Sewing A Japanese Kimono

[@BrightDecision]

I'm about to attempt making my own kimono with a low level of sewing knowledge as well. I hate this early part of learning new things where everything is difficult and mistakes feel like a ton of bricks. Thanks to you (and Billy Matsunaga) I have the courage to take the leap. I'm especially worried about the collar as I have had a hard time understanding the shape of the opening for the neck and how it attaches (I don't know exactly which stitches to use.) I hope it turns out alright.

[@BrightDecision]

I did actually end up doing it after hundreds of hours of research, and it turned out really well 😄. Now if only I could figure out what I want to do with my life… unfortunately my likes don’t make for ‘successful’ careers.

[@jbwhitebirch6620]

You've done Billy proud! I am blown away by your fabric choices! So creative:)). This video gets an almost 5 star from me, but the music was too loud and made it difficult to hear you at times. All in all, very well-done and fun to watch!

[@cynthiahawkins2389]

I am 74, and craft dolls out of discarded textiles, and antique fabrics. I'm working on a bride doll just now. And when I went to do the sleeves of the wedding gown, I used an openwork lace, thinking it would be pretty. Well, it was a serious blunder. Luckily I had enough silk left over to try something else, and today I bought the proper silk thread to hand stitch and finish everything which should look lovely. I never call these 'mistakes"..I call them the learning curve. Great video. I love kimono too...

[@sonja30]

I’m actually following Billy’s video rn too. For a cosplay and then I made a pattern for future kimono as well.

[@inflikktion]

I spotted a 3Magpies obi in there!! Nice work ^_^

[@lissvargas]

Woooo so cool ❤

[@tanieruchan6309]

I just so happened upon your video. I absolutely love your kimono collection and I’ve always wanted one of my own since I fell into anime ^^. I never ordered one for fear of the yuki being too short since I’m 5’11 and decided it was time to make my own since I wanted one so badly. I literally just finished following Billy’s instructions making a kimono 2 days ago and made it out of curtains I thought were pretty. It was literally a dream come true for me Lolol. I also have to say I love the two toned idea (green is my favorite color ^^), now wanna make one for myself. You did a FANTASTIC on your first kimono and yea I struggled with the collar of mine too Lolol. I hope you do more kimono videos!!

[@jackie_houle]

I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you for watching! I happened to stumbling into my kimono collection with some lucky buys, but i think that it is amazing that you MADE your first kimono! I was too terrified of my sewing skills to try to do that. I do have a few more planned!

[@tanieruchan6309]

@@jackie_houle I can’t wait to see more videos…You’re awesome ^^

[@madnessends2477]

Would you ever consider making a video on how to sew a men’s kimono?

[@TealCheetah]

This turned out great, well done!

[@org4nd0n0rzz]

I have an international day, and my class is japan... I need a kimono so my hopes are on you Jackie

[@TealCheetah]

Fabric pro tip! Often cottons and other straight woven fabrics tear along the grain, making nice straight lines. (Test this with your fabric first.)

[@pocketoniofficial]

Should I be lining my garment with another fabric? I have just the pattern I want on the outside and it is cotton.

[@shalomsanbi]

I love kimonos, especially that red haori, I think that is my goal for this month, I want to make a haori that is a bit slimed down at the waist like those runway jackets, but still authentic. My great grandma sewn one, but I want something longer to about just above the knees. (I am much taller than my mother or grandparents, so It is hard to find kimono that fists my size, lol)

[@BURN_OUT.]

I love your 2nd kimono! The pink one!! Ive been wanting to make one and im in textile rn and have 5 years experience of sewing 😅

[@tonymahon789]

Hi I live in ireland .I too have been making kimono with the last few years. Hand sewn.i cant use a machine .I now have 8 .not all perfect .I taught I was the only.one to make my own .I follow my own measurements .in my head .it takes me awile to make them .the collar is the worse part .like you I made lots of mistakes .you done great .

[@jackie_houle]

Thank you! Wow 8 that is impressive!

[@yolandaagnew2508]

Good for you. I did a small one by hand and am planning to do a full size one soon. I'm obsessed. I too a class and am looking forward to making several.

[@tanieruchan6309]

Tony, the fact that you’ve made 8 kimono by hand is like WOW!! I want to get to the point of making all of mine by hand one day. So I plan to keep practicing ^^ Yolanda, YOU CAN DO IT!!!

[@user-ic5xu4jh6z]

Mistakes are good for learning well and i also sewd by hand my wedding dress because my mashine did not want this extreme thin Chiffon Silk. Same problem is with Crepe de Satin, it drifts easy away while sewing togethdr, so handsewig is the ultimative unique method of making high quality clothes:-D. Every stitch i make by hand is meditation, good energy comes to it. If i use mashines, i only use antique ones with handcrank or foot pedal without electricity. The stitches are so pretty and you can set very short stitch lengths, which is not possible with modern machines. Maybe you happen to find an really old machine that is often only offered as decoration and does not have to be expensive. I wish you lot of fun while sewing🙏

[@user-ic5xu4jh6z]

@@tanieruchan6309 look for helpig videos on YT or on pinterest for learning hand good old stitching techniques, its very useful. Surely it neds time and practice but love hand sewing very much! Tiny unvisible stitches is the highes level, and some fabric, very fine an expensive ones sometimes can not be sewed by mashines without destroying so it is always good to got the knowledge for difficulties in sewing projects.

