New Year and Making a Dress - Black and white Striped kimono!

Time has flown and as always the end of 2015 has been busy.

I had visited my kimono friends in Birmingham for the day.  I literally flew in and then out of Birmingham in one day.  I think I might not do that again.

Then at work we had our Christmas party which was a lot of fun.  Good food and good company all rounded off if a quiz and then a pub visit.

After that I had a few days of peace before flying back home to see family for Christmas.  Yes ate too much but I loved it.

But just before I left, I finally got back to sewing and I am going to make the most wanted kimono in my collection.

The black and white striped kimono!

I have seen one of these kimono a long time ago and I fell in love with the look but to buy one from Japan was just out of my wallet reach so the only solution was to make one.  Hmmmm that was not as easy as I thought.  Firstly finding fabric with stripes that were more then a couple of centimetres was tricky and secondly I wanted cotton fabric with a nice drape.

Okay with those conditions in mind, I went hunting and last year I succeed in finding the perfect fabric.

Now I had the fabric, it is time to make the kimono (6 months later).

As normal, I followed the method in my kimono book and made a hitoe (unlined) kimono.  It will be more versatile in my mind and I want to experiment in layering.

I did make a miscalculation in the amount of fabric that I brought.  I was told the fabric was 150cm and therefore brought 4 metres only.  BIG MISTAKES!  It turns out I only had 140cm to work with which ruined my original plans.  Especially the long 18cm by 200cm collar piece but I managed to work around it and got all the pieces I need.

At the back of my mind I wanted to practice my handsewing using the Japanese way of hold the needle but I had only just got over a cold and I was not up for the challenge so I did all the long seams on the sewing machine and then blind-hemmed all the seams by hand.

Strangely this kimono sewing went very smoothly.

Day one - Sewed the back and horizontal seam and sleeves.

Day two - Sewed the side seams and blind hemmed them down.
Day three - Attached okumi panels and again blind hemmed them.

Day four - Collar sewed down,

Day five - Sewed both sleeves.

Bearing in mind I only really work 7 hours per a day on sewing however it is done.

Now I have a black and white striped kimono all of my own :)

Making a Dress - Funky Kimono

So February was a kimono month and March is another one!

Inspiration

I have always love the trendy and funky look of Yumi Yamamoto kimono.  They feel modern and fresh and so.........cute ^_^

Yumi Yamamoto

However I am on a budget and maybe one day I will be able to buy one of her original kimono but first I must start lower.  So what sort of printed fabric should I use?

Fabric

What about this?

I brought it from a ebay seller called Retro Riot shop but you have to be quick because she only sells fabric that she no longer needs.

Anyway this is perfect!  A printed cotton fabric which means it will be perfect for a yukaka.

Design Process

Like the last kimono I followed the standard measurements.  The one thing that I did change was the length of the sleeve.  I decided to make them around 75cm long because I did not want to waste fabric and also I don't have many kimono with long sleeves.

Construction

Same as previous post expect as I am using a western fabric I had to cut it into 36cm strips which is strangely tricky.  However with some careful folding and then some even more careful cutting I did it without too much error.

So after 3 days of sewing, yes 3 days I can be very slow!  It is done.

Lots and lots of water melon!

 Rather then the standard 50cm length sleeves that I normally make, I decided to give this kimono 70cm ones.

And here is the collar.  It looks like I have set it further back then normal but I followed the normal measurements.  Well if I accidentally set it back further then normal at least I will not have to worry about the collar creeping forward.

Making a Dress - Retro Kimono

So in January I completed this lovely 50's inspired lolita dress.

What shall I do next.....well it had to be a kimono.

Inspiration

Last year, I brought a wonderful retro wool kimono bolt from a friend.  As soon as I saw it, I fell in love with it.  It was blue with huge yellow and red flowers what is there not to love!

So rather then turning it into a western style dress, I thought I should make it into what it was destined to be......a kimono.

Fabric

A gorgeous wool and synthetic blend kimono fabric!

Design Process

None as I am making a kimono.

