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Harold James
7th March 2001, 00:57
I recently purchased a 100% cotton hakama. It's really nice too; heavy and wears well and is warmer than my old hakama. But it is a pain to fold as it's still kind of stiff. I haven't worn it all that long and the pleats are starting to relax faster and faster. I asked my Sensei about it and he told me that he doesn't even wash his more than once or twice a year (we do everything standing up so the hakama doesn't get dirty very quickly anyway.) My old hakama which is a blend keeps the pleats really well. When I wash it, I hang it to dry with clothspins keeping the pleats together and it never needs pressing.

A friend of mine suggested that I lay the cotton hakama out under my futon and sleep on it as a way to keep the pleats nice. I have to say that this worked really, really well, but makes my wife angry. She says she can feel the hakama through the futon matress... maybe I need a thicker futon matress. She put her foot down on the futon pressing so...

Anyone out there have other ideas or suggestions for keeping the pleats in a cotton hakama? Taking it to the cleaners to be pressed seems like it wouldn't be cost effective.

Does anyone iron thier own hakama, and if so have you had any luck starching the pleats to keep them sharp longer?

Thanks

Neil Yamamoto
7th March 2001, 01:25
Run a stitch from top to bottom of each pleat. Easy to do on a sewing machine or take to any alteration place. I have done this on my hakama and it works great and no one can tell it's there.

Makes it easier to iron as well.

Glenn Scott
7th March 2001, 17:14
Dear Harold-

I have had my cotton hakama for about two years now and have never washed, ironed or "futon pressed" my hakama (although, I am VERY impressed with the futon idea :) ). I occasionally hang it outside to air out. But, other than that, I maintain it by something you probably already do?...I religiously fold it after every use. Through this, the pleats are held it place and and self-pressed by the folding method. I follow the method shown at:

http://www.bujindesign.com/faq-hakama.html

If you don't do this currently, this may help. If not, I'm stumped.

Happy training,
glenn scott

Harold James
9th March 2001, 01:53
Only two, but better than a poke inthe eye with a sharp stick!

Thanks for the ideas.

Mr. Scott, I do fold it after each use but, it still seems to pick up wrinkles and just when I thought I had it folded nicely, I find out later that I didn't have the pleats as straight as I thought I had.

I'll keep at it though.

Thanks again.

Erik Tracy
14th March 2001, 15:43
I, too, have a cotton hakama from Bujin, and here's what I do to hold the pleats.

I wash my hakama in cold water, gentle soap, gentle wash cycle.

Once the spin cycle is complete I lay the hakama down on top of a large beach towel on the floor - as if I'm folding my hakama after iai practice. I lay the pleats out and because they are still somewhat wet/damp I use my hands to press them crisp and straight.

After the hakama is laid out with the pleats in place I put another beach towel on top of the hakama as in a sandwich. It takes about a day and a half for the hakama to fully dry - and you can speed this up a bit by throwing the top towel in the dryer as it wicks away the moisture from the hakama.

But, boy, do the pleats come out nice and crisp!

More than one way to skin a cat - as the saying goes ;-)

Erik Tracy

ghp
15th March 2001, 01:30
For what it's worth, the Scottish soldiers used to "iron" their kilts by placing them under the bunk mattress. They may still do that, but I haven't talked to anyone currently in the British army (the last one was a piper in the KOSBs in the mid 1960s)

Harold ... was your friend in a Scots regiment?

Cheers,
Guy

Harold James
15th March 2001, 03:56
Originally posted by ghp


Harold ... was your friend in a Scots regiment?





Mr. Power,

Nope, but he is retired Navy. Maybe it's a military trade secret or something.

In my case, back when the wife would let me stick it under the futon, it came out flatter than a pancake... maybe I need to diet. Of course, there's only tatami under the futon right now, so it's pretty hard. Sounds like the bunks didn't have springs back then.

Have a nice day