iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Taken on January 15, 1986 (Shōwa 61), this formal studio portrait captures Kiko Kawashima—the future Crown Princess Akishino—celebrating Seijin no Hi (Coming of Age Day), a pivotal milestone marking adulthood in post-war Japan.

Seated gracefully upon a carved velvet sofa, she wears a magnificent furisode, the highest rank of formal dress for unmarried young women, distinguished by its long, flowing sleeves (furi). The textile is an exquisite specimen of late Shōwa ceremonial tailoring, adorned in an ornate field of auspicious motifs (kisshō-moyō): open folding fans (ōgi) floating alongside dense clusters of chrysanthemums, cherry blossoms, and delicate butterflies. Bound at her waist is a heavy brocade fukuro obi featuring intricate hexagonal lattice (kikō) and floral medallion (hanabishi) patterns, anchored by a softly padded obiage sash. Her half-up hairstyle, accented with a subtle bow headband and long cascading hair, bridges mid-1980s youthful fashion sensibilities with centuries-old sartorial protocol. In traditional Japanese society, the Seijin no Hi portrait functions as both a cherished family record and a symbolic threshold, where a young woman steps into adult responsibility while wrapped in the protective, artistic heritage of wafuku. Captured just years before her entrance into the Imperial Household, the photograph stands as a compelling document of late 20th-century formal portraiture, embodying poise, quiet dignity, and the seamless continuity of Japan’s ceremonial material traditions.

17114

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

anikoknitter @aknitter.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I just posted this sweater the other day but I'll do it again for #showmeyourknits because I love it so much! The pattern is Stag Head Pullover from the amazing Norah Gaughan. Knit in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (80% cotton 20% wool).

A woman wearing a gold coloured pullover with cables that form a stag head.

922118

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

nypapajoe.bsky.social @nypapajoe.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

www.instagram.com/reel/DcgS3vL...

896

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

This summer, more than 50 young men from Chicago Public Schools attended the MBK-Obama Leadership Academy to get ready for high school. They earned credits toward graduation, developed important life skills, and built connections. We’re proud of their hard work, and can’t wait to see what they do.

254128722449

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Miaganga @miaganga.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

25590245

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Two women, one holding pot and tray. Ukiyo-e woodblock print. About 1800, Japan. Artist unknown

Rendered in the delicate, elongated style of late 18th-century bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women), this print is a sophisticated mitate-e (parodic allusion print) that translates classical poetry into a contemporary Edo-period domestic scene. At the top right, an inscription cartouche presents Poem No. 8 from the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu anthology by the legendary 9th-century poet Kisen Hōshi: "Waga io wa miyako no tatsumi shika zo sumu / Uji to hito wa iu nari" ("My hut lies southeast of the capital, where I live in quiet seclusion, though people call it a place of gloom"). In Edo urban culture, artists frequently engaged in playful visual wordplay; because Kisen Hōshi resided in Uji—the heartland of Japan's prized green tea production—his poem routinely inspired tea-themed parodies that played on the homophonous association between Uji tea and spiritual retreat.

Here, the artist reincarnates the hermit-poet's literary solitude into an intimate, playful exchange between two stylish women. The figure on the right directly embodies the Uji tea motif, carrying a polished brass kettle (dobin) in her right hand while balancing a red-lacquered wooden tray set with porcelain tea cups and saucers in her left. She leans forward toward her companion, who stands poised beside a folding screen (byōbu), intently examining a folded letter or poem slip (tanzaku).

Sartorially, the print provides a exquisite study in turn-of-the-19th-century female dress history. The woman on the left wears a long, muted taupe-grey kosode lined in vivid vermilion silk (momi), tied high at the waist with a wide, rust-red obi. Her companion wears an ensemble featuring a slate-blue skirt patterned along the lower hem with delicate, resist-dyed white vine scrollwork (karakusa), layered beneath a pale yellow upper garment and a dark outer drape.

