How to Stitch a Japanese Kimono

Kimono are quick to make and great for costumes or decoration.

Kimono are worn in Japan on special occasions, such as certain holidays, weddings and some funerals. Once worn daily, the art of putting on a kimono is no longer taught from one generation to the next in a family, and many pay specialists to help them wear a kimono for an event. The yukata, a cotton kimono, is worn by many in the summer and at traditional Japanese inns. The pattern is the same, but the yukata is unlined and made of patterned cotton fabric rather than heavy, expensive, embroidered or painted silk. Sewing a kimono is relatively easy, due to the straight lines and simple pattern.

Things You'll Need

• Kimono pattern
• Scissors
• 4 yard to 6 yards 60-inch-wide fabric
• Pins
• Fusible interfacing
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Needle
• Thread

Instructions

1. Open the paper pattern pieces for your kimono pattern and cut out the pieces for your size. There will be one piece for the front and one piece for the back, two or three pieces for the collar and one piece for the sleeves.

2. Unfold the fabric and stretch it out flat on a clean, dry surface. You may need to use the floor to make sure the pattern pieces are pinned onto the fabric straight. Lay the pattern pieces on the fabric to position them and make sure they all fit. Folding the fabric in half lengthwise will make cutting and pinning easier. You will cut two for the back, two for the front and two sleeves plus the collar pieces.

3. Pin the pattern pieces in place and cut them out of the fabric. Remove the pins.

4. Stitch the collar pieces together to form the long collar of the kimono. Iron the fusible interfacing to the back side of the collar after you have stitched the pieces together. Fold the collar in half lengthwise and iron it to make a smooth crease.

5. Stitch the back two pieces of fabric together, forming the center seam that runs straight down the back of the kimono. Take your time and stitch slowly, guiding the fabric through the sewing machine so your final seam is straight. Iron the seam so it lays flat.

6. Reverse the creased fold in the collar so the fused interfacing is on the outside. Stitch the ends of the collar straight across and then reverse the fold again so the collar fabric has the printed side facing out. Push on the corners with your fingertips from inside to smooth the stitched corners and press with the iron so the seam will lay flat.

7. Stitch the front two pieces to the back piece at the shoulder seams. This is done one shoulder at a time.

8. Hold the collar, which you ironed to crease in half. Line up the center of the collar with the center seam on the back of the kimono. The raw edges of the collar face down and the raw edge of the kimono neckline face up. Flip the collar upside-down onto the back piece, matching the raw edges with the neckline. The folded crease in the collar should touch the outside (printed side) of the back piece of fabric. Place a pin through the collar from inside the folded collar piece and connect it to the back of the kimono at the neckline. After it is stitched once, the collar is pressed up and the inside portion is hand-stitched inside the kimono to hide the raw edges inside the collar.

9. Pin the rest of that side of the folded collar to the neckline of the kimono, with the ends of the collar pinned along the front two halves of the kimono. Stitch the collar in place along the neckline, clipping the fabric seam allowance to allow the collar to curve, as needed. Press the collar upward, along the neckline seam, with the creased fold now at the top where it should be.

10. Fold the raw edge of the collar under and stitch with the needle and thread along the machine-sewn seam at the neckline. The goal is to hide the raw edges and stitching inside the collar permanently.

11. Stitch the kimono sleeves separately, forming two tubes. Press the outer sleeve hem (cuff area) under and stitch in place to finish. Pin the sleeves to the shoulder seams and stitch in place.

12. Stitch the side seams for the kimono from beneath the sleeve to the bottom hem. Iron the seams so they lay flat.

13. Press the edges of the front sides of the kimono, using the iron to make the seams smooth. Stitch the seams with the sewing machine from the ends of the collar to the bottom hem.

14. Iron the bottom hem to the desired length. Stitch in place with the sewing machine.

Tips & Warnings

• The collar is the trickiest part when sewing a kimono. For best results, you may want to practice with test fabric before using your final kimono fabric, especially if the kimono fabric is expensive.

References

• Tanuki House: Instructions for Sewing a Yukata
• Sasha Maggio, sewing hobbyist

Resources

• Library ThinkQuest: Japan Quick Facts
• Folkwear - Pattern 113: Japanese Kimono
• Pattern Review: Simplicity 5839 Kimono Pattern