Ok, so I'm very new here, but I had to share my find of these beautiful Kanzashi.



This is only one example of many. Sure, there expensive, but heck, *DROOLING*.

The store's website is here: http://www1.odn.ne.jp/maya/englishindex.htm.

After all, can't wear a proper Furisode without appropriate Kanzashi!

OOoooooo. Those are soooo beautiful!!! Â Â Â

I just looooovve kanzashi! Definately one of my favorite parts of kitsuke.

 Which brings me to ask...

 Which flowers/month/color of kanzashi is your favorite?

 Do you have any Geiko kanzashi pictures that you really like?

 Does anyone wear then in an every-day sort of manner? I'd love to know how you do it!

Thanks for posting this picture! ^____^

I'm still learning about Kitsuke in general. I don't know yet of the correct flowers/month/color thingy . Generally, I love red or leaf green. I was going to just get some to match my Furisode (to be bought), but now I think I should find out more because all these traditions are quite complicated and I wouldn't want to go wrong at this.

Of course, my new found raging passion for Geisha suddenly started after I saw a certain movie, but I had been interested in Geisha and traditional Japanese culture for a few years.

And with those little chimes, I don't think I would wear Kanzashi to work !

I Have a pair of kanazashi from that site. I do where them with my western clost some times. If your in to mixing japanese style with western. You might like Gijin Geisha.
Dr.B

Excuse my ignorance, but what is that? Or should I say who are they?

Its a web site thats sels kanzashi and on ther geisha inspierd aperall.
wwww.gijigeisha.com

So pretty (drool)
I usually check out what kind of kanzashis that ebay has but usually when I find a kanzashi I like they don't ship to europe

I won some of her Kanzashiii actually. It's too pretty!  :lovelove

I LOVE the wisteria kanzashi most. But they are all so beautiful!~

I love wisteria, too, but I think my most fave is sakura kanzashi  :)

I read that as sushi kanzashi first - and I was like until I re-read it.

That will teach me to read the forums right after I have woken up and haven't had my cup of tea yet

As for my favourite kanzashi - it is a tough one as I love most of them...but I'd probably have to say ume.

I know! It's soooo hard to choose! I appreciate you guys trying to.  :P

 They're all so pretty, it's onoe of those instances where I can say "I haven't met a kanzashi I didn't like!" :twisted:


My favorite would have to be Wysteria, Willow (June) and the fall leaves colors (the red and yellow ones...I think it's October?)

Hmmm...sushi kanzashi...that could be really cute! You could use beads for the fish roe and fabric for the shrimp...

ah so many ideas, so little time.  :wink:

Ok, so honestly, how do you differentiate between flowers? I just look at them and say i like the red or the green one and the purple on looks backwards. Which one is which?

From what I've observed, the majority of kanzashi is just different color ensembles. BUT! The ones the geisha and maiko wear are all seasonal, and run with themes. I've just started to recognize some of them:

this is wysteria (may):





here's willow (june):





here's sakura (april):




Hopefully that helps! You'll start to pick out the different ones after a bit, no worries.  :)

Thanks it does help. I also found this page that tells of what goes with each month:

http://www1.odn.ne.jp/maya/english/kanzashi.htm

I'm glad it's helpful!  :)

I found this page while surfing around. It shows you how to fold the fabric to make kanzashi! :

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.ph ... .msg206372

I am sooooooo tempted to make my own!  :D

KHOOL! I'm having a hard time following it exactly but it is really nice. I love crafts!

Edit: Forget the part about not getting it, I do now. I know a few scraps of fabric that are soon to become flowers!

Awesome! I'm so pleased I found something inspiring!  :D

DO share pics when you've got some to show!  :)

Well I really couldn't wait to try :twisted: . Here is my first piece (on my first try). Don't worry Naomi, I'm not about to take your job :



It's made from leftover synthetic meant to look like Dupioni silk. The right side is green, the wrong side is black. It'll make a nice brooch!

Next time, I should try with less petals.

That looks great!  :lovelove  WAY WAY WAY better than my first try!  :oops:

What beautful kanzashi!  Here are some that I made myself.



I also have this set I purchased off e-bay
 I was told these were Tortoise shell by one person and bake-a-lite by someone else. They are really old.  Anyone have any ideas?

I have very long hair, which I sometimes wear up in a bun. I've been wearing kanzashi with it since the 1970's.

I've made a few originals using origami, mostly things like tiny cranes with dangling baskets, or little lilies, etc. Yes, it's paper, but I can also just take it out and just give it to girls and teens who admire it, that way. Making new enthusiasts.  

Maiko, those vintage pieces could be honey tortoise, but it's most likely they are celluloid or possibly horn. Bakelite tends to be more opaque. Most of the tests for materials are a bit destructive, so I don't recommend them. (They involve things like hot pins, ammonia, etc.) I'd just enjoy them.