Construction

Making a kimono may seem pretty straight forward but there is a lot of technical elements and the most difficult part is the collar.  It is hard to describe the challenge involved because it is really something you really have to try.

Whenever I make kimono I cheat a little bit by using the sewing machine to sew the long straight seams and then handstitching the hems and most of the collar.  I know a sewing machine is not authentic but it saves a lot of time and the time saved means I can concentrate on areas that are more complicated.

AND HERE IT IS.

I really can't wait to wear it as it feels lovely and soft.

Making a Dress - 50's inspired Lolita Dress

Lets kick off the "Making a Dress" series with this little number.  Oh dear not the most flattering photo but nevermind.

Inspiration

There are two inspiration for this dress.

The first one is that I have always loved 50's styles dresses because I love the full skirt.  What girl doesn't like to twirl around in a skirt that flares out.  And then there is the fitted bodice as well which shows the lovely waist.  Well I have an hourglass figure so for me this style just seems ideal.

Dig For Victory

However I am also a sucker for lolita dresses which is my second inspiration.  For those of you who are unsure of what I am talking about, lolita is a fashion style from Japan where people wear clothes that have been inspired by the Rococo and Victorian periods.  It is all about being elegant and having fun!  My dream brand is Mary Magdalene and Innocent World!

Mary Magdalene

Innocent World

So I wanted a dress that combines these two styles.  Something that has a vintage feel but with the playful and youthful look of a lolita dress.

Fabric

Since I wanted to give the dress a vintage feel what better way then to use some vintage fabric.  Buying vintage fabric is very expensive and since this was going to be a everyday dress I didn't want fancy looking fabric but I want it to be sturdy.

Then it came to me, why not find an old and tired looking kimono?  Kimono are often made from high quality fabric so if I can find a wool kimono that would be perfect.  

Well one of my friends was giving away this kimono.

It had a weird stain on the collar (it was a dark red colour so I did not investigate further) and lots of tiny hole along the armholes so it is a perfect candidate.  

Design Process

There are plenty of patterns out there which would give me the dress that I want but I never do anything the easy way and I decided to draft my own pattern!  

Actually there was another reason for drafting my own pattern.  Kimono fabric are only 35-38 cm wide so cutting a bodice will require a bit of planning.  

So I started off with the bodice.

Something nice and simple I thought because this is my first handmade dress and I didn't want to over complicated things.

The back of the pattern.  

And here is the completed draft pattern.  The skirt is a simple gathered skirt because this is one way of creating the classic bell-shape skirt that you often see in lolita fashion.

Construction

I don't have a lot of pictures here because I forgot to take them but the first thing I did was wash the kimono which I had to be careful because I didn't want to accidentally destroy it.  Lucky it was stronger then I first thought but I still have to be careful not to make it fray even more.

Then once it was dried and ironed I began the cutting the piece!  This was the most scary part because there was no room for mistake so measure once, twice and three time before cutting.

Once over the scary part it was a case of sewing it all together and adding come bias binding to all the raw edges.

AND VOLIA.

I even added a huge bow at the back to give it one more element of lolita which I love.

Conclusion

Hopefully for you seasoned seamstress you are not offended by my attempt.  Now where is summmer?

Making a Dress - Introduction

Sometime last year I made a promise that I should learn dressmaking.  Not sure why but dressmaking has always been something I wanted to learn so I decided it is time to take action.

My aim for this year is to make a dress each month.......well that is the plan!

However I am very bad with deadlines because I have a habit of fussing over a pattern.  Especially since I am going to draft my own patterns on my dressform because I have a weird body measurements.  Well body may be okay but I find a lot of dresses these days have very small armhole and narrow sleeves and there is nothing worse then uncomfortable clothes.

So since the beginning of this year I have made two dresses and there is a third in the pipeline which I may finish in a week if I get moving.

Therefore without further ado I will begin reporting tomorrow!

Kimono Challenge Tag #12

1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


The evolution of your kitsuke.


Lets see the first time I wore kimono was for MCM Expo.

I look stupid posing, don't I!

