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Tsumami-Zaiku Tools: Tweezers and a Glue Board Are All You Need to Start
The tool list for tsumami-zaiku (a Japanese art of folding small squares of silk into flower petals) is surprisingly short. Even the worktable in our workshop in Nishijin, Kyoto doesn't hold much more than the basics.
All you need are tweezers and a glue board, plus a cutter for trimming fabric. That's it.
But because the list is so short, every tool on it matters. The quality of the tool shows up directly in the work of your fingertips.
Tweezers — the heart of tsumami-zaiku
This is the single most important tool. The crispness of a petal's corner is decided at the tip of the tweezers.
No matter how carefully you fold, tweezers whose tips don't meet cleanly will never give you a sharp corner. Closing flush — that's the one requirement.
Hold them the way you'd hold a pencil. Don't grip hard; just support the fabric gently, without crushing it. In class, this is the very first thing we teach.
- Large (long type) — the standard. Handles most of the work.
- Small (precision type) — for small, delicate petals.
If it's your first pair, start with the large size.
Glue board — the amount of paste decides the finish
A small board for spreading rice starch paste thin.
It looks like a minor tool, but having one changes the outcome. Spread paste on the board ahead of time, and pressing a petal's cut edge onto it picks up the same amount every time.
A consistent amount of paste is what makes the petals stand at a consistent angle. Apply paste directly to the petal instead, and you'll end up with too much in one place and too little in another — the flower comes out uneven.
Bamboo spatula — small, but you won't want to work without one
Its whole job: scoop paste, spread it on the board, press the fabric down. Nothing more.
But we use one every day in our workshop. Try to do the same thing with your fingers, and paste gets on your hands and onto the fabric.
Cutter and mat — a ragged cut shows up as a ragged corner
For cutting pure silk in a straight, accurate line.
Tsumami-zaiku is built by folding a square of fabric. If that square is even slightly off, the petal comes out uneven no matter how carefully you fold it. A ragged cut edge shows up directly as a ragged petal corner.
- Rotary cutter — the most reliable way to cut silk cleanly. Available in 45mm and 60mm.
- Replacement blades — a dull blade frays silk at the cut edge. Keeping blades fresh is part of using the tool properly.
- Craft scissors — for trimming the cut edge of a finished petal.
We replace our own blades regularly in the workshop, too.
What to buy first
Tweezers, a glue board, and rice starch paste. With these three, a flower can bloom. Tools for cutting fabric can wait if you start with pre-cut fabric.
We also offer a beginner's set with everything included, for anyone unsure where to start.
About Oharibako's tools (Kyoto)
Every tool we carry is something we actually use in our own workshop. If we don't use it ourselves, we don't stock it.
We also teach tsumami-zaiku classes, where you're welcome to ask about choosing tools as well.