Jilara, thanks for your responce! I tryed to get an appointment with my local museum to have then looked at, but they haven't got back to me since last summer. I will not subject them to any tests, I love them and I wear them sometimes though they are a bit heavy.

Well I tried making some again tonight with some leftover printed satin from a shirt I made and here is the result:



I'm really enjoing making those while watching tv. And these look so cute in my hair!

Tomorow night, hair pins from turquoise and yellow dupioni silk. Real Silk!  :D

Mizuhana - Great first tries!  I bet they look wonderful in your hair!

Maiko - How did you make the tama-kanzashi?  I have a few tama-kanzashi from Japan but when I do costuming for taiko and performance events, sometimes I don't have enough hair accessories.  I'd love to make some myself.

Thanks! Comming from the expert, it means alot. By the way, let me tell you my favorite of your flower kanzashi is the 80's Neon Kiku Kanzashi Pair. They are so cool!

I really like making those little flowers. Like I said, I've been looking for somthing to do when watching TV for awhile now and I feel I've found it.

Aw - thanks!  I'm far from an expert though! I have about another 20 years of making/practicing before I could call myself that   Unfortunately my favourite kanzashi were some of the ones that got stolen  At least I still have photographic record of them so I can remember them!

I had been looking for something to do while watching the telly myself - which is why I've taken up knitting!  I'll actually have knitted items on PuchiMaiko soon that incorporates kimono fabric.  Weird...I know - but the idea I have in mind works perfect!

I've read about that. You have my sympathies. I don't know how I'd feel if one of my costumes was stolen (well, awfull, that's for sure). I spend so much time researching them, looking for the perfect materials, making them etc. They are priceless to me (but their retail price would be in th 4 digits if I include time and material in the equation).

Good luck with that.

Maiko - How did you make the tama-kanzashi?  I have a few tama-kanzashi from Japan but when I do costuming for taiko and performance events, sometimes I don't have enough hair accessories.  I'd love to make some myself.

Immortal Geisha:  Hello, thank you for liking my tama-Kanzashi's!  :)   Here's how to make them:  You will need,

Wooden dowels about 3/16" X 12"
Wooden balls with holes in them to fit snuggly.
a tool to whittle with
paint ( I used nail polish!)
a bit of sandpaper.  

I then cut the dowels in half, then whittle one end to a point, don't make it sharp. I sanded off any splinters and smooth it all off, then I fit the ball on and paint it. You can get the dowels and balls at craft stores. I hope this helps,  good luck and have fun making them!  8)

Now I have to try and make some kanzashis myself
even if I believe it's going to be hopeless, you should see me try to make the simplest origami

Beautiful! I can't wait to see the next ones!

My latest! (The flash was a little harsh on the colours.)



It's made from leftover fabrics from the skirt of my graduation dress and the corset of my Padmé Picnic dress. Both are Dupioni silk, but the yellow one was hand dyed (I couldn't find yellow dupioni silk so I got white silk and dyed it).

University Graduation, June 2005



Padmé Picnic Dress, May 2005



Now I have to learn another type of petal! I did find a link for many types of Kanzashi: http://craftster.org/blog/?m=20050411. It's worth exploring.

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing that link!

I'm no kanzashi expert, but my friend bought one of the japanese "how to" books off ebay last year. There seems to be just two types of petals, the narrow pointed tipped ones (usually used for willow flowers and chrysanthemum (oh man id I butcher that  :oops: )) and a rounded petal (usually used for sakura, ume, and wysteria).

I think the "how to" I link I showed you earler in the post is for the rounded petal, from what your new kanzashi displays.

Anyone know of a link that shows how to do the pointed one?

I'm really kicking myself now for not scanning pages out of my friends book!!  :x

I loved seeing the flower clips everyone has made, they are lovely!
So, I gave it a go!


I had trouble  :cry:  as the petals would open up, so I used the hot glue gun to close the petals.  Any advise would be great!

Maiko: I found using pins to hold the fabric before you sew just one point really helps. Also, I prefer velcro glue to hot glue.

I was watching the videos from this link and I am wondering a few things (maybe someone here can help me).

First what is tha goe they spread on the wood? I'm gessing it's glue, but what type do you think? Also, what are the white shapes (backing) made of? Leather?

Awaiting your opinions.

Mizuhana, thank you for the link!  The video's were great!  I think he was using a type of glue as well.

