My adventures into making kimono's

When I was a small kid, probably around 5 I got a collection of barbies from around the world, and my favorite one was by far the Japanese one.   This was a few years before I had even got into anime.

World fashion, in general, is something that still interests me today.

The first kimono I ever made myself was for Rai con
(an anime/comic book convention in Glasgow, UK) I think it must have been about 2016
I was really happy with it but like a lot of "cosplays"
I use that term loosely for me cause I'm not as active as I'd like to be.

I left a lot of it till last minute and used my friend's really tiny sewing machine (thankfully I have 2 trusty well-working machines now.


It was the best feeling ever!  even if it was my first kimono and not exactly that well made, I loved the sleeves and because I closed the outer side I used it to put my phone and money and what not in (very practical!)


This is definitely something I am going to re-visit in the future since I've made a bit more experience making kimonos since then!

I went for a one on one class with the lovely Jennie Lööf in April of this year
she helped me make my kimono pattern, and I have since then made 4 kimonos and am looking to make more before the month is over!

The first kimono I made (I did in calico, but I made a mistake I accidentally cut out the front and the back together), but what I did to fix this was added a patch of fabric onto the back in the shape that had been cut out and I love how it works!)

An accident turns into something I can really use to make the kimonos that little bit different.

I was happy with my first step towards the making, as I just went for it, and even though the mistakes, I managed to sort them and come up with new ideas for the kimono!

























I am starting up my Etsy shop today, and having some garments being made to order as well.

First time making a hood for a jacket (Marluxia's Organisation 13 Jacket)

Making a hood

I was excited and also nervous about making this.

I've never made a hood before for a jacket, and I couldn't find my pattern reference book I got in my NC year for a guide. 

Below is the original pattern piece,  after making the paper copy

I used this reference from Pinterest as a rough guide after making an attempt myself, though it ended up looking more like a space helmet/traditional dutch hat.

After looking at this I noticed that it didn't need to curve in at the top, and came up with this and made a mock up,

after the mock up I noticed It was better for the design to have a godet in the middle to round of the hood.  (5cm godet)

Here is a very rough idea of the hood design

(I tried to work the drawing tablet and gave up for the mouse so do excuse the drawing)

notches: I notched to match where the half way point is on the hood 

(17.78 cm to separate the hood and the heads extended shape)

in hindsight: I would have notches the godet part of the hood a few times to balance out the hood.

Also in hindsight: more images for blogging.

2nd last day of class.

Design and make project work

I felt today was super productive, 

(1) started and finished my dress with some tweaks to the patterns and finished my jacket 

Tweaks on dress:

1. I was originally going to have the zip on the side, even without sleeves this would be really impractical to get into, but with sleeves it's pretty much near to impossible.
2. So because of this I move the zip to the back of the garment, and because of this I had to make a new neck facing hold my old one in half draw another pattern and add a 1 cm seam to the cut edge to allow room for the zip.  The back patterns both skirt and top half had to have a 1 cm attached also.
3. I also learned while making my mock up that the front neck facing and front neck, will need fused in order to make sure it sits right and also to make sure it doesn't stretch this could also be attached with plastic boning as well as with fusing.  Both would also work.           
4. The sleeves didn't turn out how I imagined they would either, so for the actual garment i'm going to make them shorter and flare more.

 

picture above of me sewing the one piece sleeve.

Lined denim jacket:

I'm really happy with the outcome of the jacket, I love the flare in it, I think when I make it again, I am going to make fusing higher up on the bottom part cause I love the structure of it, but i'd love to make it even more dramatic!

I think i'd also add 2 or more buttons under the one I have currently on it.

I want to get out of the habit of using only one button on my jackets.

The last leg of my first year of college.

I've just finished my Graded unit last week

notes are all done now (more or less)

I found it was good as long as I kept taking notes, and photograhs of the progress

here is some below:

this is the unlined jacket I done before it was all put together I overlocked the garment but I think i'm going to make another jacket but binding the edges instead for a better finish

I really like how it looks inside out (I decided to go with copying part of the front pattern for my faces, and I was a bit unsure how it was going to sit at first but i really like it would work I think if bindinded both ways, I think I could make a really funky jacket with this.

Last but not least, the final garment, I used an blind stitcher to finish the sleeves and hem and I found this alot neater than blind stitching by hand  

(below is the blind stitching and the finished jacket)

A catch up post

Update

I've been working on my log book, and mock up for my graded unit jacket.

Decided what I'm doing for it.

(1) Vertical Panel Pockets, (2) Mandarin Collar, (3) 2 Piece Sleeve (4) Contrast Stitching with white overlock and stitching.

To make it prettier on the inside as it will be unlined.

Pictured above (left is the jacket design and right is the pocket)

Also working on my Design and make dress now that the jacket is finished now.

This is being done with a size 10, as the assessment will be done in this size.

working on transferring my pattern to the calico to make the mock up

wee outfit

 I put together my final pieces from last year (the shirt and skirt, along with a jacket I made this years course) and added a wee hat to go with (from Mr bens shop in Glasgow)

I think it's rather cute can't wait to get a wee model picture of it though.

I really like how the high waist and lower cut shirt work together and balance out well.

I aim to try post alittle more next week, 3 assessments this past week and a hand in so very tired me.