its essence is that air is pumped out between the glass and the painting and a vacuum is created, which prevents the plants from deteriorating.
Attracted not only by the non-traditional nature of this art, but also by the opportunity to show imagination, taste, knowledge of the properties of plants. Florists perform ornaments, landscapes, still lifes, portraits and subject paintings.

Temari.
These are traditional Japanese geometrically embroidered balls, made with the simplest stitches, which once served as a child's toy, and now have become a form of applied art that has many fans not only in Japan, but all over the world. It is believed that a long time ago, these products were made by wives of samurai for entertainment. At the very beginning, they were really used as a ball for playing a ball, but step by step they began to acquire artistic elements, later turning into decorative ornaments. The delicate beauty of these balls is known throughout Japan. And today, colorful, carefully made products are one of the types of Japanese folk crafts.

Yubinuki.
Japanese thimbles, when sewing or embroidering by hand, are put on the middle phalanx of the middle finger of the working hand, with the help of the fingertips the needle is given the desired direction, and the ring on the middle finger pushes the needle in the work. Initially, Japanese yubinuki thimbles were made quite simply - a strip of dense fabric or leather about 1 cm wide in several layers was tightly wrapped around the finger and fastened together with several simple decorative stitches. Since skirts were a necessary item in every home, they began to be decorated with geometric embroidery with silk threads. Colorful and complex patterns were created from the interweaving of stitches. Yubinuki from a simple household item has also turned into an item for "admiring", an adornment of everyday life.
Yubinuki are still used in sewing and embroidery, but they can also be found simply worn on the hands on any finger, like decorative rings. Various ring-shaped objects are decorated with embroidery in the yubinuki style - napkin rings, bracelets, temari holders, embroidered yubinuki, and there are also embroidered pincases in the same style. Skirt patterns can be a great source of inspiration for obi embroidery in temari.

Kanzashi.
The art of decorating hair pins (most often decorated with flowers (butterflies, etc.) made of fabric (mainly silk). Japanese kanzashi (kanzashi) is a long hairpin for the traditional Japanese female hairstyle. They were made of wood, varnish, silver, tortoiseshell used in traditional Chinese and Japanese hairstyles Around 400 years ago, women's hairstyle changed in Japan: women stopped combing their hair in the traditional form - taregami (long straight hair) and began to style it in intricate and bizarre forms - nihongami. used various objects - hairpins, sticks, combs.It was then that even a simple comb-comb kushi turns into an elegant accessory of extraordinary beauty, which becomes a real work of art.Japanese women's traditional costume did not allow wrist ornaments and necklaces, so hair decoration was the main beauty and field for self-expression - as well as demonstrating the taste and thickness of the wallet bka the owner. On the prints, you can see - if you look closely - how Japanese women easily hung up to twenty expensive kanzashis in their hairstyles.
Currently, there is a revival of the tradition of using kanzashi among young Japanese women who want to add sophistication and elegance to their hairstyles, modern hairpins can be decorated with just one or two dainty handmade flowers.

Kumihimo.
Kumihimo is a Japanese braid weave. When weaving threads, ribbons and laces are obtained. These laces are woven on special machines - Marudai and Takadai. The Marudai loom is used to weave round laces, while the Takadai loom is used to weave flat laces. Kumihimo translated from Japanese means "weaving ropes" (kumi - weaving, folding together, himo - rope, lace). Despite the fact that historians stubbornly insist that such weaving can be found among the Scandinavians and the inhabitants of the Andes, the Japanese art of kumihimo is indeed one of the most ancient types of weaving. The first mention of it dates back to 550, when Buddhism spread throughout Japan and special ceremonies required special decorations. Later, kumihimo laces began to be used as a fixer for the obi belt on a women's kimono, as ropes for "packing" the entire samurai arsenal of weapons (samurai used kumihimo for decorative and functional purposes to tie their armor and horse armor), as well as for bundling heavy objects.
Various patterns of modern kumihimo are woven very easily on homemade cardboard looms.

Suibokuga or sumie.
Japanese ink painting. This Chinese style of painting was adopted by Japanese artists in the 14th century, and by the end of the 15th century. became the mainstream of Japanese painting. Suibokuga is monochrome. It is characterized by the use of black ink (sumi), a solid form of charcoal or made from soot, Chinese ink that is ground in ink, diluted with water, and brushed onto paper or silk. Monochrome offers the artist an endless choice of tonal options, which the Chinese have long recognized as the "colors" of ink. Suibokuga sometimes allows for the use of real colors, but limits it to subtle, transparent strokes that always remain subordinate to the ink line. Ink painting shares with the art of calligraphy such essential characteristics as tightly controlled expression and technical mastery of form. The quality of ink painting is reduced, as in calligraphy, to the integrity and resistance to tearing of a line drawn with ink, which, as it were, holds a work of art on itself, just as bones hold tissues on them.