[@calliecordoba532]

Beautiful collect! Great video😀

[@billiel9546]

Thanks for making this video! I'm knew to kimono and Billy's video went over my head a bit, this was much easier for me to understand!

[@jackie_houle]

Happy to hear!

[@yolandaagnew2508]

Awe, that's ashame. You should do one by hand. But I'm glad you posted this video. Thanks!

[@jackie_houle]

I have some fabric for another two toned one that I would like to make and I think I will do that one by hand since I think it gives you more control over the fabric. Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching!

[@carmenm.4091]

I saw what went wrong. You lay on top of your fabric when it was ‘inside out’ that time it was on the left side, so when you turn the fabric goodside out, it will be on your right hand side. These things happen…. Don’t be discouraged. ❤️

[@xristinarose2409]

Oh wooow you did such a good job! 😲💪 love the 2 toned idea. I wanted to do this for a long time (but a shorter version) but i m to afraid that i will ruin the materials and waste time with no result in the end 😭

[@jackie_houle]

Thank you! I've always had a soft spot for two toned kimono and clothing in general. I totally understand that fear, something you can try that helped me was making a mock up with some plain white muslin, or plain cotton, then you can make as many mistakes without worrying about messing up the nice/ actual garment materials!

[@wisteria6656]

You helped a half japanese here🥹thanks

[@taeko3508]

What kind of tissus should we use ?

[@jackie_houle]

Any fabric really! I used cotton for this.

[@DannyJane.]

Hello, Jackie. I'm a sempstress from 'way back. Watching your video I realized that nobody taught you the most important facts about sewing without which no one dares pick up a needle. This is an unforgivable omission in your training and I will set things to rights immediately. So without further rambling here are: The Four Laws of Sewing 1. If you're not ripping you're not sewing. 2. At any time during any project one piece WILL be sewn to the wrong place. 3. PRESS EVERY SINGLE SEAM. PRESS ANY WRINKLES. PRESS. PRESS. PRESS! And finally the fourth and most important law of all: 4. You MUST bleed on your project at least once. This is a vital sacrifice to the Sewing Gods. They are a capricious lot and if you fail to honor them with a few corpuscles they will never allow your garment to fit. I hope you always enjoy your sewing journey. I think your kimono is both original and lovely.

[@puri_pon]

Attenzione all'alluce valgo, bisogna curarlo prima che venga peggio

[@o0oMysticdragono0o]

Your music is too loud

[@kachi2782]

Authentic ? Authentic Kimono are handsewn from Tanmono bolts and made of silk. Those three rules are the first you learn when you study wasai in Japan. The next rules are that they are made following a 1000 years old pattern in Sun, Bu and Shaku not Inches and Feet, and finally there are 753 steps to make one kimono, and you followed about 20 of those steps. I am married to a licensed Kimono maker who studied wasai in Japan for 10 years, starting with Yukata which aren't authentic Kimono by Japanese standards and ending up with Maiko's winter Hikizuri and Shiromuku Bridal gowns. I like your enthusiasm and your genuine interest for Kimono but it is a bit like picking up grapes, stepping on them with bare feet and then putting the juice in a bottle and calling it authentic french wine. There is a reason wasaishi study Kimono making for 5 years minimum before being licensed and allowed to do it professionally.

[@averygeorge4192]

What? For most of kimono history they where made of hemp, remie, or cotton for most of the population, they in no way have to be made of silk, and you don't need to be a licensed Tailor to make kimono, nor do you have to use unshin technique to make one

[@kachi2782]

