It seems like lately that lots of people are getting into the art of Tsumami Kanzashi, lately. I've been into making my own flowers for quite some time now, but I learned by inspecting the kanzashi I had, no tutorials were involved! So, I will pass my knowledge onto you readers, so you can make your own kanzashi! They are more simple than they look completed. I've made this tutorial aimed towards people who do not have access to the correct silk, so its a bit easier and cheaper to do, especially since most of you are probably beginners. ENJOY! |
| BEFORE YOU START: Before you start, you will want to cut a bunch of squares out of the fabric. This is probably the most difficult step, as you want to get the most perfect squares possible. A good size to start with is 1.5" squares, as they are a good size for small barettes! To get good squares, I would suggest using a rotary cutter, or just some sharp scissors that won't snag fabric. Materials Needed: Lightweight Fabric, preferrably something that doesn't unravel easily. Slightly transparent. Fabric Stiffener Nori Glue (rice glue that's pretty easy to come by) Pins Ruler Posterboard |
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ROUNDED PETALS: 1) Take the square and fold it diagonally, so the green dots in the diagram touch. Each corner touching exactly, forming a perfect triangle. 2) Fold the triangle in half again, making the dots meet once again. You will want to pinch the side that does not have the two layers on it. 3) While still grabbing the single-layer side of the petal, put your finger between each layer of the petal. Each corner on each half should meet the green dot. 4) Diagram four further shows another perspective of step three, as this is the most important step in forming your petal! Once you have all three corners met, you can stick a pin into them, so they'll stay. POINTED PETALS: 1) Take the square and fold it diagonally, so the green dots in the diagram touch. Each corner touching exactly, forming a perfect triangle. 2) Fold the triangle in half again, making the dots meet once again. 3) Fold the triangle diagonally again, and pinch all the met corners. Pin all the corners together. Keep repeating these steps for whichever petal you want until you have as many as you desire. Usually five rounded petals makes a good Sakura blossom, great for a cute little barette. About 8 makes for a good pointy petal barette. Spray them with the fabric stiffener, as this helps keep the them from getting "thready" and will help them keep their shape. Once they are dry, gently take the pins out. Spread some of the Nori Rice Glue onto some paper, and let it sit for a little bit. This glue takes FOREVER to dry, which is great if you have to reposition your petals. Wait about 15 minutes after you've set the glue out to start working with it. During this time, cut out a small circle of posterboard, about the size of a quarter. If you are using any other color than white, I'd suggest gluing a square of the fabric you're using onto this circle, so the white doesn's show through. Gently dip the bottoms of each petal into the glue and place on your posterboard circle. You'll want each petal's tips to meet in the center. Sometimes placing each petal on the circle with tweezers helps for preciseness. This is frustrating, but perfection will come with practice! Once you're happy with everything, you can decorate the center with fake pearls or flower centers you may be able to find in the bridal section at any craftstore. Then, you can use a strong glue (like E600) to glue onto a Goody Brand Snap barette, or onto a bobby pin. LINKS FOR REFERENCE AND INSPIPRATION: IKUOKAYA Videos that show traditional Kanzashi Making AMAZING Geisha & Maiko styled Kanzashi Gorgeous Photos of Geisha & Maiko Chidoriya World Puchi Maiko Even more gorgeous photos of Geisha & Maiko |
