Kanzashi

is the art of folding fabric into petals and leaves to make flowers. To be specific this type of kanzashi is called Tsumami Kanzashi. The flowers are normally constructed using rice glue but I actually prefer using low temp hot glue to create my kanzashi.
Most of my kanzashi are done in bright colours and added to a hair clip, though I do have some that are attached to hair pins and hair sticks.

Why do I make kanzashi?
Well I've always loved Japanese culture and I still love to learn new and fascinating things about this amazing country. I learned that the intricate accessories that geisha wear in their hair are called kanzashi and they wear different colours and flowers for different occasions, seasons, and status. These kanzashi are made from hand dyed silk and are made by masters of the trade.

I recently managed to get some habotai silk to try my hand at making some kanzashi out of more traditional supplies. The image on the right is the outcome of this experiment. The silk was white and I dyed the tips a light purple.
I must say I love working with the silk better than ribbon and other fabrics I have collected over the years because it folds nice and has a more delicate look to it.


If you are interested in purchasing a pre-made kanzashi you can take a look at my etsy account.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/rainetomoe
Or you can request a quote for a custom made kanzashi!