Product Details
Making Kimono & Japanese Clothes

Making Kimono & Japanese Clothes
By Jenni Dobson

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Product Description

Any dressmaker, quilter, or embroiderer who has ever felt inspired by the elegant design of Japanese clothes will find everything needed to start stitching in this comprehensive and luxurious sourcebook. In addition to colorful photos and illustrations that provide a history of the kimono and other Japanese garments, there are patterns, practical diagrams, and instructions for assembly. Each style receives loving attention, with something for everyone: kimonos for men, women, and children; mompe, the traditional trousers worn by both sexes; the short versions of kimono known as hippari and jimbei; and waistcoats, including a child's chan-chanko. The information on decorative stitching, adding motifs, dying the fabric, silk painting, and the Japanese sense of aesthetics provide invaluable guidance in constructing the final piece.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #343351 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-02-28
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 128 pages

Customer Reviews

Kimono5
I always sew lots and I got this book to help me understand kimono more. It helps me much and I am using it lots.

Rather Dissapointing1
I currently use this book as a way to keep kittens from digging through things. The cover is gorgeous and has several nice images of traditional kimono. It is also useful for a basic jist of patterns. What this book is most useful for is making American Kimona or kimono inspired wear. It does not offer much in the way of history or in the making of traditional formal wear. I would recommend making yukata from this book, but I could not recommend using this book, especially not exclusively to make traditional kosode or furisode. A very useful book for Japanese inspired clothing. I think this book would have been much better billed for what it is and what it is good at, rather than displaying a cover and title giving the impression that it will help you make something that beautiful rather than something earthy and crafty.

Offers little guidance on "Japanese-y" clothing2
It was too brief, too cursory, with just an overview of colors, motifs, design strategies. It was a helpful how-to for sashiko embroidery decorations, hanten and hippari (the more "folksy" traditional garments in Japan), but not helpful for instructions on how to re-line my haori. The author barely mentions adding a lining in passing, without really going into depth on how to do it, not even a "repeat steps 3-6 with lining fabric and sew on the reverse". And her section on making an "obi" was pathetic (and that's being kind) for something that resembles a heavyweight wrestler's championship belt. It's good for the beginner who is completely unfamiliar with Japanese garments, but you will soon crave more depth after reading it.