Cherry Blossoms over Water
May 30th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Cherry blossoms do not only grow in Japan but they look and feel different when seen against a Japanese architectural and historical background.
I was too early for Kyoto’s cherry blossoms although it was the main purpose of my trip; this regret promises another trip to Kyoto soon. However, I caught the full bloom in Kamakura, a thousand-year-old capital located 45 minutes away from Tokyo where the remnants of temples and castles show the influences of early Dang Dynasty China. There I finally experienced the cherry blossoms cascading down over the water.
Next time I want to see the ocean of cherry trees in full bloom in Kyoto.
Cherry Blossom Festival in the City
May 21st, 2012 § Leave a Comment
When I was visiting Japan, a friend from the US who is living in Tokyo had planned to take me to an Indian restaurant. I suppose he was looking forward to this meal because he was a bit tired of Japanese food. It was cold and I did not bring enough covering for the unexpectedly cold air. By the time we walked to the very small restaurant at dusk, it was 7:30p.m. and the restaurant would not have a table for us until 9:00p.m. So we walked on. My friend was hoping to find a good Italian restaurant, but I requested to settle on the first noodle place we passed since it was dark and I was cold and hungry. The dinner was not so tasty. Tokyo-style soup broths are really not as good as Osaka ones; they’re just a bunch of soy sauces.
We started to walk back to my hotel and had gone about four blocks when all of a sudden a street filled with rows of cherry trees in full bloom, their blossoms light up for the night, appeared in front of us. « Read the rest of this entry »
It’s Time for Primary Colors
May 7th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Color trend forecasting is half statistics and half instinct, especially before the statistics start to point in a specific direction. I might be looking too far ahead, but I know that the public is in the mood for primary colors. Clear, down-to-earth, not pretentious or devious, primary colors are classics yet give a sense of contemporariness. We are showing primary colors in the 2012 HD Show and will be featuring them in the fall 2012 Gallery collection. All interior designers should have the pleasure of working with primary colors during their careers, and I am happy to produce products to fulfill this need.
Fuji Mountain
May 4th, 2012 § 2 Comments
Journey to Japan
This spring’s trip to Japan reminds me of my first trip to Italy in 1992. I called it “The Grand Tour”– a term referring to the tradition of 18 century European artists who could not consider their art educations complete until they had make a trip to Italy. I prepared for this trip to Japan for over a year and a half, and never have I put so much time into preparing for a journey to a foreign country. I am not sure if being able to ask for directions on the street or in a busy subway paid off for all of the time I put into studying the language, but I certainly was happy that I could be free and independent.
Advice for Textile Design Students
April 22nd, 2012 § Leave a Comment
I get questions about how to become a textile designer quite often, so I think it is worth recording some of my observations. Here are some of the most common questions that come up in my conversations with students:
What preparation or skills are needed to become a textile designer?Becoming a textile designer requires an education in textiles. A good place to start is to ask yourself where you’d like to focus your studies. A school like the Rhode Island School of Design, for example, focuses on the aesthetic aspects of design whereas NC State’s College of Textiles is one of the best programs for textile technology, the actual function of textiles. « Read the rest of this entry »
Natural Inspiration
April 5th, 2012 § 2 Comments
Stamens and tree bark are fascinating. I’ve got to figure out a way to make these patterns into fabrics.
NFPA 701: How to Read the Test Results
March 26th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
(No. 3 of 3) It is very common for people to request copies of our test results, especially fire test results, for their records. I imagine they are usually just looking for the note at the bottom that says that the fabric “complies” or “meets the requirements.” When a fabric doesn’t pass the test, that’s when we start looking at the other numbers. So what do all of those numbers mean, anyway? « Read the rest of this entry »
NFPA 701: Description of Test Methods
March 20th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
(No. 2 of 3) The flammability test we use for all of our drapery fabrics is the ACT performance guideline: NFPA 701. The standard actually includes two tests, one for draperies that weigh less than 21 oz./sq. yd (Test Method #1, the replacement for the original small scale test) and a second for draperies that weigh more than 21 oz./sq. yd or have some kind of backing (Test Method #2, the replacement for the original large scale test). « Read the rest of this entry »
Quote of the Day
March 15th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan
I read this when I feel defeated.
NFPA 701: What is the Small Scale Test?
March 13th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
(No. 1 of 3) When referring to drapery fire tests, we often hear people talk about the “vertical fire test” or “small scale.” The actual test code is NFPA 701. (NFPA stands for National Fire Protection Agency.) Since the test is done vertically, compared with, say, ASTM E-84 which is done with the fabric lying horizontally, NFPA 701 is nicknamed the vertical test.
The latest NFPA 701 version was updated in 2010, although its two test methods have hardly changed since 1996. We use NFPA 701 Test Method #1 for lightweight, single layer draperies. In this test, a hanging fabric is exposed to a 4” flame for 45 seconds; whether it passes depend on how much weight the fabric loses when it burns and whether any pieces that break off continue to burn. This second criterion is sometimes called drip burn. « Read the rest of this entry »
