Unlined Kimono

From CosplayWiki

Okay, this tutorial is for an unlined, female Kimono. This is just a typical costume Kimono (AKA: Non-traditional). I might add a traditionl Kimono tutorial later, but as a lot of you know, quite a bit of research goes into making one. BTW: sorry if this sort of sucks, but it's my first time using Wikipedia...

1 Materials
2 Measurements
3 Sewing
4 Refrences

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Materials

Sewing machine/ thread
Between 5-7 yards of fabric, depending on your height/ sleeve length
1 yard of light-weight fuiseable interfacing, OR 1/2 foot sew through boning

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Measurements

A.) Measure how long you want the Kimono, from the bone that sticks out in your neck, to where you want it to end. Add a few inches just to be safe. If you want a Kimono that you put on the traditional way, add between 1-2 feet.

B.) Measure the width of your back, right under your armpits, plus about 4 inches.

C.) Measure from the side of your neck to your shoulder. This will be the width of the top part of the front peices (and the length will be A), but they angle, so don't cut them just yet, hold on to this measurement though.

D.) Measure how long you want the sleeves to be, starting from a little past your shoulder.

E.) Measure how long you want the sleeves to hang, make sure that you drape the tape measure over your arm, in sort of a loop, because each sleeve is only one piece.

F.) You will need about 2 yards of fabric, probably close to 6 inches wide (depending on how wide you want your collar) and the interfacing or boning to put in it. If you chose boning, its only for a small area arround the neck.

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Sewing

First, laying out your fabric. If you have a design on your fabric, this is more important than if you don't. Fold your fabric in half before you cut anything. Then, draw your peices on. You want to make sure that they will all lay the same way when you sew it together, so pay close attention to the sleeves.

Next, the front peices. Obviously, if you have seen a Kimono, you know that they angle in the front, but the mistake I made on my first Kimono (with no pattern or tutorial) was when the angle stops. There is no great way to tell you how to make the front peices, but normally, the top of it (measurement C) will be 9 to 9.5 inches, it will angle for about 30 inches, and at the width at the bottom will be arround 16 to 16.5 inches. (you should draw on your fabric with chalk to help). They should look like this:

Now for the back peices. When you cut them, you use measurements A and 1/2 of B. (see image)

Then, at the top inside corner (where your neck will be) cut a small curve on each. Cut about 1 inch down, and for about 3.5 inches. Here are more pictures.

Now, the back piece that you have should look like this:

Right after you cut them, you should sew down the small curve, so it won't fray or stretch.

Now, sew the back peices together so the curves connect.

On this pic, it is folded up half way so you can see both sides.

Next, sew the front to the back peices at the shoulders, and pin them at the sides, for about half way up.

Leave this for now and go to the sleeves.

Take the sleeves, and fold them in half. And cut a curve in the bottom corner of each.

You only need to do one corner because you will sew it and then cut off the extra.

Then, you will sew the bottom closed, along with the curve and stop when you think the opening is enough. Then, fold over the outside (where the hole is) and sew it (again, make sure that you thread matches, and when you flip the sleeve inside out, you won't see the stray edges).

(The bottom sleeve is not finished, and the top is.) Cut off the extra material and flip so it is righ side out. Here is your sleeve so far:

Now, pin your sleeves to the body of the Kimono (this might take a few times to get it right) and try it on. Here you can adjust the length of your sleeves, but be sure that they are the same.

Here is where it gets even more confusing. You sew the sleeves onto the body of the kimono, but only the top part of the sleeves. Then, turn everything inside out. take the part that wasn't sewn, turn it inside out (like you did arround the neck and the opening of the sleeves) and sew it so no rough edge will show when turned right side out. Then, sew up th sides of the kimono, making sure not to sew all the way up to the sleeves, and then turn it inside out again, and sew it.

Now, for the collar. I made the collar in 2 peices, which isn't nessicary. If you do, sew them together first. Then, if you choose interfacing, iron it on, and sew the collar shut, right sides together, and flip it inside out. If you choose boning, sew it shut, right sides together, flip it inside out and slip the boning inside to the center.

Sewing the collar on the body can get a little confusing, but just line the sew edge of the collar up to the body, and pin it. It won't go over the entire kimono, but should end arround the angles.

Finally, hem the kimono. Ta-da! Now you have your own Kimono!!

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