@@averygeorge4192 These weren't Kimono, 90% of the population didn't wear what you westerners call Kimono. We wore Monpe, Jinbe, Samue, Hanten, Yukata and the like, nobody needed a Kimono even made of remie or hemp. Yes you do need a national license to make Kimono (and by that i mean anything from Kosode to Tomesode to Shiromuku, through Furisode, Juban,, Hikizuri, kids Kimono, stage Kimono, Male and female Kimono, etc, .. the real way. Unless you were taught by your grand mother since you were a kid lkike my mother, whom grandmother herself was taught by her mother etc, in which case it also took you years to master the craft. You can learn from a book if you are familiar with the lingo and have already an exhaustive knowledge of tailoring and stitching other than that you will just ruin a Tanmono and waste your time and the result will never be correct. Even women or men today who were taught by their grand parents make dreadful Kimono. Making Kimono is a real science which many women until 150 years ago at least had to master in order to make a living, especially in rural areas were making Kimono was a trade to put bread on the table. Each of these women started their apprenticeship when they were no older than 10 years old and would be able to make a proper Kimono only when they reached the age of 16 or 17 which was when they usually married and a few years later they would teach their daughters how to make them for themselves if they had the means to do so, or for others in order to earn a living or to complement the family earnings. But it has also been a very serious skill and the secrets to make Kimono the right way were passed down very preciously from generations to generations until it became a trade and skilled artisans were chosen during the Meiji restoration to start teaching the trade and to form an army of professional Kimono makers and that is when it became a national diploma called the Wasaishiginoshi delivered by the Japanese chamber of traditional dressmaking, which is registered at the Japanese chamber of commerce and is only delivered to the people who have completed a thorough 5 years course, and then you need to work as an apprentice for another 4 years minimum before becoming a professional and then again you need to reach the level three in Wasai technique to become an independent Wasaishi or dressmaker, and this does not even include tailoring as cutting the Tanmono is in itself a skill you need to also learn and get another diploma for. I am married to someone who went through the 5 years study and 4 years training i know exactly what i am talking about. I was also raised by a mother and grand mother from Kyoto who wear (wore) Kimono 365 days a year and who both could make their own because they learned the technique from their mother and grand mother as children. If there is one field of activity besides my own, which i know more everything about, it is Kimono. I have a collection including items which even the Tokyo National Museum asked my family to put on display because how exceptional they are. Between my mother, my grand mother my spouse and myself we have a collection of over 3500 Kimono and 30 % of it is museum pieces. There isn't one topic on the planet i am more familiar with than Kimono so i would appreciate you sparing me the lecture. Unless you want to give me a lecture in Japanese (my mother tongue since i am Japanese born and raised). A proper Tomesode, Furisode, Kimono handmade of anything but silk, is not a Kimono by Japanese standards.

[@averygeorge4192]

@@kachi2782 Sure buddy, it's just clothing, look up Billy Matsunaga, she is a lovely foreign kimono teacher that does kimono tailoring for herself, and has a lot better attitude about it

[@kachi2782]

@@averygeorge4192 Let me make sure i get you clear. I am Japanese born and raised in Kyoto (the world capital of authentic Kimono), speaking reading and writing japanese naturally with access to all the professional Japanese dressmaker, all the documentation on Kimono making, married to a certified Kimono dressmaker, son and grand son of japanese people who wear (wore) Kimono every day and make (made) their own Kimono and other traditional clothing. I also started learning about Kimono culture since i was 8 years old (now in my 40s), wear Kimono at least 10 days a month when i am not at work, studied Jiutamai and Sado, since i was 6 and wore Kimono at least 4 times a week for dance and tea ceremony lessons until the age of 25. But i should be checking this billy Billy person (probably married to a Japanese hence the name), a Foreigner who makes her own Kimono without proper professional training when i have my spouse, mother and my entire community and country, to teach me (in the adequate language) anything i need to know about Kimono ? Can you explain to me the logic behind your thinking process. Are you also going to ask some French sommelier to check out some Japanese wine enthusiast to learn about wine appreciation ? And should i also check some californian Japan enthusiast guy who likes cooking to learn how to make Kaiseki Ryori ? Maybe this is your attitude which needs adjustment for having the nerve to tell a Japanese to look up some Gaijin to learn more about my own culture ! Who's kidding who here ! Avery George 5 hours ago @Ka Chi Sure buddy, it's just clothing, look up Billy Matsunaga, she is a lovely foreign kimono teacher that does kimono tailoring for herself, and has a lot better attitude about it

[@shadowjewel]

@@kachi2782 I understand some of your frustration, even with the little I've learned about kimono as someone not from Japan but who appreciates traditional Japanese clothing, but I can see a couple of arguments for why a non-Japanese, English speaking person would title a video this. One, simple lack of understanding of how much goes into wasai. Two, and the one I am leaning most towards; many in English speaking cultures as I have seen it, don't know anything about even the word kimono and the garments it originally names or else do not have a strong association between the word and those particular traditional clothes. There are many in English speaking cultures for whom "kimono" is mostly or exclusively just a style of bath-robe. For example. typing the word Kimono into English language ebay will first give you a pages of bathrobes and tunic style undergarments (often erotic too) before it shows you a listing for real kimono, unless you refine your search categories to east Asian or vintage (as someone who really likes traditional Japanese kimono I hate this western association between the word kimono and that tunic style underwear. The bathrobes I can understand, by way of the yukata and many decades of time, but the underwear??? Ugh). Those of us who do know something about traditional Kimono know this is a problem, and I can see why someone would want to not be confused with bathrobes and underwear, or bad Halloween costumes that are not even the same basic shape as real kimono.

[@TealCheetah]

Along with Billy's great video, another excellent source is Minna no kimono on instagram, she has a book in both spanish and english.