Wisteria Fox: Kimono Days 8 + 9

Day 8:

I quickly sewed the lining pieces together. I still have to attach the lining to the kimono and add the collar. Then...the sleeves. 😬

Day 9:

Collar and Lining added.

The body of the kimono is constructed. Woo-hoo!

I constructed the sleeves so they have a lining in them. Now I have to figure out how to attach the sleeves. 😭

After this point, the Kimono is constructed and will need to be painted by hand. But I may start working on the Obi belt next.

Reflection on Commercial Kimono Patterns

So I have two patterns but of the two I think the Simplicity one is a bit better in terms of pieces and body construction. However, the instructions for the sleeves are so awkward. However, the McCalls pattern instructions have been a bit clearer and the sleeve construction easier to understand. It also includes good tips on making applique and when to apply it.

In my opinion, it would not have hurt to also check the Folkwear pattern and a few free independent patterns before diving in. (I am a fan of Folkwear personally. The patterns are also full of history lessons, very deep insights into fabric types, colors, and old vs new methods of construction.)

Comments

Costume Design: Guiding Principles

Part of designing costumes is finding a way to pick from many solutions. Limiting these choices can be the art of design. I have some of my own "Guiding Principles" or Design Principles when it comes to costume design. Some of these constraints are based on non-mutable factors. (Or currently difficult to change.) The fun ones are a bit on the arbitrary side. These are self-imposed limitations for the costume that as a designer I decide to apply to any given costume. The point of these principles is to help you make a final decision if you are paralyzed by many choices. I may get hung up on some pretty silly things, so at the very least, this helps me move forward and kind of imply that I had a plan all along. Immutable Design Principles We might run into some touchy subjects here but whatever, here we go! Immutable principles are either constraints your life situation has you in at any given time or core beliefs about what you wear. This can mean things like religious beli

Costume Fabric Cheat Sheet: How to Pick Fabric for your Costume

In the previous post , I laid out how to describe different aspects of fabric when trying to find a good fabric for your costume. This post will go over ways to apply those terms and actually pick out a fabric for your costume. I will attempt to teach by examples. 4 Avenues of Research Cheat! I mean...look at other cosplays. You can often find images of photoshoots which make for better references than illustrations. If you are lucky, the costume maker may have posted a journal about how they made their costume or at least list the materials they used. Check for Suggestions in Sewing Patterns Sewing patterns will list suggested fabrics to use for the costume. Pop those terms into a search engine and see the results. Historical, Cultural, or Real Life Examples With a search engine or books, you can find out about how clothes were made back in the day or what materials are used around the world. You can also check the tags on your clothes to see what it's made of. Narrow down to

Hakama Series - Hibakama (Scarlet Hakama)

The bright red hakama with a white kimono is a common sight in both anime and video game characters. Shrine maidens or Miko also wear this combination of colors when they work at Shinto shrines. Honestly, there is a LOT of history and cultural significance wrapped up in this one. Anime/Games: Inuyasha, Genshin Impact, Sailor Moon, So let's talk Design. Design Considerations Cultural Significance This is one I'd pay attention to if I was creating a character of my own. I assume that already created characters have had this research done and have taken their artistic license. Some of the research taught me a few things: The color is technically scarlet or vermillion, not "red". 🤷 Miko are not part of the Shinto clergy. Sometimes they are just seasonal workers. Generally, Miko are young women in their teens or early 20s. After a certain age, they wear different colors. This was based on Heian nobility colors and fashions. Color Like I said earlier, the color is ve

Modesty's Costume Closet

Search This Blog