Handcrafted Japanese Apron

Etsuko Honda Profile

Name: Etsuko Honda Nickname: Ekko-chan

Birthplace: Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture

Past work: When she was young, she worked as a women's apparel designer. Onward Kashiyama

``Launched a brand called ``Drury Lane'' and created an isto with British Strad and Italian food.

We propose fashion that is fused and arranged in a modern way.

Interest in fashion: Since childhood, I have been interested in drawing, designing, and what I wear, and my interest in fashion was influenced by my mother.

Hobbies and hobbies:​​Cats like used things. Make your living space relaxing with things you like.

Folk crafts, old tools, gardening, and "manufacturing".

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

About me so far

When I was young, I worked as a planning designer for women's clothing at Onward Kashiyama in Tokyo.

Around that time, I met Asami at an English conversation school.

In my early 40s, I returned to my parents' home in Nagasaki, and my days were spent taking care of my parents and doing housework.

Also, at the hospital where I moved to a different hospital, I have been very busy recently due to the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, in the spring of 2023, I suddenly received a line from Asami.

``I want you to design an apron.'' Her words reminded me of what I had wanted to do, which was to create things, something I had almost forgotten. It was a ``tide'' in my life.

I retired from the hospital that summer, and now I'm trying to enjoy making things at a slower pace. Well, for this apron, I thought it would be good to use something with a Japanese scent.

My aunt (Kumiko Ogawa) has been dyeing and weaving for many years, so I had an idea to ask her for help.

When I explained the situation, they kindly agreed and we decided to collaborate. The sakiori strings are made by her own hands, and are woven using old kimono cloth torn into 1cm wide pieces as weft threads. The fabric of the main body is blue

I was looking for something like a hanten (chemical dye dyed).

The chest pockets and hem slit details were requested by Asami.

It's a long story, but I have another aunt who I'm very close to.

I am running the "Earth Grandma Channel" on YouTube with my grandson Earth.

I gave him this apron as a gift to thank him for taking care of me since I was young, and he immediately put it on and introduced it on YouTube. As a result of this response, orders are coming in from within Japan as well.

Thank you very much. I am grateful that I am where I am today because of the good relationships of the people around me.

"Cat's Handiwork" Etsuko Honda

Kumiko Ogawa Profile

Name: Kumiko Ogawa, 81 years old Nickname: Kumi-chan

Place of residence: Munetoku City, Fukuoka Prefecture

Past work: Worked at Nagasaki Copper Works of Mitsubishi Copper Works Co., Ltd. until age 24 and before marriage.

How I started Sakiori: I have loved cloth and thread since I was young. I started weaving in my 50s because I wanted to one day wear a cotton kimono and obi that I wove myself. I especially like worn-out indigo-dyed cotton fabrics, so I bought them at antique markets. I tear such old cloth and weave it.

Hobbies and hobbies: I like to live my own life. I want to continue living my life surrounded by the things I like, trying out ideas and making them. I like rough things more than neat things. Another hobby that I would like to continue playing is the piano, and this is my second sonatine.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

I am an 81 year old grandmother.

A lot has happened over the past 81 years. Well done to get this far! and

He was exposed to the atomic bomb in Nagasaki, and lost his mother to cancer the following year. I lost my father at the age of 19. My eldest son contracted measles encephalitis at the age of 5 and became severely mentally retarded, and my eldest daughter died of cancer at the age of 46.

During this time, my favorite things that I have continued to do little by little are weaving and dyeing.

Before the age of 80, I started helping out at the local social welfare council where I had been working until then.

Life support (supporting people in need) and peer support for people with disabilities (consultation for people with disabilities and their families)

After graduating, I was finally able to spend enough time working on my favorite textiles.

I've lived here for 50 years. It was a new residential area, and at first there were no street lights and it was a rural area surrounded by greenery.

Having grown up in a town, there is no way to have fun. . . Grouper! ! And lots of green! Let's play with plants!

This is the beginning of my vegetable dyeing.

Dye cloth or thread. Then I became obsessed with indigo dyeing.

Gradually, the indigo cloth that I had dyed was good, but the cloth that had been spun, dyed and woven by someone else was in tatters. My Sakiori weaving has begun.

I like simple, hand-spun threads that are twisted by hand. Every year in the fall, we receive white and brown cotton grown by a 90-year-old grandfather in our neighborhood. My cotton work begins.

Remove the cotton seeds from the pod → remove the seeds → card the cotton → spin it into thread → dye the thread → weave it → make it into interior clothing

It's my fun job. Sheep's wool is also spun into mufflers and clothes.

While I was living this kind of weaving life, my niece (Etsuko, Cat's Handiwork) asked me to make an apron neck strap designed by her using Sakiori! ? I received a request. Of course, I quickly answered, OK!!

When this apron was sold at the store of my niece's friend Mami who lives in the United States, my textiles were sent to the United States! like a dream! Living a long life isn't bad either.

My life will continue to rise and fall, but I am weaving this apron with the hope that it will make the lives of those who use it even just a little bit more enjoyable.