Kimono Series: Measure & Cutting the Kimono

This is the primary benefit to making your own kimono, having it tailored to you! In this post, I will go over the following: 

• Body Measurements you need
• Names of the Panels and their dimensions
• Calculating Fabric needs
• Tailoring points
• And a few tips and resources

With measurements there are major and minor measurements. Focus on the major measurements for calculating fabric amount and the size and shape of the panel pieces. The minor measurements are mostly for construction so you put the pieces together correctly and they fall in the right place for your body. Lets start with the measurements you need to take on the body. 

Body Measurements

There are only 3 body measurements for kimono, although they will differ slightly between a masculine and feminine kimono. You need: 

1. Yuki - a measurement taken from the spine at the base of the neck to the shoulder joint, then to the wrist while holding the arm at a 45° angle. (You CAN T-Pose it but it is a little less accurate.)
2. Body Circumference - either around your waist or hips, whichever measurement is larger. 
3. Height - for a feminine kimono you measure from your head to the floor or full body height (Mitake or Body Length). For a masculine kimono you measure from the base of the neck to the ankles (Kitake or Garment Length). 

All these measurements are used to calculate everything else from major to minor measurements. However, if you don't want to do a lot of math, you can plug your numbers into this website to get fairly accurate measurements for the major parts of the kimono. (Not everything though). 

✐Note: You will also need to include seam allowance and hem allowance in your measurements. You can decide how big or small your seam allowance or hem allowance is. A standard that I use is a 1.5 cm seam allowance (this means I have 1.5 cm of extra fabric between the fabric edge and my sewing line.) My hem allowance is between 4 - 6 cm depending on what kind of hem I plan to use. See Understanding Seam Allowance by Doina Alexei to go more in depth about this. 

Panel Pieces

A kimono is made from a total of 8 rectangle panels that are later sew down to make the kimono shape. For the actual sewing there are many more tailoring points to measure onto these rectangles. But for estimating fabric needs the dimensions of the panels are all we need for now. 

Here are the panels: 

• Sode/Sleeves - you have 2 panels folded in half for the sleeves. 
• Length of the sleeve panel will depend on what kind of sleeve you want. It will be twice the desired length plus the seam allowance.  2 * (Length + Seam Allowance)
• For a casual length of 49 cm, you would need 2 * (49 cm + Seam Allowance)
• For a 100 cm furisode, you need  2 * (100 cm + Seam allowance.
• Width is Yuki divided in half plus 1 cm and add 2 hem allowances. So Yuki/2 + 1 cm + 2*(hem allowance). The wrist and side opening of a feminine sleeve are hemmed so hem allowance is appropriate here. It also works for a masculine sleeve. 
• Migoro/Main Body - you have 2 panels that are the main body that will be folded at the shoulder. There will be a front and a back side to this panel.  
• The length is 2 x Height + (2 x Hem Allowance) + 4 cm*
• Width is a bit complicated. It will depend if your shoulders, waist or hips are widest. 
• Wide Shoulder: Yuki - Sleeve width + 2 * Seam Allowance
• Wider Waist/Hips: (Circumference * 1.5)÷2 - Okumi Width + 5cm. Then divide that number by 2 and add seam allowances on both sides**
• Okumi/Overlap Panel - you have two panels that extend from the main body panels.
• Length is Mitake/Kitake - (19 ~ 23 cm) + hem allowance.
•  The variation is based on chest size. For a larger chest subtract 19 cm. A typical measurement is 21 cm. This is one of those instances where this is a standard measurement but it has some wiggle room. 
• Width is 15 ~ 17 cm + 2 * Seam Allowance. 
• Again, the standard is 15 cm but if you have wider hips, you add a couple centimeters so the seam falls in the right place on your body. (I use 16 cm because I have 42" around hips as of the writing of this blog post.) 
• Eri/Collar - you have 2 panels of different lengths that make up the collar. The main collar is called Eri and the collar cover is called Kyou Eri or Kake Eri. (I've seen both terms used.) 
• Length is half body height plus hem allowance plus 10 cm (for the neck opening) then multiplied by 2. ((mitake or kitake ÷ 2) + 10 cm + Hem allowance) * 2
• The Kyou Eri is half the length of the Eri. 
• Width is 17 cm. This is a standard and already considers seam allowances. 

