FROM STEPHANIE.

Received from Stephanie in Japan, December 19.

I love sitting and looking at blogs and items on etsy and this is how I met Stephanie. She has this unique shop full of Japanese vintage and antique treasures, called FurugiStar and I love it.
Just now I have been sitting and going through her etsy page and I am so much in love with this peasant coat.
If you want to read more about FurugiStar, Stephanie have a fantastic blog and her beautiful photos can be seen here.

Stephanie says this about her passion:
"My shop, FurugiStar, specialises in Japanese antiques and vintage items found in and around Tokyo.
I love spending time in antique shops and markets here in Japan and my Etsy page gives me a great excuse to buy the lovely things I find.
I am interested in boro and antique noragi (collectible Japanese farming wear)."

When oppening my mailbox today I found this amazing and lovely textile letter, all the way from Tokyo to me.

Stephanie told me that my invitation to participate into my textile letters inspired her to create a photobook. She has combined light, colors and textures of autumn scenes with textiles. Autumn is "Aki" in Japanese.

She choose the Ginko leaf "tenugui" as a theme. I don't know how, but Stephanie must be able to read my mind, eventhough we have never met in person.
Ginko is one of my favorite leafs. Before moving to Copenhagen to study textile design at the Danish Design School I worked 1½ year for Jette Nevers, a textile designer here in Denmark. At the time she were doing some new developments for Georg Jensen Damask and she had made a drawing of the Ginko leaf. This one she asked me to work with.

Two pages in the photobook by FurugiStar with the beautiful Ginko leafes turning yellow together with an antique textile.

Here, a page of boro textiles from an exhibition together with Ginko leafes. I really love boro, as I see it as a result of a whole life putted into one piece of textiles.
I myself is the happy owner of a sashiko back and also a Saki-ori.

This is a "omiage", a gift with the beautiful Ginko leaf "tunugui".

Stephanie also included four antique, vintage woven textiles into the letter. I am so happy for these, especially because they are in indigo and white, beautiful colors together.
The one in blue-green to the left is in silk, at first glance it looks like a plain weave, but when looking closer you can see a twill, it is so beautiful. Stephanie says it reminds her of seaweed and 1950's upholstery. It is probably from the mid-century, Showa era. A beautiful piece.
The kasuri piece to the right is machine woven. I so much love double kasuri like this piece. It dates back to early Showa era.

Detail of the above.

Two white in white samples.
The one to the left is in cotton for a obi linning, which is found inside a Meiji era obi (over 100 years old). Fantastic. I love the texture of the thread.
The one to the left is in silk called "Mawata tsumugi"; homespun raw silk and handwoven. It was intended for a high quality kimono.

Here you can see the fluffy cotton on the back. It is so rustic and raw.
All of the textiles is avaiable in the FurugiStar shop at etsy.

Stephanie also send me four photos. She writes she lives in an area of Tokyo with antique, vintage clothes shops together with tiny "antique" cinemas.
One of her favorite things to do, at the end of a busy day, is to go to one of these war-era theaters.

The seats are old and creaky.
I come from a little town and perhaps 15 years ago the local cinema change all of there seats and the old one, probably from the 1950 were put for sale. My parents bought some and I have had these in my appartment. One day I will have them fixed.

Stephanie's beautiful card.

Dear Stephanie, I want to thank you for your lovely textile letter and letting me get to know a little bit of you and your life. As you know I love Japan and I hope to be back for a visit one day again. Perhaps we will meet.