Rozashi Daiya Variations Kit - Updated 5/27/23

May 27, 2023--I really enjoy Rozashi (which, in Japanese, means Ro - Canvas and Zashi - To Stitch).  You use mostly a vertical stitch on a type of canvas where the horizontal threads are much wider than the vertical ones.  In the United States, this type of canvas is only available through a few instructors from whom I've been fortunate enough to take classes (all online at this point).  

Here's a photo of the finished Daiya Variations using the Lee Ornament holder.  It's a good thing we are taught to seriously "paste" the back of the stitching because I had to cut about 1/4" off the circle as drawn for us on the canvas.  This meant cutting into the stitching--something I hated to do, fearing the threads and canvas would unravel.  Phew, because of the heavy Nori paste/starch, everything remained intact.  Next, the stitched circle had to be pushed, using a butter knife, into the Lee Ornament Holder.  This too caused me some anxiety fearing all that manipulation would hurt the piece.  Nope--everything held up fine and I now have a pretty ornament to hang in my dressing closet, along with all my other "smalls".

Rozashi Daiya Variations Ornament Finished

May 12, 2023--CyberPointers Chapter of ANG recently had a Rozashi class offering taught by Kate Festo called Daiya Variations.  I'm just now beginning to work on this beautiful piece and enjoyed going through everything in the kit which includes a rozashi canvas glued onto a wood frame, written instructions, 2 sumptuous silk thread colors and 1 packet of gold threads, needles, nori paste, AND a gold Lee round ornament to "finish" this project.  

I've read the instructions and watched the Zoom video by Kate, so I'm now ready to stitch.

Rozashi Daiya Variations Kit

BTW, Kate Festo is the daughter of Margaret Kinsey, famed Rozashi instructor and designer.

Rozashi Baby Iris - Updated April 24, 2018

April 24, 2018.  On a roll with finishing ornaments.  This is the third and last of the recent rozashi projects, but there will be more to come, that's for sure. 

Tried to make cording by twisting 1/8" ribbons--not a total success.  Should have made the twist tighter.  Also needed to make the mounting board a little smaller so that the stitches would wrap around to the back OR for future projects, will need to add a row or two of tent stitches so that the canvas won't show if I have a mounting board size issue.  Hmmm....

Rozashi Baby Iris Finished Closeup

Rozashi Baby Iris Finished Back

December 7, 2017--This little Rozashi Study called Baby Iris by Margaret Kinsey was a CyberPointers class in 2013.  I ordered the kit, then put it aside, not comfortable with the style and method.   Well, that problem ended after completing the recent Rozashi Imari Study class, a recent CyberPointers offering.  I was able to stitch this up in a few days and really like the technique using all vertical stitches on a Japanese canvas called "ro".

The next step is to block the piece by spreading a thin layer of Yamato nori stitcking paste (a type of glue) all over the stitches in the back, then while still damp after an hour, hold an iron above the canvas and steam the devil out of it until it is dried, then do it all over again.  At least that's how I interpret the instructions.  Once that's done, I'll make a little egg shaped ornament out of it and hang it on a drawer knob in my dressing closet.

I found some rozashi projects in the 2005, 2006 and 2009 NeedlePointers Magazine, so will have to find a source for "ro" canvas and work on those.

Rozashi Baby Iris Completed Closeup

Rozashi Baby Iris Completed

Rozashi Ornament East Meets West - Updated 4/23/18

April 23, 2018--Finished this lovely rozashi project into an ornament.   For the most part, I'm pleased with how it turned out.  I kept the shape of the ornament as it was drawn on the "ro" canvas by the designer, Margaret Kinsey, but if I had to do it all over again, I would have redrawn the shape as a proper circle.  As it is, it looks a little out of kilter, but not the end of the world.

Rozashi Ornament East Meets West Finished Front

Rozashi Ornament East Meets West Finished Back

The bow on the top of the ornament was made with a special ribbon I found online.  The ribbon is about 1/8" wide with a string running through it.  To make a bow, all you need do is pull the string to make as many loops in the ribbon you would like.  Cut, secure, and voila--done.  I now want to find this in all the colors I use a lot of.

Diagram to Make a Ribbon Bow 

This is what the ribbon looks like with string running through it.