* The extra 4cm is for a seam in the migoro called uchiage. It is always covered by the obi so if you do not want to include the seam, technically you can. Some people let out the uchiage if the kimono is too short so some kimono may not have them. 😏

** You can also use Billy Matsunaga's measuring method. 

Determine How Much Fabric

A standard tanmono (kimono fabric bolt) is only between 36 and 42 cm (so only 16.5" at the widest). When cutting on this kind of bolt, LENGTH is the only measurement of the parts you need. These generally come in total lengths of 12 - 14 yards. (More if it is a kimono-haori tanmono). However, even with these lengths it may not be enough to accommodate your height. 

Standard fabric bolts of Western Fabric are significantly wider at least 114 cm (45") and up to 152 cm (60"). This is why knowing the width and length is important to figuring out how you're going to lay out the panel pieces and how much you will need. 

Sample Layout 60" width

When you know the width of your panels, you can determine how many will fit side by side on a bolt of fabric. Anything that doesn't fit on the width will add to the length. The minimum length you'll need is the length of the migoro/body panel, but as you can see from my sample layout, the length of the sleeves is going to greatly affect the length you'll need. As you can see in my diagram below, if I only had 45" to work with, I have to add the sleeves below the migoro. 

Layout sample for 45" bolt

Whatever your layout, you are likely going to have some leftover fabric. Save this fabric because it can be used for various kimono things. I made a list of ideas of what to do with this spare fabric so it doesn't go in a bin. 

Furisode layout for 60" wide bolt

At a height of 5' 3", I tend to need 4 yards with wide bolts and closer to 5 yards with narrower bolts. Furisode I think are closer to 6 or 7 yards depending on sleeve height. 

Standard Measurements/Tailor Points

Each panel has a series of points to mark out so you know where the seams go and how to attach the panel pieces. I will admit these are more like my notes based on my research. 

I'm going to link out to two tailoring websites that go into much more detailed explanations about how to make these points. 

Kimono Bunka

Making and Candor

HOWEVER, if you are like me and want to spare yourself math, you can use pre-made template or patterns. I can recommend these patterns because they do match the measurements for the tailor points that the blogs show:

Alice in Cosplayland

Folkwear Kimono

Here we go, starting with the sleeves: 

Sleeve/Sode Markings

All markings are made with the sleeve folded in half. 

Marking	Measurement
Bottom Edge	Seam Allowance
Wrist Edge	Hem Allowance
Wrist Opening Length (Sode Guchi)	20 cm*
Body Side Edge	Hem Allowance
Sleeve Attachment Length (Sode Tsuke)	20 - 23 cm ♀ 40 - 43 cm ♂
Marumi Corner Curve	1 cm or more**

* This is a standard measurement but you can make it longer based on your height and preference. You can go up to 28 cm. 

**The marumi is a curve that typically uses a template. The start and ends of the curve are measured from the bottom edge and the wrist side edge. A very sharp curve would have one point 1 cm up from the bottom seam and the other point 1 cm inward from the wrist side seam. The larger the measurement the more rounded and dramatic the curve!

Collar/Eri Markings

Marking	Measurement
Bottom Edge	Hem Allowance
Center Point	1/2 length
Neck Opening (Eri Kata aki)	8.5 ~ 10 cm to the left and right of Center
Male Batchi* Seams	Seam Allowance so the total width of the collar is 14.5 cm
Female Batchi* Seams	Seam Allowance so the bottom near the hem is 14.5 cm and 10.5 cm at the center point of the collar. Connect these two points to find your sewing lines

* Batchi is a style of collar that is pre-folded and sewn down. When folded it will be about 7 cm (2.75") inches) at its widest. It's easier to dress with but considered informal. A more formal collar is called Hiro Eri. It's a lined collar that you fold down yourself before you put on the kimono. Before folding the Hiro Eri will be 14.5 cm at its widest. 