Etagami.
Drawn postcards (e - picture, tags - letter). Making postcards with your own hands is generally a very popular activity in Japan, and before the holiday its popularity increases even more. The Japanese love to send postcards to their friends, and they love to receive them too. This is a type of quick letter on special blanks, it can be sent by mail without an envelope. There are no special rules or techniques in etegami; anyone without special training can do it. Etagami helps to accurately express the mood, impressions, this is a handmade postcard consisting of a picture and a short letter, conveying the sender's emotions, such as warmth, passion, care, love, etc. They send these cards for the holidays and just like that, depicting seasons, actions, vegetables and fruits, people and animals. The simpler this picture is drawn, the more interesting it looks.

Furoshiki.
Japanese packaging technique or the art of folding fabric. Furoshiki entered the life of the Japanese for a long time. Ancient scrolls of the Kamakura-Muromachi periods (1185 - 1573) with images of women carrying bundles of clothes packed in fabric on their heads have survived. This interesting technique dates back to 710 - 794 AD in Japan. The word "furoshiki" literally translates to "bath mat" and is a square piece of fabric that was used to wrap and carry objects of all shapes and sizes.
In the old days, in Japanese baths (furo), it was customary to walk in light cotton kimonos, which visitors brought with them from home. The bather also brought a special rug (shiki) on which he stood while undressing. Having changed into a "bath" kimono, the visitor wrapped his clothes with a rug, and after the bath he wrapped a wet kimono in a rug to bring it home. Thus, the bath mat has become a multifunctional bag.
Furoshiki is very easy to use: the fabric takes the shape of the object you wrap, and the handles make it easy to transfer the load. In addition, a gift wrapped not in hard paper, but in a soft, multi-layered fabric, acquires special expressiveness. There are many schemes for folding furoshiki for any occasion, everyday or holiday.

Kinusaiga.
Amazing kind of needlework from Japan. Kinusaiga (???) is a cross between batik and patchwork. The main idea is that pieces of old silk kimonos are assembled into new paintings - true works of art.
First, the artist makes a sketch on paper. Then this drawing is transferred to a wooden plank. The contour of the pattern is cut with grooves, or grooves, and then from the old silk kimono, small patches that match the color and tone are cut, and the edges of these patches fill the grooves. When you look at such a picture, you get the feeling that you are looking at a photograph, or even just watching the landscape outside the window, they are so realistic.

Amigurumi.
The Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small soft animals and humanoid creatures. Amigurumi (Japanese ????, literally: "knitted-wrapped") are most often cute animals (such as bears, bunnies, cats, dogs, etc.), little men, but these can also be inanimate objects endowed with human properties. For example, cupcakes, hats, handbags and others. Amigurumi is knitted or knitted or crocheted. Recently, crocheted amigurumi have become more popular and more common.
are knitted from yarn by a simple knitting method - in a spiral and, unlike the European knitting method, circles are usually not connected. They are also crocheted in a smaller size in relation to the thickness of the yarn to create a very dense fabric without any gaps for padding to creep out through. Amigurumi are often made from parts and then connected, with the exception of some amigurumi, which do not have limbs, but only have a head and torso, which make up one whole. The limbs are sometimes filled with plastic pieces to give them live weight, while the rest of the body is filled with fiber filler.
Amigurumi aesthetics are spread by their cuteness ("kawaii").

Bonsai.
Bonsai, as a phenomenon, appeared more than a thousand years ago in China, but this culture reached its peak only in Japan. (bonsai - jap. ?? lit. "plant in a pot") - the art of growing an exact copy of a real tree in miniature. These plants were grown by Buddhist monks several centuries BC and later became one of the activities of the local nobility.
Bonsai decorated Japanese homes and gardens. In the Tokugawa era, park design received a new impetus: growing azaleas and maples became a pastime for the wealthy. Dwarf plant growing (hachi-no-ki - "potted tree") also developed, but the bonsai of that time were very large.
Nowadays, ordinary trees are used for bonsai, they become small thanks to constant pruning and various other methods. At the same time, the ratio of the size of the root system, limited by the volume of the bowl, and the ground part of the bonsai corresponds to the proportions of an adult tree in nature.

