Is this acceptable for Japanese outer fabric?

[magnus]

Hey everyone,

I made a trip to the local fabric store. I was wondering if the piece I took a sample of, would be acceptable as an outer fabric for my armour (kote, suneate and haidate)? It's a cotton twill I believe.

[Yamanouchi Eidou]

iffy at best.

I guess there are similar designs but it strikes me as more...Middle Eastern than Japanese.

[magnus]

It's hard to find something japanese...anyone have any suggestions?

[Saionji Shonagon]

Rule #1. If you think you're going to look like a sofa, don't buy it.
Rule #2. Solid colors are your friend.
Rule #3. Solid colors can be tricked out using paint pens or stencils and brushes.

[Kurodachi no Mykaru]

Remember just as most western armours in books are high end pieces, most well known japanese harnesses are high end as well. Single color hemp was more common than beautiful silk brocades for armour. With all the splints etc. that are added, plain fabric can look busy.

[magnus]

Ok...I'll go for a solid colour then. I've never seen hemp before, what does the weave look like? Or can I use a cotton muslin, or maybe a heavy weave linen?

[Kurodachi no Mykaru]

Heavy weave linen is an excellent substitute and wears well.

This is hemp.

[magnus]

I've never inquired about hemp before...is it readily available at most fabric stores, or is it a harder to find weave? From your pics it also looks a bit like silk noille. However Linen I have easy access to.

Great armour btw.

[Saionji Shonagon]

Due to the unfortunate habit people have of wanting to smoke one of the other products of the hemp plant, the fabric can be hard to find in the average fabric store. Online finds may be a little more expensive than flax linen. IIRC, someone once mentioned this supplier as a source, but I have not used them, so I don't know how they are to deal with: www.pickhemp.com/

I just found these folks online as well: www.hemptraders.com/index.php?cPath=21_36
Their hemp linen runs roughly double the price of flax linen from www.fabrics-store.com

[Please Delete]

Hemp is very similar, usually, to linen. You could also look at ramie, another natural fibre used in East Asia. All of these tend to be natural plant fibers, with occasional slubs in modern production (minimize the slubs, if possible). Hemp or linen, I know, can come in varying levels of body and softness. Ramie I've so far only seen as a relatively stiff material, and haven't played with it as a more long term item.

As with all fabrics, it really depends on the specific type you get--the make-up (hemp, flax, cotton, silk, wool, etc.) is just the beginning.

-Ii

[magnus]

Thanks a ton guys. I'll probably go with linen.

[Deleted]

I bought some ramie fabric last week at Pennsic. The Dragon's Magic lady was selling out her stock so she could afford to go back to school. I bought three yards, but I should have just bought all of it. I was thinking kosode, but I should have been thinking hitatare. The color is so brown it's almost black. The fabric is very thin and smooth (before washing at least), and feels quite silky though it is stiffer than similar weights of silk (again, this is before washing). I went back a day later and she was sold out of it.

[kirishitan]

I know this is a really old thread, but for future inquirers: check ebay or other retailers for Japanese obi's that you can "harvest" the fabric from (please don't ruin a piece of history, modern obi's should be cheaper anyway). Especially obi's from female kimono's since they are the widest. The only catch is you'll have to get creative due to the widths involved by either lining up patterns & sewing them together for larger pieces (suneate, etc.).