IDEAS

[ewt]

When my hakama comes I'll have a look at it. Ladies' hakamas are hard to get in the UK, and they're only made of lightweight polycotton or polyrayon or whatever, and the pattern doesn't look THAT hard. I could make them, I think, with a bit of practise. There's a fair amount of fabric in each one but it's not expensive stuff.

Which made me think - I didn't find any fair trade or organic martial arts kit anywhere. Think there's a market for it? Hard to say. It's not something for me to look into doing now, so I'm putting the idea out in case someone else out there wants to do this, but if it turns out that I can make hakamas easily then I will probably look into at least offering a fairtrade option.

At Aikido the other night we got into a silly conversation about alternative hakama materials and Sensei mentioned something about underlighting. I'm SO going to build an underlit skirt with purple LEDs that point down toward the floor sewn just inside the hem. I'm not going to do this to a hakama, because it would be disrespectful and upset people as well as being awkward on the mat.

Yesterday I did some composition on a train. I'm setting a poem of my grandmother's for a capella SATB.
SONG FOR OCTOBER ENDING

For a season
cold rain imprisons us; our lives
circle around coffee cups,
blue teapots,
things simmering on the stove,
baking in the oven.

We
make jams, jellies and
press
radiant leaves
between slices of waxed paper.
Preserve the days.

Warmth imprints our lives
Warmth is the imprint
of our love.


I guess when it's done I'll have to find a choir to sing it.

Time to do some piano practise.

Comments

[arkady.livejournal.com]

Originally, students would have been expected to make their own hakama. It's only really since aikido became a sport in the Western world that it's become the preferred norm to buy one from an approved source, and "fairtrade" options simply don't come into consideration.

They are simple to make - I've made doll versions, and whilst they do take a lot of fabric they're very simple to run up; I don't even bother with a pattern. However I believe the "approved" pattern has a very precise number of pleats on front and back with exact measurements for the width and construction of each pleat.

The Wikipedia article on hakama (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakama) makes for interesting reading and was my starting point when making doll hakama, kimono and haori (male outer kimono) for my dolls.

[yellowrocket.livejournal.com]

On the subject of Aikido, could you tell me a little bit about it? Before we moved house I studied Silat but there are no classes in Wild West Wales and so I am now looking for something different...

Thanks.

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

There's some explanation here (http://www.kifederationofgreatbritain.co.uk/pages/introductionwhatis.htm).

[yellowrocket.livejournal.com]

Hmm, thanks.

[fwuffydragon.livejournal.com]

If my choir is still going next year, we could have a try if you like!

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

What, choral hakamaking?

[desert-boy.livejournal.com]

I have heard of people making their own Hakama. Back when I was learning Iaido I was going to have hakama made for me to save money. I think there might be a market for Hakama made from cotton or other organic materials because they would be more traditional and perhaps breathe a little better when one is sweating.

[yellowrocket.livejournal.com]

What are they normally made of, then?
I would have assumed cotton was normal (or silk if being very posh and formal) as that is what most martial arts gear is made of...

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

The cheaper ones I've seen are usually made of polycotton or possibly polyrayon - both breathe alright, really, and don't wrinkle anywhere near as badly as cotton by itself. I'm having stitched pleats in mine so it isn't quite so difficult to iron.