Left Tomoe Pillowcase

The left and right of the tomoe crest are not determined by the direction of the swirl, but rather by a rational name created from the design. This is something that a professional designer would understand immediately, but a teacher who has never drawn a crest might only be concerned with the direction of the swirl. However, even a professional designer can get confused about the left and right of the tomoe at times. In such cases, they recall a useful oral tradition... First, they clench their left palm and look at their wrist. The shape is that of a left tomoe. If they clench their right palm, the shape of a right tomoe appears instantly. (from 'The Story of Family Crests' by Tsumao Awagasaka, P61) / This design is a 'ji-nuki' (cut-out) specification. 'Surikomi' is a technique... where a tomoe is drawn, cut out to create a stencil... the stencil is placed on the fabric, and paint is applied with a brush (reference: 'The Magic of Manji, The Curse of Tomoe' by Tsumao Awagasaka, P146).