07014

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Uncle Don @uncledon.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Good Saturday morning 😎☕️❤️

281

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

A detail from Tedious Hours (Tsurezure), a 1941 colour-on-silk painting by renowned Japanese Nihonga artist Uemura Shōen, housed in the Yamatane Museum of Art

The title itself—evoking the reflective solitude of Kenkō’s 14th-century classic Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness)—captures a quiet moment of contemplative repose as a young woman reclines over an open thread-bound book (wahon). Resting her cheek gently near the fold of her sleeve, her downcast gaze and soft, composed expression embody the quiet emotional interiority that distinguished Shōen’s bijinga (paintings of beautiful women) from the more sensationalized portrayals of earlier woodblock print traditions.

The figure’s elaborate coiffure (nihongami) showcases Shōen’s technical virtuosity and painstaking attention to period-accurate grooming. Sculpted into voluminous rolls, the deep obsidian hair is framed by delicate featherings of single-hair brushstrokes (kejima) along the temples and hairline, softening the transition to her luminous, porcelain skin. Adorning the hairstyle is an array of translucent yellow tortoiseshell combs (kushi) and hairpins (kanzashi), anchored at the crown by a vibrant dappled tie-dye (kanoko shibori) silk hair cloth in shifting bands of moss green, coral, and white. The warm, glowing quality of the horn ornaments provides a striking visual accent against the matte, neutral tone of the silk ground.

Sartorially, the composition is a masterclass in subtle color harmonies and layered textile details. Her outer kimono in a cool slate-blue is delicately decorated with scattered, pale cherry blossoms (sakura), bearing a subtle family crest (mon) on the shoulder. Beneath, Shōen details a rich succession of layered collars (kasane-eri): a glimpse of brilliant vermilion lining, a soft sage-green trim, and an elegant white silk han'eri under-collar embroidered with subtle white-on-white vine scroll (karakusa) motifs. Securing the ensemble is a deep rust-red obi woven with grand, gold-brocaded medallion crests.

014927

unicorn999.bsky.social @unicorn999.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

It's an environment created by trans ideology.

3310

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Andrea Cretu - Yarnandy @yarnandy.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

This is where you will find the pattern: plyful.com/product/star... I'll be able to sell it myself in a year. There you can check out the different color combinations Sandra has come up with. I like the red/salmon and dark blue one.

plyful.com

Starlight Cardigan

The <b data-path-to-node="0" data-index-in-node="55">Starlight Cardigan </b>is an intermediate Tunisian crochet design that combines a simple silhouette with eye-catching colorwork. It features snowfl...

031

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Andrea Cretu - Yarnandy @yarnandy.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

The pattern is out and I can finally share the whole project with you. It took me three months to design and make the first sample, but a lot of that time was spent thinking and deciding on grading. I hope the solution I've decided on is good enough for everyone. This is Tunisian crochet mosaic.

Dark blue and light blue Tunisian crochet cardigan on a hanger, seen from the front. The bottom edge of the body and sleeves is covered in mosaic with Nordic stars and smaller motifs. It has a V-neck and ribbing all around the front, bottom, sleeve cuffs. It is closed with buttons.

Dark blue and light blue Tunisian crochet cardigan on a person, seen from the back. The bottom edge of the body and sleeves is covered in mosaic with Nordic stars and smaller motifs. There is ribbing visible at the back of the neck, bottom edge, sleeve cuffs.

472

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Maiko Tanewaka of Miyagawa-cho. Text and photography by John Paul Foster. Published by John Paul Foster on December 1, 2013 on www.johnpaulfoster.com

Photographed by John Paul Foster in December 2013, this vibrant portrait showcases Maiko Tanewaka of Kyoto’s Miyagawa-chō district against a muted green backdrop.

She is dressed in a rich, royal purple kimono featuring a subtle, woven geometric jacquard pattern (sayagata), paired with a light-colored, textured collar (eri) showing delicate embroidery. Her face is made up in classic oshiroi (traditional white base) accented by subtle pink shading around the eyes, red eyeliner, and crimson lips. Her elaborate wa-mage coiffure is adorned with seasonal floral kanzashi featuring bright yellow and orange blossoms on her left, along with a dangling silver metal comb (bira-bira kanzashi) on her right, showcasing the exquisite artistry of maiko dress and adornment.

