My name is Kobayashi and I am a new umbrella craftsman.
...Hehe, did you notice?
That's right. At the end of last year, I went from being an apprentice to being a real craftsman.
Ever since I started as an apprentice, I feel like I've been running at a pretty fast pace to acquire the skills, but looking back, it feels like it's been over in the blink of an eye.
I still need to rely on my masters and senior craftsmen in many ways, and there is still a lot I need to learn, so this is just a milestone, but I am happy because it was something I had been aiming for in the near future.
So 2020 will be the year that I start my career as an umbrella maker.
I hope you have a great year!
Now, to become a craftsman, you need to acquire the skills to make a variety of umbrellas.
In addition to being classified as a long umbrella or a folding umbrella, the number, shape and difficulty of stitching together the pieces in the "center stitch" will vary depending on the shape, number and size of the umbrella ribs, and the location of the "center stitching" will also change.
During my training, I learned how to make umbrellas through hands-on experience under the guidance of my master, who is a skilled craftsman. The umbrellas with 8, 10, 12, and 16 ribs that make up Komiya Shoten's main lineup are frequently ordered by my master's workshop, so I have been involved in making them and gaining experience.
The other day, at Komiya Shoten's in-house workshop, I had the opportunity to make a slightly unusual umbrella sample, something I had never done in my master's workshop.
Previously, we talked about the "middle stitching" process, in which pieces called "pieces," which are shaped like isosceles triangles, are cut to fit the number of ribs in an umbrella and then sewn together.
Normally, the round umbrella cover created in this process is sewn to the frame to form the umbrella, but this time, a single circular piece of cloth is stretched over the umbrella.
The fabric I was given was one with an umbrella of Komiya Shoten printed on it, and another with a close-up of Master Kogane printed on it. It will be used as a sign for Komiya Shoten at events and other events.
The circular piece of fabric has already been serged with a serger to match the number of ribs, so using this as a starting point, you can proceed in the same way as you would make a normal long umbrella.
We had to make a hole in the center of the fabric to fit the ferrule through, and when I punched my master's face into it with the hole punch, I felt a little guilty...
Finally, adjust any excess fabric at the hem and you're done!
I had seen the fabric as a flat piece, so when I saw the finished products, the plump, rounded shapes of the "Umbrella Umbrella" and "Master's Umbrella," I felt a strange sensation.
This single-layer umbrella has been on display at Komiya Shoten's Higashi-Nihonbashi shop since the beginning of the year.
If you have time, please come and visit our store.