And here is the latest outfit.

Still rubbish at posing as you can see but I would say my style has evolved to be a bit more quirky these days because I am always breaking the rules when it comes to motifs and styles.  In the end of the day so long as the colours go together then I'm happy and my motto for kimono co-ordination is always "It will do!".

Well that is all 12 questions answered, if you want any more questions answered then let me know in your comments.

Kimono Challenge Tag #11

1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


Your kimono collection. 


I don't have an up to date picture of my collection but this was my collection a year ago.

and since I moved to Sheffield my kimono have been living in 4 large (50cm x 30cm x 23cm) and 2 small (34cm x 27cm x 23cm) plastic boxes.  

I am not going to start counting how many items I got because I might faint.

Kimono Challenge Tag #10

1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


Your biggest kimono inspiration.


I love the work of Yamamoto Yumi!

She makes kimono, obi and zori from modern print fabric which means her kimono look really funky.

Don't you just love this outfit?  It is just perfect for the seaside.

Even her more traditional looking kimono outfits still have a modern feel to them.

However I do like to experiment and I love combine boots with kimono because zori/geta are not warm enough for the UK winters.  I have my trusty tan boots which are great for kimono!

Kimono Challenge Tag #8

1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).


So many things I would love to get!

How about a pair of okobo, those lovely wooden geta that maiko wears.

Why?  Because I am short and they are look so cute.  Not to mention they make a lovely noise as you walk.  What I can decide is whether I like the plain or the black lacquer ones.

Another piece of maiko kitsuke that I would like is a darari obi.

The obi is 6 metres of beautiful fabric and just to wear one would be a dream let alone own one.  They are just too expensive for me.

Finally, there is of course the heian style kimono.  

Far too many layers to put on by yourself, it restricts your movement and it probably weights a lot.  It is totally impractical in every way and therefore I love it.  If I own this, I would be over the moon and feel like a princess.

Kimono Challenge Tag #7

Number 7 already!


1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


Kimono Confessions.  Did you know that....


I still use a towel and my homemade koshihimo as a obi makura.

You may ask why I have not bothered to buy a proper obi makura yet, well here are the reasons.

1. It is indestructible.
2. Very comfortable to lean back on after a long day chatting with my kimono friends.
3. Can be folded to different sizes depending on how puffy I want my otaiko to be.
4. It is very cheap.

Funny enough I don't have any pictures of this.

Kimono Challenge Tag #6

1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


What do you like and don't like about kimono. 


The best thing about kimono is the variety styles and materials available.  Really I can't think of any other garment that has such variety!

From the heavy decorated furisode.

To the teal ro iromuji.

There is a kimono for everyone's taste.  

Another thing that I love is that you can create lots of new outfits from one kimono.  Lets take my polka dot kimono which I love.

I first wore it with a black ro obi with a pink and white obi-age and pink obi-jime.

Then with a little bit of lace and a different obi, obi-age and obi-jime it is a completely different.

I really should wear my kimono more often but it would mean buying more obi.

Now the pet peeves!  The amount of accessories you need to have before you put it on.  It took me ages to buy or make all the correct kitsuke items to wear a kimono which meant a lot of time and effort.

Then of course once you start buying kimono, it becomes an addiction!  This was my collection after only a year and a bit.

Since this photo I have brought a few more pieces but when I look back at it I must have been mad or something.  True I have worn pretty much everything at least once in this photo but if I did the same thing with western clothes I think I would be broke.  Thank god for Ebay bargains.

Kimono Challenge Tag #5

Onwards!


1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


Your favourite coordination(s) so far.


Oh dear this is where my lack of photos may let me down but I will pick out my faves.


Here is the most traditionally coordinated outfit I have done and it was for my friend's wedding in Glasgow.  It was lucky that it was a nice sunny day or I would have spent the whole day worrying about the kimono.

All the colours and flowers matched nicely and I provided a flash of colour to the proceedings.

Ah then there is this outfit, a nice cool looking outfit which was lucky because Japan Matsuri was packed and wearing ro was best decision I made.

