How to Make a Martial Arts Uniform
East Asian-styled martial arts have been popular in the West since the 1970s and are today often used as athletic sport training for young people. Some of the most well-known types are karate, judo, kung fu, aikido and tae kwon do. Martial arts training usually involves the use of a uniform, which is different for each particular sport. This article focuses on the karate uniform, called the "gi," due to the popularity of karate, but the basic steps can be applied to making any martial arts uniform.
Things You'll Need
- Gi pattern
- Sewing equipment and supplies
- Heavyweight white cotton
- Heavyweight cotton thread
Instructions
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1
Find a gi pattern that you like. Companies such as Round Earth Publishing, which is linked in the Resources section of this article offer gi patterns suitable for adults and children in martial arts classes. If you would like a costume gi, many of the major pattern publishing companies, such as McCall's and Simplicity, offer patterns.
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2
Take your measurements, or the measurements of the person for whom you are making the gi, at the chest, waist and hip. Match the measurements to the closest pattern size, using the largest measurement. Karate uniforms, like other martial arts uniforms, are fairly forgiving and do not need to be tightly fitted. Cut the pattern size that you have chosen from the paper. For the top, you should have pieces for the body, sleeve and collar. For the bottom, you should have a front, back and waistband and a piece for the belt. You may also have cuff pieces for the pants and shirt.
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Pin your pattern pieces to your heavyweight cotton fabric. Cut two pieces for the shirt body, sleeve and belt. Cut one piece for the collar, pants front, pants back and waistband. If you have cuffs, cut two for each cuff.
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Start with the shirt of your martial arts uniform. Stitch together the body pieces at the center back seam and the sleeves at the armhole seams, using the flat-felled seaming method described in the Resources section. After you have stitched these seams, topstitch over them at least twice, like you see in jeans construction. This will make the seams more durable for martial arts activity.
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Fold the body and sleeves of the shirt together, and stitch the underarm seam all the way down to the hem. Attach the collar to the neck hole, then sew all the way down the center front, matching the raw edges. Sew up the hems on the shirt bottom and sleeve bottoms, or attach the cuffs.
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Stitch the pants' front and back together at the side seams, then at the center back seam, again following the flat-felled seaming method. Sew together the inseam, then attach the waistband as directed in your pattern instructions. You may have a pattern that suggests an elastic or drawstring waistband. Sew the hem of each pant leg or attach the cuffs, as necessary.
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Sew together the belt at three of the sides, then turn the belt inside out and hand stitch or topstitch the fourth side together.
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