Okumi Markings

Marking	Measurement
Bottom Edge	Hem Allowance
Center Edge	Hem Allowance
Collar End Point/Erishita	1/2 the Mitake or Kitake from the hem line. Mark on the center edge hem allowance.
Width at beginning of the slant/ Aizuma Haba	Okumi width - 1.5 cm (13.5 - 15.5cm) Make this mark starting from the Erishita point and going towards the Body edge.
Okumi Length / Okumi Take	Migoro Length - Collar Opening  Collar Opening is between 19 cm and 23 cm  based on chest size. 21 cm is a general standard. 23 for small chests.
Top Point / Okumi Seki	Okumi length measured from the hem line. Mark 3 cm from the fabric edge. Make another mark .4 cm from Okumi seki towards the Center Edge. Draw a diagonal line from here to the Collar End point (Erishita)

Body/Migoro Markings - Back Side

Marking	Measurement
Hem	Hem Allowance
Center Back Seam	Seam Allowance
Neck Opening	8.5 cm ~ 10 cm  Measured at the shoulder fold starting from the Center back Seam.
Female Center Back Seam	1 cm down from the shoulder fold line
Sleeve Attachment/Sode Tsuke	21 ~ 23 cm from the shoulder fold ♀ 40 ~ 43 cm from the shoulder fold ♂
Body Opening/Miyatsuguchi	13 cm
Folded Seam/Uchiage *	38 cm from the shoulder fold make the first mark. Make the second mark 2cm below that.  Or start 4 cm below the Miyatsuguchi
Shoulder Width/Kata Haba	Full Yuki - Sleeve width/Sode Haba (Yuki / 2 + 1 cm) Mark at the shoulder fold
Back Panel Width/Ushiro haba	((Hip circumference * 1.5)/2) - okumi width + 5 cm) * .5 + 2* Seam allowance

* The Uchiage folded seam is optional. It will be hidden by the obi. 

Body/Migoro Markings - Front Side

Marking	Measurement
Hem	Hem Allowance
Neck Opening	8.5 cm ~ 10 cm  Measured at the shoulder fold starting from the Center edge
Length to the okumi/Okumi Sagara	19 cm ~23 cm from the fold. Make the mark from the corner of the neck opening
Sleeve Attachment/Sode Tsuke	21 ~ 23 cm from the shoulder fold 40 ~ 43 cm from the shoulder fold
Body Opening/Miyatsuguchi	13 cm from the end of the sleeve attachment
Folded Seam/Uchiage *	38 cm from the shoulder fold make the first mark. Make the second mark 2cm below that.  Or start 4 cm below the Miyatsuguchi
Shoulder Width/Kata Haba	Full Yuki - Sleeve width/Sode Haba (Yuki / 2 + 1 cm) Mark at the shoulder fold
Front Panel Width/Mae haba	((Hip circumference * 1.5)/2) - okumi width)/2 Make a mark starting from the Okumi Sagura towards the side seam edge

* The uchiage fold seam is optional. 

Tips and Resources

Still here? Glad you made it through. I will probably continue to edit this post because to be honest I'm a little iffy on some of these tailoring marks. (Particularly the Okumi height and the front and back panel widths.) Thankfully the i-kimono website does calculate the widths at least. (I pick from the large or XL column for safety!) 

Once you've determined your measurements and tailor marks, write them down or make a paper pattern/template for yourself. I personally like having patterns as a cutting guide and marking aide. However, having the measurements written down makes marking faster in general. 

There are many things you can make with the extra fabric left over: 

• Make a Han Eri (Collar guard for juban)
• Fold into Kanzashi Flowers
• Use as reinforcement for the collar when sewing
• Hair Scrunchie
• Hand bag/Draw string bag
• Bento Box Wrap
• Tabi
• and other knick-knacks. 

Okay, this was a longer post and it may not be 100% accurate. Next time I'll get into construction!