Tufting work introduction by Yu Shirato
We would like to introduce some of the work our customers have created using RUGMATAG materials and equipment.
This time, the graduation project "Takashibaya" uses tufting to express the familiar Japanese motif of an izakaya (Japanese-style pub).
The project was created by Yu Shirato ( @uuushirato )
The warmth and realism that permeates the entire space seem to gently touch the viewer's memories.
■ Title and concept of the work
Title: Takashibaya Public Bar
I love izakayas because they are my grandmother's homes.
Recently, I've been thinking about my grandmother's house. She used to cook delicious food for me. She used to tell me, "You're becoming a drinker," because I enjoyed eating snacks to go with alcohol. It was a comfortable place to be.
The store I frequented had the comfort of my grandmother's house.
If my grandmother's house became an izakaya, it would be the ultimate izakaya for me. This is the shop of such a dream. The shop name is my grandmother's surname on the curtain and sign. The menu on the wall is my grandmother's cooking. The yarn has the kindness of my grandmother.
Welcome to Takashibaya. Please take your time.
■Activity name and profile
She is from Tokyo and goes by her real name, Shirato Yuu.
I graduated from Tama Art University in March from the Department of Graphic Design, and from spring I will be working at a design production company in Tokyo.
Up until now, I have mainly worked on design, but also on photography and video production.
Tufting was an expressive technique that I first encountered in my graduation project, and although I had always been interested in it, I never really found the opportunity to try it.
I started tufting as part of my graduation project, so I've only been doing it for about five months.
I hope to continue creating more pieces that make use of tufting!
■Production process and key points
I thought it would be good to start with something small, so I started by creating a menu.
I realized later that it is quite difficult to express letters with tufting, and when I looked it up, I found that it is not recommended as a first step lol. Moreover, since the letters are small, I started with something quite difficult.
Since I was making my works at home, it was difficult to prepare a large space, so for large pieces such as noren, lanterns, and signs, I made them in separate parts and then joined them together later.
I taught myself how to make things by watching videos and websites without going to any workshops, so I made quite a few mistakes.
Lanterns, signs, and other items are designed and assembled after considering the development diagram. Cotton is then stuffed inside and wood is inserted into the legs of the sign to enable it to stand on its own.
It was a lot of fun, like the crafts I did as a child, making things using my imagination.
I majored in graphic design so I had no knowledge of textiles whatsoever, but even so I was able to create the piece pretty much exactly as I wanted!
In the future, I would like to explore new possibilities for tufting by mixing in other materials and techniques.
■Equipment and materials used
The first set of tools was a starter set from rugmatag! I also bought other small tools from other shops.
The yarn used is soft acrylic yarn from rugmatag, as well as similar acrylic yarn from other shops.
The largest noren curtain in this work has a simple design, but the blue base stands out, so I thought that if I used yarn of one color, the design would not stand out and it would look flat, so I mixed two different colors of blue yarn and wove them in. By mixing two colors, I also tried to express a texture like the uneven dyeing that appears on noren curtains that have been used for many years in old shops.
Also, I thought that if the hair was too short, it would lose its soft, fluffy texture, so I was careful not to cut it too short with the clippers. Overall, I aimed to create a warm and soft atmosphere like my grandmother's house.
■ Future activities
This will be held in Tokyo, but on Saturday, April 19th, I will be exhibiting this graduation project at an event called "Gekihatsu" at a gallery called DDD ART En in Shimokitazawa!
It's a fun event with art, music, pop-ups, food and drinks!
We hope you will stop by if you are in the area.
"Outburst"
Date and time: Saturday, April 19, 2025 13:00-20:00
Venue: DDD ART Garden
Ticket: ¥2,500
Instagram: @gekihatsu_