A series of messages "":
Part 1 - Japanese types of needlework

Japan is an amazing country, which very carefully honors and preserves its customs and traditions. Japanese handicrafts just as varied and amazing. In this article, the main handicraft arts whose homeland is Japan - amigurumi, kanzashi, temari, mizuhiki, osie, kinusaiga, terimen, furoshiki, kumihimo, sashiko... You've probably heard about some of the types, maybe you yourself began to create in this technique, some are not so popular outside of Japan itself. A distinctive feature of Japanese needlework is accuracy, patience and perseverance, although ... most likely these features can be attributed to world needlework).

Amigurumi - Japanese knitted toys

Japanese kanzashi - fabric flowers

Temari - the ancient Japanese art of embroidery balls

In the photo, temari balls (Author of the embroidery: Kondakova Larisa Aleksandrovna)

- the ancient Japanese art of embroidery balls, which has won many fans around the world. True, Temari's homeland is China; this handicraft was brought to Japan about 600 years ago. Initially temari made for children using the remains of the old, with the invention of rubber, the braiding of balls began to be considered a decorative and applied art. Temari as a gift symbolizes friendship and devotion, there is also a belief that they bring good luck and happiness. In Japan, a professional temari is a person who has passed 4 levels of skill, for this you need to weave 150 temari balls and study for about 6 years!

Another thriving type of Japanese applied art, similar in technology to macrame weaving, but more graceful and miniature.

So what is it mizuhiki- this art of tying various knots from cords, as a result of which patterns of stunning beauty are created, goes back to the 18th century.

The area of application is also varied - postcards, letters, hairstyles, handbags, gift wrapping. By the way, thanks to the gift wrapping mizuhiki are widespread. After all, gifts are relied on for every event in a person's life. There is such an enormous number of knots and compositions in mizuhiki that not even every Japanese knows them all by heart, along with this there are the most common basic knots that are used for congratulations on the birth of a child, for a wedding, commemoration, birthday or university admission.

- japanese handmade to create volumetric pictures from cardboard and fabric or paper using applique technology. This type of needlework is very popular in Japan, in Russia it has not yet received much distribution, although learning how to create paintings in the Axie technique very simple. To create axie-paintings, Japanese paper washi (based on fibers of mulberry, gampi, mitsumata and a number of other plants) are needed, fabrics, cardboard, batting, glue, scissors.

The use of Japanese materials - fabrics and paper - is fundamental in this art form, because washi paper, for example, resembles fabric in its properties, and, therefore, is stronger and more flexible than usual. As for the fabric, here the fabric from which they are sewn is used. Of course, the Japanese craftswomen did not buy specially new fabric for the Osie, they gave their old kimonos a new life, using it to create paintings. Traditionally, the Osie-paintings depicted children in national costumes, scenes from fairy tales.

combined several techniques at once: woodcarving, patchwork, applique, mosaic. To create a picture of kinusayga, you first need to make a sketch on paper, then transfer it to a wooden plank. Depressions are made on the board along the contour of the drawing, a kind of groove. After that, small shreds are cut from the old silk kimono, which then fill in the cut grooves on the board. As a result, the resulting picture of kinusaiga is striking in its beauty and realism.

- the japanese art of folding fabric, the history of the appearance and the main methods of packaging in this technique can be read. It is beautiful, profitable and convenient to use this technique for packaging. And on the Japanese market of computer technology, a new trend - laptops packed in the style Furoshiki... Agree, very original!

(Chirimen craft) - old japanese handicraft, which originated in the era of late Japanese feudalism. The essence of this arts and crafts is the creation of toy figures from fabric, mainly the embodiment of animals and plants. This is a purely female type of needlework, Japanese men are not supposed to do it. In the 17th century, one of the directions of the “teriman” was the manufacture of decorative bags, into which fragrant substances were inserted, they were carried with them (like perfume) or used to flavor fresh linen (a kind of Sachet). Currently figurines terimen used for as decorative elements in the interior of the house. You don't need any special training to create Terimen figurines, just have cloth, scissors and a lot of patience.