1496

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Laurie @lauriemass.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Does anyone know what this pattern is? I believe it is a free pattern. Alina Norris or Morris. #knitsky

1161

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

“Geisha Mamehana in December”. Text and photography by John Paul Foster, published Dec 15, 2013 at www.johnpaulfoster.com

Titled Geisha Mamehana in December, the tight, centered composition features her looking directly into the camera with an expression of quiet elegance. Her face is painted in the flawless, traditional white shironuri makeup, which contrasts brilliantly against her vivid crimson lips and the meticulous black eyeliner accented with sharp touches of red at the outer corners of her eyes. Her hands are brought gracefully together in front of her face, fingers lightly touching in a delicate, warming gesture that highlights her natural, unpolished nails.

Framing her face is a magnificent, heavy silk winter hood or wrap that creates a stark, sculptural silhouette. The fabric is dramatically split down the center into two contrasting fields of color, with a pristine ivory white draping down her right side and a deep, royal violet-purple covering her left. On the lower portion of the white fabric, elegant blue calligraphy denotes her name and district affiliation. Beneath this heavy outer wrap, a glimpse of her vibrant cerulean-blue kimono is visible, showcasing a subtle, woven geometric key-fret pattern (asano_ha or sayagata) finished with a slender pale cream border along the collar. The entire portrait is set against a textured, deep crimson-red backdrop adorned with a faint, scattered pattern of plum blossoms or subtle metallic flecks, perfectly encapsulating the refined beauty and quiet stillness of Kyoto's traditional winter aesthetic.

0428

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Artist: Ito Shinsui Title: Mosquito Net, from the First Series of Modern Beauties Date: 1929 Medium: Color woodblock print; oban Credit Line: Bequest of Henry C. Schwab

17716

unicorn999.bsky.social @unicorn999.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

#Handmade "Becorns" i love these little characters and the photos this guy produces. youtube.com/shorts/NWflc...

youtube.com

A Good Log

YouTube video by Becorns | David M Bird

010

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Massimo (mirror) @rainmaker1973-m.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

India Rose Crawford crafts and makes stop motion videos of Frog & Toad, two cute knitted puppets living their best life in a dreamy and cozy domestic world. This is Frog baking Toad's favourite cake [🎞️ indiarosecrawford] Original post

0244

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

sparkle kitty @sparkleflower.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

lil monster wakes up 20 mins after me, runs to my room & with the biggest smile squeals “it’s phish day” i’m not sure if she slept at all last night🎶☀️😎 best part she crocheted a ⭐️ cross body just for this show. so if you see us pls let her know you like her bag she made as it would mean the 🌎 to her

011

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Traditional interior scene. Japan. Photography by Stephane Barbery on Flickr

The image functions as a masterful study in the aesthetic philosophy of chado (the way of tea) and wabi-sabi, emphasizing rustic textures, understated seasonal beauty, and a quiet, contemplative atmosphere. The photographer applies a unique, textured filter across the digital canvas, giving the entire scene a painterly, aged quality that feels reminiscent of handmade washi paper or an antique hand-colored print.

The composition centers on a tall, unglazed stoneware or pottery vase resting on a light-colored stone or ceramic tile platter within the raised alcove. The arrangement is an elegant example of chabana (tea flowers), which emphasizes displaying seasonal flora in their most natural, unforced state. Rising from the dark, rustic vase are delicate purple or violet blossoms interspersed with slender green leaves, anchored by a single drooping yellow flower that reaches toward the base, injecting a subtle point of color contrast into the earthy setting. This simple botanical statement is balanced by a large hanging scroll (kakemono) mounted on the rough plaster wall directly behind it. The scroll features two bold, beautifully brushed kanji characters in black ink, framed by silk borders of pale celadon green and reddish-brown, lending a scholastic and spiritual weight to the alcove.

To the left, a traditional wooden lattice window backed with translucent shoji paper diffuses cool, soft daylight into the space, subtly illuminating the highly textured surfaces of the golden-ochre walls. The plasterwork is tactile and deliberately uneven, catching the soft shadows cast by the flower arrangement and the scroll, while the dark, polished timber frame of the tokonoma floor roots the entire display.

