You may picture kimonos as formal outfits worn on special occasions. With tight sashes and many layers, they take considerable effort to put on and look uncomfortable. But there are also much more casual kimonos for daily wear by working people, such as farmers. These are often made with blurred "kasuri" fabrics featuring a repeating grid or lattice shape. Whereas three essays in this bundle showcase such fabrics in gorgeous blues, the 丈 essay introduces a distinctive yellow silk cloth with striped or checkered patterns. These woven and dyed fabrics became so famous that Hachijo Island was named after them!

These essays illuminate how people produce fabulous fabrics using Japanese methods and materials. Two essays delve into techniques such as shibori (Japanese tie-dye), including the unexpected reason commoners came to wear cotton clothes dyed with indigo. Another essay touches on fabric types, such as hemp cloth, as well as the hemp leaf pattern that often adorns clothes for babies. (People associate hemp with healthy and quick growth.) Rich illustrations in all four essays show what people make with these fab fabrics, including tenugui (fancy towels), traditional pouches, and stunning wall pieces. Crafts aficionados are in for a visual treat!