Saturday 22 October 2016

Japanese Day

R asked me to make her a special outfit for Japanese Day at school: a yukata (summer kimono). How tough could it be, I thought, as I ordered a cute-looking pattern from Amazon Japan. Sure, I had no idea what a yukata looked like close-up, nor how they were traditionally constructed, but given my years of sewing from Japanese patterns I didn't think it would be much of a challenge.

The pattern arrived and I realised that a yukata is made from mega-long pattern pieces that form both front and back sections - there are no shoulder seams. This requires a good few metres of fabric, which immediately ruled out just about all the fabrics I liked due to budget constraints (because how much is it really reasonable to spend on a school fancy dress outfit?). Eventually I found some Japanese-themed voile on sale at Spotlight that worked quite nicely.

The Japanese teacher at my work lent me a yukata so I could see how it was made. This helped me make sense of the bizarro pattern pieces, although being an adult's yukata it was different from the one in my pattern, which had the tucks at the shoulders and waist which - I have since figured out - are there to allow the garment to be let out as the child grows.

So I sewed the yukata, which, once I'd got my head around it, was quite simple (this series of posts on sewing a child's yukata was helpful). I even changed things up a little and used French seams so it would look neater from the inside. Then came the obi. I found some dimensions from a shop selling them on Rakuten, and, using some soft voile from my stash, sewed a giant sash (basically a massive long rectangle). Things were so rushed in the lead-up to the 'big day' that I didn't have time to try the outfit on R in advance, but in the morning I used this tutorial to help me tie the obi.

I spent an embarrassing amount of time admiring kanzashi hair ornaments on the internet and ambitiously had a go at making my own, but after two ribbon flowers I'd had enough. Cutting and gluing tiny bits of ribbon is really not my forte, but luckily the two I managed to make before giving up looked quite nice when attached to a two-dollar shop headband, and R was thrilled with her new accessory.




At school I watched R walk around, smiling sweetly as people admired her outfit. She continued to be a sweet little Japanese girl even after she came home that day, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her bow to me and pretend to be polite! Given the generous tucks in R's yukata (meaning that it is likely to fit her forever) I'm not expecting to have to make another, but since I've got a grip on the general construction principles I think I'll have a go at a jinbei, which has a very similar top section. I just have to find the right fabric and finish a few WIPs first...

10 comments:

  1. I think you did a beautiful job! She looks so pretty in it -- and thank goodness for the tucks, I say as someone who foolishly spent way too much on fabric!!! Also, after I made it I didn't relish having to make another one right away, haha. A jinbei will be a piece of cake after this one. Looking forward to seeing it! :)

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    1. Emi, if it were my national dress I would also splurge on expensive fabric! Your nani iro yukata was stunning. Now to tackle that jinbei...

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  2. Oh Marisa this is fantastic! It looks amazing and the on sale Spotlight fabric is spring yukata perfection.
    I laughed out loud at the bit where she "continued to pretend to be polite"
    I need some pretend Japanese days in my life! Italian day was fun, but we have enough shouting and gesticulating at our house already!!
    Gorgeous, gorgeous sewing.

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comments Shelley. Thankfully a couple of years ago my kids' school switched from the loud, gesticulating language to the polite, respectful one (not to peddle any cultural stereotypes or anything!). Sadly R's politeness and bowing did not last...

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  3. It's gorgeous! The fabric is perfect, so I don't think anything was lost by choosing to go a little cheaper. Those pattern pieces are no joke.

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    1. Thanks Masha - there were a couple of evenings when I just sat there and stared at the pattern pieces, clueless as to how they would go together!

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  4. hahaha I am with Shelley laughing at pretending to be polite haha You have done an amazing job with the yukata. It looks stunning in this fabric. I did not realise you made the dead piece also. As someone who avoids a glue gun at any cost, well done! You are one committed mum to make something so awesome for your daughter :)

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    1. Thanks Jenya. Some people make the most amazing things with ribbons and glue guns but I'll stick to my sewing machine from now on!

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  5. That pattern/fabric layout looks quite scary....imagine how long an adult's size can be! However, I guess it's totally worth the mental torment. She looks absolutely beautiful in it.

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    1. Thanks Jing! Much as I'd like one myself, you're right - I don't think I'll be attempting it.

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