17813

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Japanese Noh costume, Meiji era (19th century). MFA.

this garment is constructed with the dramatic, voluminous silhouette required to transform an actor into a larger-than-life presence on the austere, wooden Noh stage. The massive, open-set sleeves and the stiffly structured, flared side panels are designed to catch the air during stylized, slow-motion dances (mai), amplifying the performer's movements and creating a powerful sense of heavy, supernatural grace.

The visual surface of the robe is a tour de force of rhythmic geometric pattern contrasted with organic, mythological forms. The entire background is woven with a dense, repeating pattern of seigaiha (blue ocean waves), rendered in alternating arches of dark indigo and crisp white that create a hypnotic, undulating optical texture across the silk. Floating gracefully atop this stylized sea are two repeating, highly symbolic motifs: coiled dragons (maru-ryū) enclosed within perfect circular medallions, and scrolling, whimsical auspicious clouds (zuiun). The textile is executed in a rich brocade technique, utilizing supplementary weft threads of vibrant forest green, brilliant rust-orange, and soft cream silk, heavily shot through with shimmering gold thread that would have caught the flickering torchlight or low indoor illumination of a traditional performance.

In the dramatic lexicon of Noh theater, the pairing of dragons, waves, and clouds carries profound cosmological weight, representing the dragon's ancient role as a divine controller of water, storms, and the rain necessary for agriculture. A robe adorned with such powerful, tempestuous motifs would have been specifically reserved for active, high-status roles, such as dragon kings (Ryūjin), powerful nature deities, or formidable warrior spirits. By seamlessly blending the rigorous geometry of the seigaiha wave with the fluid, shimmering forms of the celestial dragons, the weavers of this garment created an unforgettable visual medium that projected both earthly luxury and otherworldly authority.

07415

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Larry Mitchell @drlarrymitchell.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

The two ICE agents who murdered a civilian in Biddeford, Maine today. Let's make them famous.

891104396617

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Christoph Fischer Photography @beautysurroundsyou.com · 14/07/2026

After several attempts over a period of 6 years, patience finally paid off. For an all too brief moment, Argentinian Patagonia's vast, breathtaking Perito Moreno glacier is dressed in the most beautiful light! #photography #nature #bluesky #landscape #travel #landscapephotography #naturephotography

1114867544

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

This haori showcases silkscreened sasa (bamboo grass) motifs against a rhythmic backdrop of tatewaku (wavy lines). Taisho period (1912-1926)

This haori showcases silkscreened sasa (bamboo grass) motifs against a rhythmic backdrop of tatewaku (wavy lines). The sasa designs contain the auspicious combination of shou-chiku-bai (pine, bamboo, and ume blossoms) alongside kiku (chrysanthemum) motifs. Additionally, it features some faux-shibori kanoko dot patterns.

The overall composition, with its flowing lines and stylized natural forms, echoes the organic, sinuous qualities favored in Art Nouveau design, while the bold contrast and geometric simplification of the motifs hint at the Art Deco aesthetic.

0467

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Collingwood-Norris @collingwoodnorris.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

From holes to colourful features! Always a pleasure to give something a new lease of life! #visiblemending #darning #repair #makedoandmend #reducewaste #SustainableLiving #beforeandafter

0203

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

A garment from "Wafrica", an avant-garde aesthetic project founded by the Cameroonian designer Serge Mouangue. Based in Japan, Mouangue established Wafrica to spark a creative dialogue between the deep-rooted, sophisticated traditions of West African textiles and classical Japanese dress history.

