Ukebari project

[vajo]

I total noob is trying to make a ukebari.

 

Chapter 1.

 

While waiting for the menpo, i try to finish the kabuto. 

 

The ukebari liner is missing so i will start to make one by myself. David Thatcher is writing that it is better to have a Kabuto liner inside while the helm is resting on its stand.

 

 

I read Davids manual and bought two pieces of used blueish fabric in Japan. I wash it first, because it smells used.

 

One piece is from a rough material and feels like canvas and it is very thin. This will be my outer fabric. The other one feels more comfortable, i think it is cotton. I will use this on head side.

 

Maybe it is not authentic and please forgive my doing but i will make a filling from 1mm wool fleece, that will be more comfortable on head and make the liner more robust.

 

The thickness of the 3 layer is somewhere between 2.5 and 3 mm.

 

I start with a trace of the helmet. I dont want to disassamble the kabuto and scrambled a big sheet of paper to make it something soft.

 

With a pencil i follow the line of the helmet.

 

 

David wrote to add 1.5 inch (~3,81 cm) on the outline.

 

After that i cut out the template an bring it with tailer chalk on the outer fabric.

Then i paint the spiral for the stitches too with the chalk.

 

Now i bring the pieces strong together with 6 needles.

 

Lets go with making the stitches... 

 

I choose a thick blue nature string for the stitches.

 

These are the first ones...

 

After some hours it looks like this - not very far 

 

This is how it looks on the inner side which you will see.

 

Me fingers hurt now and i will be stop for the day.   

[TETSUGENDO]

Chris,

 

It's looking very good, finely executed, I'm impressed....is there anything you can't do?  

 

Enjoy your well earned rest,

                    -S- 

[IanB]

Vajo, As you sew further towards the outer edge, keep pulling the thread so as to make the cloth pucker more and more and will then form the curved shape you need. When it is done it needs to fit into the helmet bowl leaving a space of about 2 or 3cm from the top of the lining to the inside top of the helmet bowl. You can then sew it temporarily into the helmet using the pairs of holes around the edge of the koshimaki and cut off the excess cloth. It pays to mark the edges of the cloth where it is sewn to the helmet to make sure it goes back properly later. Now take it off the helmet again and sew a strip of leather around the inside of the lining, about 2 - 3cm from the edge, the strip being wide enough to fold up and over the edge of the koshimaki. You can now sew the lining back into the helmet and fold the leather up and over the edge of the koshimaki, pasting or gluing the 1cm or so of leather to the outside of the koshimaki, This overlap will be hidden by the shikoro when it is fitted in place. For heavy helmets it was usual to fit two strips of leather above the lining, sewn to the koshimaki and crossing each other diagonally so to speak. These helped take the weight off the more fragile cloth. 

Ian Bottomley

[vajo]

Thanks Ian for the well worthy tips and manual. I will follow these and will keep you informed how it goes.

 

Thanks Steven for the kind words. I hope it will end in a good result.

[vajo]

After some hours later, it became more and more like a hood. 

 

Outer side

 

Head side

 

Maybe interesting:

 

The first bundle of string 8m is empty now. I have finished half the way so i think i need another 8m of string.

[TETSUGENDO]

After some hours later, it became more and more like a hood. 

 

Outer side

stitch_4.jpg

 

Head side

stitch_5.jpg

 

Maybe interesting:

 

The first bundle of string 8m is empty now. I have finished half the way so i think i need another 8m of string.

No need for 'hopes for a good result' Chris, it looks as if it will turn out fine....a bit more work and you'll have it !

 

-S-

[vajo]

Chapter 2.

 

I finished the stitches this morning.

 

 

and cut out the ukebari

 

 

a first test was promising...

 

 

While during to fit the ukebari i cut 3 holes for the Shinobi ne cords. 2 ones go easy, the last one broke to dust.. It was total rotten. 

 

 

I looked deeply to the cords and some make my fingers blue with fine silk dust. I think there time is coming....

 

I will stop from here. I hope David read this Topic   ...

 

Time to drink some coffee or better   

[vajo]

Got help from David 

 

Thanks a lot.

[Ciro]

I was wondering why it needs 8 meters of string for the first half of the stitches.

is there a special trick to stitch it?