It's sticky rice glue and the backing is just some of that tack paper. You know, the kind like oak tag? It's just stiff paper. Â

[/quote] It's sticky rice glue and the backing is just some of that tack paper. You know, the kind like oak tag? It's just stuff paper. Â [/quote]

GeikoSera -  Ah! I thought that was a type heavy paper!  :D  Sticky rice glue, hmmm... I wonder if I can make the glue?  :wink:

It's sticky rice glue and the backing is just some of that tack paper. You know, the kind like oak tag? It's just stuff paper. Â [/quote]

GeikoSera - Â Ah! I thought that was a type heavy paper! Â Â Sticky rice glue, hmmm... I wonder if I can make the glue? Â [/quote]

If you click on the link to the kanzashi blog, there's a link in there that takes you to an online store where you can buy it.  :)  I think Naomi might know more about this glue, I'm sure she'll chime in if she does.  :wink:

GeikoSera, Thanks!  Last night I found a link to make the glue http://www.knives.com/recipies_glues.html I have started it already and will post results!

I bought a maiko kanzashi, very beautiful, but it was a bit expensive. I would like to get some flower kanzashi, too. Is there any site with a kanzashi nice price?
I watched the video that explains how to make kanzashi, it's very cool!

Very informative! This is the website: I recommend it a lot.
http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/tra/goods04.html#13
My favourite kanzashi season is Autoumn.  I love its colours.

Awesome!! I can't wait to see!!!  :lovelove

I really want to see the videos, but I run on a Mac and I can't watch it because it's windows media player.  :cry:

Oooooo, do you have any pictures of your maiko kanzashi? I'd love to see.  :lovelove

For the moment, I don't have photographs, but I'll publish them here when I'll have them. What a peety you couldn't watch the videos!

Awesome! I can't wait!

I did a little web searching and found a way for my Mac to watch wmv files! Yay!!   I'm going to watch them now.

Oh, and I found pics of the kanzashi my friend made:





They're beautiful, aren't they. I wish I had the time (and directions) to make some myself.

GeikoSera those Kanzashi are great! Can you ask your friend for the title of that book? I'd love to have a good reference book.

No need for me to ask. I'd know the cover in an instant! Â Â She got it off of ebay, all the text is in japanese and it cost about $40. Â Â I'll check ebay today for you and I'll post to link here if I find it. Â

Here it is:

http://www.ebay.com.hk/viItem?ItemId=8224041319

So what are those things called? I know they're called Kanzashi but i read Mineko Iwasaki's book and there she said that they were called ''Silver Wings''(this is translated from dutch) So i only mean the silvery/metally thingies  :)

Thanks! I couldn't resist and bought it right away. I promisse to share info with you guys.

maby silver wings is a translation for birabira kanzashi (their silvery...)

*squee* I"m so happy to be of some help!!

I can't wait to see the scans! Â Â It's been bugging me how I can't remember to make the two different petals! I swear I've been folding a square of fabric over and over trying to figure it out! Â

Maiko, thank you for posting instructions for the tama-kanzashi!

Bebemochi, you are very welcome!

I made my own Kanzashi today. Its easier than you think, but time consuming. My first one (10 petal) took me two hours. The second one (6 petals) was only 1.5 hrs.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a58/Ardhanariswar/kanzashi2.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a58/Ardhanariswar/kanzashi1.jpg

All those look really good. I attempted to make my own. Take a gander.
http://spaces.msn.com/members/diomyyunsa/
I hope I put the links on here right...  :( look at the newest picts! I don't know how you put pictures on here...

I like your kanzashi, they are pretty. I made some last year but I havn't had time to work on them since.

yes, I understand...its so much hard work. I had to make the flat metal things for the fan part. took me a while to bang the metal flat and straight. the back of my flowers look horrible...do you all back yours or just leave them the way they are?

Mine are built on a back peice so there isn't much to cover. I had a great video collection of them being made, if I can find it I will post the link.

Here is the link for the web video of a master craftsman making kanzashi.
http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/tra/goods04.html#13

goodness me! I just use ribbons when I make the stuff. much easier to make squares. Im an origami freak, but Im not that careful about it..

I am in aw! These are Gorgeous! What do you use for backing?

The flower is backed on a peice of gold poster board. the willow is on fabric covered wire.

ahhh..I see. Thank you *bows*  I also must say that the fan part for your princess kanzashi is very well done. What did you use? I had to use solder wire metal..its malliable *sp* and this kind is "silver bearing" lead free.  :o hehe...

It is wire. I will try to take a picture for you.

I made some of my own. Here is my latest one  :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v24/y ... nzashi.jpg

Though I had to put some glue inbetween to hold the rounded shape am I doing that right? @_@ Just seems kinda weird...

That looks great. I often use a bit of glue in between the petals to keep them to gether as well.

I'm a little late jumping into the thread here. But this is my favorite:

Oh yes! That's a fall kanzashi.... sooo beautiful! I can never decide which one I like best...

I startes a maple kanzashi last year, but never had time to finish it. I love the look of the peice Kaede.

how do you do those sharp petals? Im not too sure how to.