2315116

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Collingwood-Norris @collingwoodnorris.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Feel confident using swiss darning to repair your knitwear, and don’t throw away a sweater because of a hole again! www.collingwoodnorrisdesign.com/visible-mend... This will be my last online swiss darning workshop this year #visiblemending #repair #BeforeAndAfter #makedoandmend #reducewaste

1474

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Sage Deviant 🏳️‍⚧️ @trans.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

hey crafty friends, what is a good entry level sewing machine to get? 🧵🪡 i want to learn how to sew, mend, & make alterations properly. i also don’t have a ton of cash, so i need to be frugal about what i get. reposts appreciated so this finds the right folx, thanks! 😸

4211444

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Verde Alfieri @verdealfieri.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Respect to the work of craftsmen and #handmade

031

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Flock - Yarn & Knitting Store @flockworkshop.uk · 27/05/2025

Little bit of sock maintenance last night. Darning while listening to some podcasts is a nice way to relax. If you're interesting in learning or need to resupply we stock darning supplies and repair books. www.flockworkshop.uk/shop/tools/d...

0101

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Mothy and the Squid @mothyandthesquid.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Do you remember last month I showed how AI could be used to imitate my work? Everyone preferred my yarn images and suggested I dye sparrow yarn for real, so I did! Www.mothyandthesquid.com #mothyandthesquid #yarn #knitting #crochet #Britishbirds

3142

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Collins Griffin @collinsgriffin.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

The holiday is not attached to any state or religious. Anyone can join him wearing an embroidery. World Embroidery Day is an international holiday aimed at preserving ancient folk traditions of creating and wearing ethnic embroidered Ukrainian clothing.

0382

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Ken Tucky Swinson @kenswinson.com · 06/05/2025

Happy #Patch Tuesday! inspired by the frogs chirping from the creek by my house. If you have a favorite shirt that needs a repair, or a bag that needs some flair (see what I did there?) #printmaking #art #handmade #craft #sewing #visiblemending #frogs #linocut

ken leaning over a press, holding a piece of fabric with a green frog printed on it

0465

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Kiera-Oona @kieraoona.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

For all my new followers, and especially for fellow Canadians, lets keep boosting this petition, and please sign the petition, for the right to repair! The link goes to the house of commons #repair #righttorepair #makedoandmend #anti-capitalism #canada #petition www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...

ourcommons.ca

Petition e-5245 - Petitions

031

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Collingwood-Norris @collingwoodnorris.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

I’l be teaching these darning techniques in my next introduction to darning workshop on zoom. Learn to darn your knitwear with me and save your favourite sweaters from landfill! www.collingwoodnorrisdesign.com/visible-mend... #visiblemending #repair #darning #makedoandmend

0311

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Collingwood-Norris @collingwoodnorris.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Moth holes to colourful features! I’ll be teaching these techniques in my next online introduction to darning workshop #visiblemending #beforeandafter #darning #repair #makedoandmend

1331

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Jo @roguellama.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Decided to take on a big mending project- my favorite sweatshirt dress/nightgown. I'd patched some holes before but the elbows and pockets were just threadbare. So I did a big swatch of swiss darning as an elbow patch and changed colors a couple of times. Now on to the next one!

4151

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

California Dreamin’… 😎 @jerasikehorn.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

The more you know…💫

10942721793

unicorn999.bsky.social @unicorn999.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

Why has the #visiblemending hashtag disappeared? I can see responses but not a single tagged post, 😕

000

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

cpuk (trampoline park connoisseur and occasional comic printer) @comicprintinguk.bsky.social · 30/12/2024

I got into darning and mending this year and it really astonished me to learn how easy this is to do - not perfectly but well enough - and just… double the lifespan of a pair of jeans or a dressing gown or whatever.

3101

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Maura @theglitterdragon.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Trying my hand at micro crochet earrings again.

Blue crochet flower which measures around 1cm in diameter resting on top of an index finger.

041

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Jeff Green @jeffagreen.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

I taught my daughter the rudimentaries of crochet, and now she's taken off and has surpassed me in every way. Here's a link to her Etsy shop, if you're so interested. My hands are too big and old to crochet much anymore. www.etsy.com/shop/GrumpyF...

etsy.com

131

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Dave Lea @davelea.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

It's a plate I made! #pottery

2212

Reposted by @unicorn999.bsky.social

Karen Droms @kdroms-knitter.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

I do love me an icord bind off, even in this nubbly yarn (discontinued Ironstone Felicia cotton and rayon blend). This is the hem of a top down tank knit in the round. 🧶 #knitting

Close up photo of purple knitting project

4211