For our Kimono Challenge I made two small pieces using only small scraps. I searched out torn and frayed bits and areas where the kimono had been mended in the past. As we went through all the garments we had noticed that many of them had been mended, generally by cutting a piece of matching fabric larger than the hole, placing it underneath and invisibly stitching the layers together. I found only one piece with a large mend, and turned it upside down so the patch was obvious.
I sewed everything down to a background mostly using running stitches, but late in the project started adding french knots. When I was using silk or rayon thread the knots were tedious and small, but then I found a spool of 28-weight cotton Aurifil thread in a variegated ivory-pink-coral-maroon colorway, which made beautiful fat knots and was very easy to work with. So I made large masses of knots, piling them right next to one another or even climbing on top of each other. I love this effect, and it's a seductive technique for those of us who enjoy going into a zen state and stitching for hours at a time.
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