- one of the most ancient types of weaving laces, the first mentions date back to 50. Translated from Japanese kumi - folding, himo - threads (folding threads). Laces were used both for functional purposes - fastening samurai weapons, tying armor on horses, tying heavy objects, and for decorative purposes - tying a kimono (obi) belt, wrapping gifts. Weave kumihimo laces mainly on machine tools, there are two types of them, takadai and marudai, when using the first, flat cords are obtained, on the second, round ones.

- simple and sophisticated japanese handicraft, something similar to a patchwork. Sashiko Is a simple yet sophisticated hand embroidery. Translated from Japanese, the word "sashiko" means "small puncture", which fully characterizes the stitching technique. The literal translation from the Japanese word "sashiko" means "great luck, happiness." This ancient embroidery technique owes its appearance ... to the poverty of the rural inhabitants of Japan. Unable to replace old worn clothes with new ones (fabric was very expensive in those days), they came up with a way to "restore" it with the help of embroidery. Initially, sashiko patterns were used for quilting and warming clothes, poor women folded worn fabric in several layers and connected it using the sashiko technique, thus creating one warm quilted jacket. Nowadays, sashiko is widely used for decorative purposes. Traditionally, patterns were embroidered on fabrics of dark, mostly blue, tones with white thread. It was believed that clothing embroidered with symbolic drawings protects from evil spirits.

Basic principles of sashiko:
The contrast of fabric and thread - the traditional color of the fabric is dark blue, indigo, the color of the thread is white, a combination of black and white was often used. Now, of course, the color palette is not so strictly adhered to.
The stitches should never intersect at the intersections of the ornament, there should be a distance between them.
The stitches should be the same size, the distance between them should also not be uneven.

For this type of embroidery, a special needle is used (like a needle for a sewing machine). The desired pattern is applied to the fabric and then a needle with a threaded thread is inserted, a small loop should remain from the inside out. This embroidery is quick to work, the difficulty lies only in the ability to apply strokes and mix colors. Whole pictures are embroidered in this way, the main thing is to choose threads to get a realistic drawing. Threads are used for work, not quite ordinary - this is a special "cord", which unravels during work and due to this, a very beautiful and unusual stitch is obtained.

- translated from Japanese kusuri (medicine) and tama (ball), literally "medicine ball". The art of kusudama comes from ancient Japanese traditions, when kusudams were used for incense and a mixture of dried petals. In general, kusudama is a paper ball consisting of a large number of modules folded from a square sheet of paper (symbolizing flowers).

Japanese handmade:

axle

The hand-made world knows a lot of handicraft arts, whose homeland is Japan: origami, amigurumi, kanzashi, temari, mizuhiki ... And this is just a small part of handicraft techniques that generally exist in Japan, and many of them are popular only within their own country, but otherwise unfortunately, the world knows little about them. As, for example, about the axie - an applicative technique for creating volumetric paintings from cardboard and fabric (or paper), a technique that appeared in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867), and is still popular among Japanese handmakers.

Mastering the axie is not difficult at all. All that is required for this: Japanese paper or Japanese fabrics, cardboard, soft non-woven material such as batting, glue, scissors, as well as your accuracy and your patience - the creation of Axis paintings does not stand in a hurry.

In Japan, even a child who has just mastered scissors can create an axie-picture. There is everything for this - the necessary paper and the necessary fabrics, and even ready-made kits "do it yourself your own ose" are available in a large assortment. In Russia, those wishing to learn the basics of the Japanese Axis will have to be a little tough, but all the problems are quite solvable: the necessary paper or fabrics can be ordered through specialized online stores, join the corresponding collective purchase, or ask your friends from Japan to send everything you need.

Japanese materials are really fundamental when working with this technique, and I will try to explain why. Initially, the Osie used trimmings of fabrics from which the kimono was sewn. The craftswomen simply did not raise their hands to throw them away, for this reason the art of drawing pictures from pieces of cardboard wrapped in pieces of fabric arose. When paper was brought to Japan from China, the sie craftsmen began to consider it as an alternative to expensive fabrics. However, Chinese paper was not suitable for the axie - it was fragile, easily torn at the folds and was not plastic. It was only after the Chinese invention was perfected by the Japanese that it really became an alternative (and today the predominant) material for the axie. We are talking about Japanese washi paper - paper based not on wood pulp, but on the fibers of kozo (mulberry tree), gampi, mitsumata and a number of other plants. Thanks to the fibers, Japanese paper is much stronger and more flexible than traditional paper, it resembles fabric more than other types of paper in properties, and therefore found its application in the axis. As for the rest of the materials - cardboard, batting and glue - they, of course, do not have to be exclusively Japanese in origin.

