Embroidery question

Discussion in 'Karate' started by Llamageddon, Mar 3, 2010.

  1. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    I'm thinking of getting an embroidered black belt alongside my plain one, and I have a few questions I either don't know or can't remember the answer to - I was hoping you smart knowledgeable people would know the answers!

    So 1) what goes on which end? I remember reading in Japan there are specific sides for your name and style - but I can't remember for the life of me which way round this is.

    2) I don't know if I should get just my first (Matt, not Matthew) name embroidered or my full name (Matt Donoghue). My full name is quite long, and I would suspect that it will be a hassle to transliterate my surname. Phonetically it's pronounced DON-O-HUE. Would that be a problem? I'm also aware of space issues, which was my original reason for only getting my first name.

    What do you people think?
     
  2. pauli

    pauli mr guillotine

    i think you should let the dye set on the belt your instructor saw fit to award you before you go thinking about replacing it.
     
  3. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    I'm not replacing it, as I said in the post above.

    But thanks for the constructive comment anyways :p
     
  4. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Llama

    I think you would be okay with your full name on the belt. If you have any trouble, I can recommend Tao Sports. They did my belt embroidered and delivered in two days.
    Some of the other guys have red embroidery, but I went for yellow italics and they stand out great.

    http://www.taosport.co.uk/
     
  5. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    acording to japanese wikipedia and some quick googling, your full name would be japanified then romanized back approximately as "ma-shi-yuu do-no-hyuu", which would be マシュー・ドノヒュー in katakana. should be simple to put on a belt, really
     
  6. koyo

    koyo Passed away, but always remembered. RIP.

    Mine was easy it is William which was understood as warhelm which translated as war helmet Kabuto in Japanese.

    Being old school it was stiched onto my sleave so that the Japanese could read it. Our belts are under the hakama so not visible.So no caligraphy.

    IF I ever did I would use Hibi shoshon (beginner's mind) says more about me than my name.
     
  7. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Hi Llama,

    On my old belt, my name (in Katakana) is on the same side as the manufacturers badge.

    [​IMG]

    Asoc name is on the other (is Kanji)
     
  8. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    Fantastic, that was exactly what I was after!

    I think I might just go for my first name, as I don't want too long a belt. It'll end up flicking me in the face!

    Out of interest, what length is that belt gary? 320?

    Oh, and glad to see you got good use out of it!
     
  9. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    D'ya know, I can't remember what length that belt is - I don't think its a 320 though.

    I went on blind trust when I got mine done, and was ribbed for ages by peope suggesting that instead of my name (Gary Needham) it actually read "nob head" or something like that.

    Thing is, I was not really able to tell otherwise (in the dark ages before the internet), until I trained with a Japanese guy a year or so later - who upon walking up to me said "Ga-ri Ni-dom" - at first it didn't register, but then he pointed to my belt and said "your name Ga-ri Ni-dom".

    Close enough for me. :)

    Gary (sorry Ga-ri)
     
  10. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Oh, and take it from me Llama that waistlines in us blokes only tend to go one way, so what might seem like an extra long belt when you are in your 20's most probably will look like a bow tie when you get to your 40's - so the longer the better I would say.

    In the meantime you can always tuck the ends back through the belt to stop it from flicking you in the face. As a matter of fact, thats the way that belts were originally worn anyway... :)

    You could start something in your dojo

    Gary
     
  11. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    When I did it (as Matt Donoghue) it came out as:

    [​IMG]

    Any Japanese speakers able to confirm it?

    If not I'll throw it in to the Japanese section later on
     
  12. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    I suppose it’s a bit like getting a tattoo really - be certain about what you want it to say - you may think differently in 20 years time.

    Gary
     
  13. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    Yeah, well it seems my full colloquial name as it were isn't too long so I think if the above is right I'll go with that
     
  14. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Mine says Paul Mitchell in English cos I speeks English, innit? I have association on the left and my name on the right, dan bars on both.

    And despite what Gary says, black belts do shrink, it's not that I've expanded!

    Do people not wear embroidered belts in class then Matt? I was given my BB by my Instructor, they sorted the embroidery and I have worn it ever since. I don't really "get" buying another one, I wear mine for class, it gets put away or sometimes used in games by my son if I forget.

    Mitch
     
  15. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    Well I was supplied with my black belt, and it's up to me if I want it embroidered or not. Some people in the club have it, and I've always liked the idea. But as it's personal preference and our club is neither large or funded there's no in-house organisation concerning embroidery
     
  16. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    the one i wrote i got by checking out actual katakana spellings of mathew (in japanese wiki) and donoghue (in a katakana site), and i checked them character by character with english wiki's katakana-romaji table. the one you made, according to it, reads as mashito (middle character is シ, or shi) instead of mato(matto?), which would be just マト, and your last name is accentuated on the last syllable, in which case the vowel is extended, which is what the ー represents (in romaji you can write the vowel twice, put another letter afterwards or put a macron on top of it, and there are a lot more rules i have no idea about. ex: Shōtōkan, shotoukan, ****ō-ryu, ****ou-ryu, etc)

    so matt donoghue would be マ(ma)ト(to)・(space)ド(do)ノ(no)ヒュ(hyu)ー(extension): マト・ドノヒュー, if my internet-fu is strong enough

    bwahaha, macrons break the swear filter
     
  17. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    You may well witness Paul's belt being used as a powerline by his son on Sunday morning!
     
  18. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    My Instructors used a local embroidery place, same as I do for my students now. Doesn't cost too much, they do a good job and it's supporting a local firm. I'd just get the one you've been given done if you like the idea.

    I like the practicality of embroidered belts; I can go talk to people and know what to call them, and I know where to line up in classes with people I don't know.

    I was about to say that I didn't see the point in having multiple belts, but then realised I have a very rarely used spare for when mine is getting new dan bars on. Or for when my son needs an extra long cable/rope/whatever his game demands :)

    Mitch
     
  19. Teebs

    Teebs Valued Member

    Is the belt you were given a cheap one or one of those nice cotton/silk ones? If you're going to get it embroidered you might want to consider getting a nice quality belt too.

    Or you could just copy me and keep the cheap belt you got with your grading in its unaltered state. You're welcome to examine/fondle my belt next Monday if it'll help you make up your mind.
     
  20. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    I have to wait till monday to fondle? Bring it with you tomorrow!

    The one I've got is really nice actually. It's pretty good quality cotton. I'm thinking that I'd like a plan one as well as an embroidered one at the mo, and have decided I'm not up for this satin or silk rubbish. Apparently they never stay tied...
     

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