My name is Kobayashi and I am an apprentice umbrella maker.
When you hear "the job of an umbrella maker," what kind of work do you imagine?
"Cutting" is the process of cutting fabric using a wooden mold.
The "middle stitch" process involves sewing the umbrella cover * using a special sewing machine.
"Saddle stitching" involves quickly sewing the umbrella cover together while facing the umbrella bones...
All of the work requires beautiful dexterity.
When I watch the skilled craftsmen at work, I am always moved by the beauty and refinement of their movements.
I'm sure you can imagine the kind of work that goes on behind the scenes.
*The cut fabric is sewn together and stretched over the frame and is called a "cover."
Today, unlike these beautiful tasks, I would like to introduce to you a mundane yet important process called "finishing."
This is the final process that takes the finished umbrella to the next level.
First, the iron.
Did you think, "Iron on an umbrella?" That's what I thought at first too.
I use a normal household iron.
We carefully smooth out any creases that were originally in the fabric and any wrinkles that occurred during the manufacturing process.
An umbrella is three-dimensional and softly curved, so ironing it is not as smooth as ironing a two-dimensional object.
Hold the center rod with your left hand and adjust the angle while ironing with your right hand.
With large men's umbrellas, it can be difficult to adjust the angle with one hand.
If you push too hard the surface of the dough will become wavy, so it's important to use the right amount of force.
A properly ironed umbrella will be neat and wrinkle-free, with a shiny surface and beautiful curves, making it look like a brand new umbrella.
Once there are no wrinkles, the next step is to fold it.
The way it is folded determines the shape the umbrella will take when folded.
This is a very important step in making an umbrella that looks beautiful when folded and is easy to use, but it takes experience to fold it properly.
Although it may seem like you can just roll up a long umbrella, it is actually painstaking work to ensure that the width is perfectly aligned and that it forms a regular spiral from the tip to the base.
Because the way the umbrellas are stretched varies subtly depending on the type of fabric and the craftsman, folding them in a way that they can be used for a long time and stay nicely is an extremely difficult task.
After this, the name * , chrysanthemum seat, and jinbaori (bath) are attached, and the umbrella is placed in the umbrella bag that was created, and then placed in a PP film bag to complete the "finishing" process.
* A string with a hook to hold the umbrella together
It takes time to create the umbrella, but even after that it takes time and effort to make.
When you visit our Higashi-Nihonbashi store , be sure to take a look at these items as well.
Higashi Nihonbashi Shop
