Furoshiki Chic
A few furoshiki wrapping techniques...if you click the image you can see the whole thing, with more after the jump.
The great Japanese art of origami is found in Encyclopedia of the Exquisite, but today I’m interested in its cousin—furoshiki, using square pieces of prettily printed cloth to wrap up packages. During the 1600s, furoshiki, literally meaning ‘bath mat,’ were wrapped around precious relics, scrolls and ceremonial clothing to protect these items from getting scorched by fire. Later they tied up anything that couldn’t fit in a pocket, in the same way a kerchief bundle was used in the West. And today the intricate old bundling techniques are used to wrap gifts.
It’s like giving two gifts in one. Here are some pretty furoshiki I found on etsy.
A furoshiki wrapped gift.
Women examining a furoshiki package.
J’adore!
I especially love the book-wrapping option – great idea for my boyfriend who loves books, and lived in Japan.
Do you know if your wonderful-looking book has been published in the UK/Europe? Couldn’t see it on the Foyles website…
Dear Fiona,
I hope you’ll give furoshiki a try!
The book is available in the UK through amazon, so I’m posting a link below and I hope that you will enjoy it.
Thanks so much for writing!
All best,
Jessica
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Encyclopedia-Exquisite-Anecdotal-History-Delights/dp/B003F3PMCU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292793673&sr=8-2
I’m terribly 20th Century in that I prefer buying books in bookshops – but I shall make an exception for this beauty!
I really enjoyed reading your article in Vogue a few months back about your move to Maine – hope the house decorating is going well, poco a poco.
Poco a poco indeed! A poco quicker wouldn’t hurt, but it is nice to go slowly, too.
I’m glad that you liked the article, and I know what you mean about the book shops. One of the best things about having the book out has been going to our local book shop here in town to sign the new copies as they come in.
Why is it that when I try to do this it looks like an old sheet wrapped around something I’m trying to hide? Furoshiki, indeed! I didn’t even know it had a name–but Japanese packaging of anything is bound to be exquisite. And wasn’t there a book about the Japanese art of packaging some years ago? I seem to remember even eggs being wrapped and tied in some double-exquisite manner.
This is another lovely post. I love your website because it’s a continuation of your book. Will there be a Volume II of your book, by any chance? (Please say yes!!)
To add to Nancy’s comment, I was in Japan this past August and I did a little bit of shopping in the department stores in Tokyo. Even the way they wrapped my simple purchases was very extravagant!!
PS. I think it’s sweet that you sign all the new copies for your local bookshop.
Dear Nancy & Luli,
I just saw a crafting blog where they mentioned “reusable cloth gift bags.” It looked a bit lie furoshiki, but not at all chic! No, no! But I dream of going to Japan to have my hard boiled eggs wrapped.
And Luli, thanks so much for your big vote of confidence. I am working on something new–not exactly a sequel, but the kind of book that someone who liked Encyclopedia might like.
Thanks for writing!
Jessica
Nancy: I tried furoshikiing a book yesterday, and had the same thought – BUT, I shall persevere! Perhaps with some finer fabric so it knots nicer? (say that ten times quickly!) Silk, maybe – furoshiki a la Lanvin 😀
Jessica: I have the same decorating problem! Poco a all-too-poco because funds are also poco… Just moved to Barcelona, with a big (for us) apartment to fill. Our building is a former monastery, so at least I can pretend that our totally bare living room is ascetically intentional – right???
Exactly! That’s like my first apartment in Paris, after years in a tiny box in NYC. It echoed. And as for the funds, well, poco here, too, I’m afraid.
Good luck with the monastery chic & the furoshiki a la Lanvin. (Requires ruffles?)
No ruffles – just washed silk, and lots of draping!
If this isn’t a call to furoshiki, I don’t know what is:
http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/108542