I'm sure I have other outfits which I love but didn't take pictures which is a shame.  However I have them in my memory and maybe when I have time I will dress up Miffy in them.

Kimono Challenge Tag #4

Three down, nine left to go!


1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


Your least used kimono item(s).


When it come to kimono items the least used is probably these two.

The first one is an obi that I brought thinking that it was perfect for co-ordination.  How wrong I was!

I have only worn it once and I only worn it because I was desperate to wear this obi at least once and I couldn't find another obi to match an outfit I wanted to wear.  It is a lovely fukuro obi but you do get a little blurry eyed if you stare at it for too long.

The second thing that I rarely use is my biyo sugata obi aid.

Again I have only worn it once for a party but I have play around with it, creating different musubi.  It does take its toil on the fukuro obi I used so I haven't been using it lately as I need to buy a better obi. 

Kimono Challenge Tag #3

Carrying on with the challenge questions.


1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.

Your most used kimono item(s)

It will have to be my comfy zori!

I love them!!!  

They are the best footwear I have ever brought in my life because they are so nice to wear.  

First off the hanao are the padded sort which means they do not cut into your feet which for a walker is very important.  And secondly, these zori do not have the usual metal staple at the bottom of the sole so I don't have to worry about it rusting if I step into a puddle.  

In fact, I must buy another pair of this sort.

Kimono Challenge Tag #2

So yesterday I answered the first question out of the following list.


1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.


On to the next one.


Your dearest kimono item(s)?


Eeeek that is a good question.


Obviously my first kimono is the most important kimono in my collection as it was the one that started the whole obsession.

It was not flashy and as it was a komon, I could wear it everyday if I wanted.  However it is silk so I would be a fool to try and wear this day after day.

There is another kimono which always come to my head when I think about kitsuke and it is this furisode.

Again it is another non-flashy kimono and I remember looking at this furisode on ebay thinking that this is a bit plain for a furisode?  Why?  Anyway I like the simple silver crane design and just had to have it.  My impression is that this furisode was made for an unmarried girl who was a little older then average hence the lack of colour and embroidery.  However this suited me perfectly as I am in my late twenties and technically getting a little bit too old to wear furisode.  

I do own another furisode which is more typical of the kind worn my girls at the coming-of-age ceremony but that is for special occasions where a little bit of show is needed. 

Kimono Challenge Tag #1

So I was reading the many blogs that I follow today when I saw on Strawberry Kimono a Kimono Challenge!  It appears that Kira Kira Kimono set herself a challenge on answering the following questions.

1. How did you discover and got into kimono? 
2. Your dearest kimono item(s).
3. Your most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.).
4. Your least used kimono item(s).
5. Your favourite coordination(s) so far.
6. What do you like and don't like about kimono. 
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that... 
8. Your dream kitsuke items (or at least items you really really want but can't get for whatever reason).
9. Your biggest kimono fears. 
10. Your biggest kimono inspiration. 
11. Your kimono collection. 
12. The evolution of your kitsuke.

How could I resist so here goes.

How did you discover and got into kimono?

I have a vague memory of seeing a kimono on tv as a child all those many years ago and I think that was how I discovered kimono.  I think it was the sleeves that attracted me to them because as I was growing up, I was always drawn to clothes which had long flowing sleeves like hanfu and medieval gowns.

Of course I never acted on my interest until 2006 or 2007 when I discovered Immortal Geisha website where for some reason I wanted to learn more about kimono.  Don't ask me why I had this urge to learn, maybe I was bored and wanted a challenge, whatever the reason I began to research into kimono.  It was also this time I discovered kanzashi and began to make those for fun!

I didn't actually buy my first kimono until 2008 on ebay and it was this one!

Which I didn't wear until the following year for Tokyo Day in London as I spent a year getting all the necessary accessories to wear kimono.  As you can see it is not the most exciting kimono but it was my first one and therefore has a special place in my heart.

For the next year or two, I went on a slight kimono buying spree which I am glad to say has stopped due to financial and space constraints.

Tomorrow I will answer question two!