The Great Wave by Hokusai, now available as sewing kits

"Hokusai's 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa,' often simply called 'The Great Wave,' is one of the most famous works of Japanese art. Here it is now crashing onto our sewing kits!"

The popularity of this work is such that it is widely reproduced on posters, clothing, accessories, decorative objects, and many other everyday items. Not very original, then, to offer it as a sewing kit? Except that it is not so common to be able to sew your own Great Wave accessories.

And then, the painting is so striking, and its colors so beautiful, that it would be a shame to miss out, right? Last but not least: the quality of a hand-sewn tote bag made from our kits is absolutely nothing like an ordinary tote bag with the wave printed in a rectangle in the middle!

What makes The Great Wave off Kanagawa so appealing?  

Created by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai in the 1830s, this painting is the first print of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It depicts a dramatic scene where a huge wave seems about to overwhelm three boats. In the distance, Mount Fuji can be seen, small but majestic, evoking constancy and tranquility in the face of nature's unleashed power. The wave itself, almost anthropomorphic with its foam 'claws,' captures the tension between the sublime and the terrifying.

For this masterpiece of composition and color, Hokusai used deep blue tones obtained through the use of pigment imported from Prussia. The Great Wave celebrates the natural beauty of Japan and reflects the universal themes of human fragility and the inexorable force of nature.

The artistic genre ukiyo-e (literally "pictures of the floating world") flourished in Japan from the 17th to the 19th century. Ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings generally depict scenes of daily life, landscapes, kabuki actors, beautiful women, and historical scenes. Hokusai is one of the most famous artists of this movement, and his work, especially The Great Wave off Kanagawa, had a major influence on Western art, notably on French Impressionists like Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh.

Fibra Creativa loves the dynamism and colors of this artwork, which we greatly enjoyed adapting to create beautiful ready-to-sew kits for you.

The Great Wave tote bag kit by Hokusai

This is the most sophisticated Great Wave kit. Besides the pleasure of sewing it, this kit allows you to carry an elegant tote bag with neat finishes. 

• The high-quality organic cotton twill fabric gives the bag good structure, holding its shape well without the need for interfacing.
• The "all over" pattern extends to the seams. Not a rectangular reproduction in the center.
• The lining is made from the same organic cotton twill fabric, printed with another print from the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series, in the same colors, perfectly matching. 
• The handles are printed with a Japanese wave motif in indigo blue, specially created to match the prints.