注染 Chusen②

先日、東京和晒創造館さんで注染の体験をしてきました！一反のさらしを染めます。

I went to a work shop to try Chusen fabric staining at Tokyo Wasou souzou kan (Tateishi, Tokyo)! Chusen staining use white cotton cloths. The length is 12m and it has to be washed and dried naturally before staining so that the color chemicals will get into fabric fibers easily.

First we need a pattern. We used this beautiful Japanese maple leaves pattern!

まず、染めるための型。素敵なもみじ！

この型紙は伊勢の和紙を重ね、漆が塗られていて、模様が離れているところがある場合には型紙の下にメッシュ状の支えを入れて模様がずれないようになっています。型は手作業で小刀を使って切り抜きます。伊勢の彫り師が作ることから”伊勢型”と呼ばれていたそうです。

The pattern paper is made from Ise-Washi layers (traditional Japanese wash paper made in Ise, Mie prefecture) with Japanese lacquer coating. Not to move the small pattern pieces, we put mesh underneath the paper. These patterns are all hand made. There used to be pattern artist in Ise and these patterns were called "Ise-gata", which means Ise pattern.

型を木枠にはめて、さらしの上に置きその上から糊を付けます。糊が付いているところが染まらないようになります。糊は米糠と餅子、石灰を練って作られ、天候、気候に合せて調整されます。注染の職人さんは糊の堅さを「キレ」と呼び長年の経験で培った独自の配合でキレのいい糊を調整します。

We put the pattern paper on the wooden frame and let the frame down on the fabric. They use special glue made from rice bran, mochi-rice flour and lime. Shokunin, Chusen-Meister adjust the glue everyday with the change of weather, temperature and humidity. The hardness of this glue decide the quality of its staining.