Tag: techniques

Making Asagao (Japanese Morning Glory) with Tsumami-zaiku

Published on by Haruka WilleyLeave a comment

You can find Asagao, the Japanese morning glory, in almost all colors, but it is usually blue, purple, or pink. So today I would like to make a simple blue Asagao tsumami zaiku flower with white stripes.

You’ll be learning new techniques this time! The first is making a corn-shaped base, and the next is turning petals inside out. They may be a little bit hard at first, but don’t worry! You can do it!

You will need:

  • five 1.5 (3.8 cm) inch blue cloth squares 
  • five 1 (2.5 cm) inch white cloth squares 
  • one 1 (2.5 cm) inch round thick paper disc
  • one 1.5 (3.8 cm) inch white cloth square 
  • decorations for the center (see my examples!)
  • glue
  • tweezers
  • wet towel to clean your finger

How to make:

1.Make a base.

a. Slit the paper disc halfway and glue about ¼ of it.

b. Put some glue on the convex side and put 1.5 inch white cloth on.

c. Cut off the excess cloth and glue the cloth inside (concave side).

2. Make 5 petals with blue cloths using Maru-tsumami.

3. Make 5 petals with white cloths using Ken-tsumami.

4. Cut the bottom parts of white petals.

5. Turn the blue petals inside out.

6. Put glue on the disc and place your blue petals evenly.

7. Put some glue on the bottom of your white petals and place them between the blue petals.

8. Put some glue on the sides of blue petals and glue them together with the white petals between each other.

9. Let the glue dry.

10. Put some decorations on the center if you like.

11. Done!

Bonus: Making a Asagao leaf

You will need:

  • one 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) green cloth square
  • two 1 inch (2.5 cm) green cloth squares
  • glue
  • tweezers
  • wet towel to clean your finger

How to make:

1.Make Maru-tsumami with the 1.5 and 1 inch cloths.

2. Put some glue on the side of the peak of the 1.5 inch Maru-tsumami and stick 1 inch Maru-tsumami on each side.

3. Let the glue dry.

4. Done!

How to Make a Twofold Ken-tsumami

Published on by Haruka WilleyLeave a comment

Last time, we used a twofold Maru-tsumami to make a Japanese plum flower. Today, I’ll show you how to make a twofold Ken-tsumami. Actually, I think this is the easier of the two. I recommend using a thinner fabric for practice until you get used to it. 

You will need:

  • one 1 inch square cloth (orange)
  • one 1 inch square cloth (yellow)
  • glue
  • tweezers (You don’t need tweezers, but it’s much easier with them)
  • wet paper towels for cleaning your fingers

Instructions:

1.Make a single Ken-tsumami with an orange cloth. (“How to make a Ken-tsumami” is here.)

2. Fold a yellow cloth twice like the picture to make a ¼ size triangle.

3.Put the orange Ken-tsumami you made on the yellow ¼ size triangle.

4. Fold the yellow ¼ size triangle in half and sandwich the orange Ken-tsumami inside.

5. Glue the bottom part and let it dry.

6. Done!

“Risshun,” The First Day of Spring

Published on by Haruka WilleyLeave a comment

Japan now uses the 12 month Gregorian calendar like the West, but that doesn’t mean our older, more traditional calendars aren’t still extremely important. We inherited the Chinese lunar calendar long ago, and the date of certain special events are still determined by the monthly phases of the moon.

But because the moon’s phases average only about 29 days, we used another Chinese calendar to keep track of the seasons. In Japan, we call it the “Nijushi sekki.” It’s based on the solar cycles, and under it, the first day of spring is called “Risshun.”

Risshun falls on February 3rd this year. Hearing “Risshun” makes Japanese feel like “spring is coming” even though it’s still very cold outside. Around this time, the “ume,” or the Japanese plum flower, also starts blooming. Like I mentioned in another post, ume flowers herald the arrival of spring. (The post about Japanese plum “Ume” is here.)

So in honor of the coming spring, I’m going to show you how to make a twofold Maru-tsumami (how to make single Maru-tsumami is here) so you can make your own ume blossom!

How to make a twofold Ume

You will need:

  • five 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) red square cloths
  • five 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) white square cloths
  • one 1 inch (2.5 cm) round paper disc (thick paper is better)
  • craft flower stamens to decorate the center of the flower
  • glue
  • tweezers (You don’t need tweezers, but it’s much easier with them)
  • wet paper towels for cleaning your fingers

Instructions:

  1. Making a twofold Maru-tsumami

a) First, make a triangle by folding a white square cloth half.

b) Then, fold it in half again to make a smaller triangle. Put aside.

c) Repeat 1 and 2 with a red square cloth.

d) Between the creases of the red cloth, put the white cloth triangle you made just a little bit outside.

e) Fold them in half again, but both ways this time.

f) Glue at the bottom part. You just need a dab.

g) Wait until the glue dries. (It doesn’t need to be completely dry, just enough to keep its shape.)

h) Shape the top round part to make a petal.

2. Make the other 4 petals with twofold Maru-tsumami method.

3. Put glue on the round paper disc and place the petals you made evenly towards the center.

4. Reshape the flower.

5. Let the glue completely dry.

6. Glue the flower stamens and balance them evenly.

7. Let the glue completely dry.

8. Done!

How to Make “Ken-tsumami”

Published on by Haruka WilleyLeave a comment

You will need 

  • square cloths (1.5 inch squares are easy to start.)
  • glue ( I use Aleene’s “Fast Grab Tacky Glue,” but you can use any glue that works for fabric )
  • tweezer (you don’t need them, but they make things a lot easier. )
  • wet tissue (for cleaning your fingers after using the glue)

Making “Ken-tsumami”

  1. First, make a triangle by folding a square cloth half.

2. Next, fold it in half again to make a smaller triangle.

3. Fold it half again to make an even smaller triangle.

4. Glue at the bottom.

5. Wait until the glue dries enough. (It doesn’t need to be completely dry, just enough to keep its shape.)

6. Shape the petal.

7. Extra! This depends on what kind of flower you are making, but you can open up the bottom part to make a petal wide.

8. Now, just repeat the steps until you make as many petals as you need for your flower. 

Now that your petals are ready, you’re ready to make beautiful tsumami-zaiku!

How to Make “Maru-tsumami”

Published on by Haruka WilleyLeave a comment

You will need 

  • square cloths (1.5 inch squares are easy to start.)
  • glue ( I use Aleene’s “Fast Grab Tacky Glue,” but you can use any glue that works for fabric )
  • tweezer (you don’t need them, but they make things a lot easier. )
  • wet tissue (for cleaning your fingers after using the glue)

Making “Maru-tsumami”

1. First, make a triangle by folding a square cloth half

2. Then, fold it in half again to make a smaller triangle.

3. Fold it half again, but both ways this time.

4. Glue at the bottom part.

5. Wait until the glue dries enough. (It doesn’t need to be completely dry, just enough to keep its shape.)

6. Shape the top round part to make a petal.

7. Extra! This depends on what kind of flower you are making, but you can open up the bottom part to make a petal wide.

8. Now, just repeat the steps until you make as many petals as you need for your flower.

Now that your petals are ready, you’re ready to make beautiful tsumami-zaiku!