So, how does the creation of three-dimensional paintings in the Axie technique take place? To begin with, a drawing is selected for the picture. It is important that this should be a drawing, all the elements of which have a clear finished look, closed, as in children's coloring books. Look at examples of ready-made Axis paintings to better understand the essence of the drawings. By the way, traditionally, small children in national costumes, geisha, samurai, and fairy-tale scenes were traditionally depicted in the osei paintings. Today, these topics are not fundamental, because the main thing here is technology.

The work requires two copies of one drawing: one copy will form the basis of the picture, the second will be transferred to cardboard with a soft pad glued to it and cut into its constituent parts. After - each piece of cardboard is pasted over with paper or cloth and glued to the base drawing in the appropriate place. It is very important: a soft pad (a non-woven material, such as foam rubber, uniform in thickness) must necessarily be between the cardboard and the paper, when glued, it is it that gives the volumetric effect for which the axle paintings are famous. Below is a master class on making an axie painting, see for yourself - it's pretty simple. This master class was taken from one of the Japanese sites, unfortunately, I could not find better photographs to illustrate the process of creating a picture using the ose technique.

A thin layer of foam rubber is glued onto a dense, but not too thick sheet of cardboard. It adheres well to PVA glue, it is important to apply the glue to the entire surface of the cardboard, not missing even small areas. One copy of the drawing should be printed on thick paper.

We need the second copy of the drawing in a mirror form. It is glued to the side of the cardboard with foam rubber where the cardboard is located, and cut into parts. To make it easier to cut out parts, you can use the following trick: transfer all the parts to the tracing paper with a marker, but in such a way that these parts are at some distance from each other. Then turn the tracing paper itself and put it on cardboard. Place something on the back of the tracing paper so tightly that the outline of the marker remains on the cardboard.

Thus, it is much easier to cut the picture into details, even the smallest ones. Make sure the part numbering is preserved.

Each piece of cardboard must be duplicated on washi paper. But this must be done with allowances of about half a centimeter on each side. These allowances will need to be carefully tucked up and glued to the back of the cardboard pieces. The process of gluing paper to cardboard is shown in more detail below.

For each detail, you need to decide in advance on the color and pattern of the paper. For example, floral paper was taken for this piece of clothing. Along the contour of the part on the washi paper, the same part was outlined, but it was cut out with a half-centimeter allowance. The cardboard part must be put with the foam-rubber side on the wrong side of the paper, falling into the contour, and the allowances must be folded onto the back side of the cardboard and glued.

It will be much easier to do this if the allowances are cut in advance in several places, especially where it will be difficult for the paper to bend evenly - in corners, on rounded lines, etc. Cut the paper at right angles to the contour of the part.

When all the details are pasted over, you need to stick them on the first copy of the drawing, the one printed on thick paper. In order not to get confused where which part needs to be glued (especially for small parts, the location of which can be difficult to determine at first glance), just numbering helps. You need to glue the parts as tightly as possible to each other. Having glued all the details to the base copy, it should be cut along the contour and the whole figure should be glued to the background of the picture.

That, in fact, is all. With experience comes the skill that allows you to create truly jewelry works, but it is better to start, of course, with the simplest drawings. In the axie technique, you can create large pictures, or you can include it only as an element when decorating scrapbooking albums, when creating postcards, panels, etc.

Let's get back to the nuances. The experience of one girl who shared the results of her experiment on the English-speaking forum Craftster.org shows how critical the use of foam rubber is. She ignored the use of a soft pad between the cardboard and the finishing paper, which resulted in a completely different result. However, see for yourself:

Today in the Russian market there is such material as cardboard with foam rubber. It can be of two types, but only one is suitable for the axle - binding cardboard with foam rubber without a top paper layer. Such cardboard is used for the production of paperbacks for books, notebooks, diaries, menus, etc. products, you've probably seen it. The thickness of foam rubber on such cardboard is different, I cannot say for sure which thickness is optimal - everything will depend on how chubby you want to get the picture in the end.

However, this cardboard has one big drawback - it is not sold at retail in small packages, only in bulk at printing companies. So, most likely, you will have to glue the layers of cardboard and soft material yourself, as shown in the master class.

I will be pleased if the story about the ose technique inspires you to want to try it in practice. Perhaps for someone it will become the author's handwriting, but for someone it will simply expand the horizons of creativity. In any case, I wish you pleasant minutes and beautiful pictures!