tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27254015.post6201522544924531296..comments2024-03-09T10:15:11.266+13:00Comments on Unravelling: Reds, Purples, Grays, and Reds, and LettucesMeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350447919000146804noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27254015.post-75549673149006424662011-01-21T19:39:53.715+13:002011-01-21T19:39:53.715+13:00I do admit I had you on my mind when I saw all the...I do admit I had you on my mind when I saw all the grays, Shipbuilding. If I ever come across the ditch for a visit, I shall carry this sample with me.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350447919000146804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27254015.post-38020249535312223342011-01-21T17:11:10.479+13:002011-01-21T17:11:10.479+13:00all those greys are beautiful...and I love your hi...all those greys are beautiful...and I love your history lesson to go with it Meg!shipbuildinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06810881811132466052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27254015.post-53300295648399381582011-01-21T13:25:51.564+13:002011-01-21T13:25:51.564+13:00Last night I remembered something about the Japane...Last night I remembered something about the Japanese attachment to the "color" gray.<br /><br />As you know we used to have a cast system of sorts, Samurai-Farmers-Crafters/Engineers (forerunners of manufacturers)-Merchants, though there was quite a big gap between the Samurais and the rest. Of course above them were the aristocracy with the emperor on top, and monks of various kinds but some darned close to the top two tiers. <br /><br />Anyhoo, from time to time, but most notably in the Edo period (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_period), the merchants including money lenders were far wealthier than the samurai, though samurai still had political power. So at whim they'd start various austerity measures and make them in to city ordinances. (Edo was also a period when the commoner's art/culture flourished, and this started the almost two-tiered aesthetics that Japanese craft-arts maintain to this day.)<br /><br />Anyway, one of these many austerity measures were "commoners" could not wear fancy clothes. I did read somewhere that there were specific restrictions on certain colors or even motifs. So, the wealthiest of the merchants kept having the kimono makers develop new and wonderful grays, still permitted, and also the fanciest, brightest cloths were used as linings and undergarments.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350447919000146804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27254015.post-55903510216312009482011-01-21T09:25:28.032+13:002011-01-21T09:25:28.032+13:00I have quite a collection of color samples, and I ...I have quite a collection of color samples, and I love to take them out and caress them. As well as look at them and study them. With some of the wools, ahem, I even like to smell them on rainy days!<br /><br />Ah, my lettuce patch. Thank you for that. We need to eat some more because the red ones are bolting, Trapunto. <br /><br />I can't wait for the bok choy to come up - and whatever else I put in but forgot!Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350447919000146804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27254015.post-10789391302831155142011-01-21T07:33:35.434+13:002011-01-21T07:33:35.434+13:00Absolutely, I do that too. I go open the door of ...Absolutely, I do that too. I go open the door of my weaving cabinet and stand there staring at my clear plastic thread boxes when in the same spirit as opening the refrigerator and staring at the food. I love the colors you're working with, and I'm developing a strange affection for your lettuce patch!Trapuntohttp://trapunto.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com