February 11, 2018--After stitching Margaret Kinsey's Imari Sampler and Baby Iris Rozashi projects, I just had to stitch another.  Found this delightful ornament in the September/October 2005 Needlepoint Now Magazine and just had to stitch it--but first, to find the "ro" canvas.  I learned that Margaret Kinsey is the only US distributor of this canvas, so  I emailed her letting her know I wanted to purchase some ro for the ornament project she designed for the magazine.  Well, she wrote to let me know she had a pre-made up kit and would I like to purchase it.  Yes, yes--the kit not only included the line drawing on ro, but it was already mounted on the special frame and included the sumptuous silk threads used in rozashi.  Happy dance.

Once the kit arrived, I dropped everything and got working on it.  It was so easy to do, and now that it's stitched, need to get this, and the other two rozashi projects, made into hanging ornaments.

I did learn something while stitching this piece--Margaret's instructions on which direction to stitch initially confused me until I finally figured out she uses the economic method instead of the "wrap" method for the bargello like stitches--duh (hand hitting head--LOL).  This makes for half stitches on the back, but does save a lot of thread.  A good thing considering how expensive the silk threads are.

I recenty found a You Tube video of Margaret talking about rozashi and showcasing many of her beautiful projects.  Saw two or three I'd like to tackle.

Here's the completed Rozashi East Meets West Ornament.

Rozashi Ornament East Meets West Designed by Margaret Kinsey

A Study in Rozashi--A Petite Imari Sampler - Updated 4/12/18

April 12, 2018--Finished this rozashi project into a little ornament.  Like how it came out.  I'm hanging non-Christmas type ornaments like this in my new all wood dressing closet by Closet Works.  They look sweet hanging from the sides of the supports.

Rozashi Imari Sampler Finished as an Ornament

December 3, 2017--Finished lessons 3, 4 and 5, completing all the stitching.  These sections are called Kaku (upper left), Tortoise Variation (upper middle) and a pattern with no name (lower right).  Margaret advised us to be frugal with the use of the kitted threads since we could run out if mistakes were constantly made.  Well, I took that advise to heart and was careful to place the stitches correctly.  In the end there was plenty of thread left.  Of course, there were mistakes that had to be ripped out, but fortunately, they were small ones. 

Rozashi consists of vertical stitches over horizontal threads and I found this type of work to go very quickly.  Will now look for similar projects using this method.

This will make a lovely framed picture for my in-home office.

Rozashi Imari Sampler Completed Closeup

Rozashi Imari Sampler Completed

November 29, 2017--Lesson 2 for sections called Tortoise and Daiya is now done.  More challenges with all the compensation that's needed.  Still enjoying this project.  Working on such a small canvas, however, does require good magnification.  Glad for my mageyes.  It's also a good thing that this is worked "in the well" so to speak (canvas is attached in back of the wood holder).  I'm stitching right to the edge of the wood and it's easy to end threads on the back because there's nothing in my way.

Rozashi Imari Study Lesson 2 Tortoise and Daiya Closeup

Rozashi Imari Study Lesson 2 Tortoise and Daiya

November 27, 2017--Lesson 1, section called Diamond Flower, is done.  This was a bigger challenge than expected.  Margaret Kinsey instructed us to stitch in a diagonal direction when working the light peach area.  Because of all the compensation stitches, I found that hard to manage, so I stitched along the horizontal line.  I don't think it changed the appearance that much.

Love the shine of the silk threads.

Rozashi Imari Sampler through Lesson 1 Diamond Flower Closeup

Rozashi Imari Sampler through Lesson 1 Diamond Flower

November 12, 2017--Last June I signed up to take this class through ANG's online chapter called CyberPointers.  The lessons were held during the chapter's November meeting and I'm loving it.  I'm still working on Lesson 1, but can see how beautiful this little sampler is going to be.

The working surface is very different from the mono canvases to which we're accustomed.  Rozashi stitching is done on starched silk gauze material called a "ro".  There are 3 horizontal threads, called "dan" that are woven very close together and are considered as one thread for stitching.  This causes an elongated vertical stitch.  A very pretty effect.  The "ro" is glued to a thin wood frame and all stitching is done "in hand"--no floor or table stands needed, at least not for a project this small.  And the twisted silk threads are scrumptious.  They reflect so much light.

I'm even learning to count up to three in Japanese.  Ichi is one, ni is two and san is three.  This count is important as all stitches are done over ichi, ni or san dan.    Margaret Kinsey's instruction booklet is wonderful and the added lessons through CyberPointers are very helpful.

Here's what I've done so far.

Rozashi Imari Sampler through 11/12/17

Closeup of the "dan" row of a "ro" canvas