Festival Kimono

I made this kimono for all the festivals I attend; and by festivals I mean the kiddie pool in our backyard (#momlife). This is a great project to put your own personal spin on – you can add fringe, embellish the edges, do it in lace, or a silky charmeuse, so many options!
 
Skill Level: Intermediate sewer. 

Made from sustainable bamboo fabric

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Notions:

• Light to medium weight fabric
• Crochet appliqué or embellishments
• Thread
• Sewing pencil
• Paper & pencil

 
I used a bamboo rayon jersey knit by Telio - get it here. It is a medium weight fabric with 40% stretch and a beautiful drape.
 
How to Guide:
 
Pattern

• Draw out your pattern on a piece of paper using the below image as a guide.
• I am about 5’2” so you will need to add 1 inch, for every inch taller, to the length.

*Tip: Your pattern should line up like the below image.

Cut it out

• Lay your fabric out on a hard smooth surface right side up.
• Fold right sides together.
• Place and pin your pattern. For the back of the kimono, be sure to line up the longest side along the fold.
• Cut out your pieces. 

Note: I did not do a rolled hem, only folded. My fabric does not fray and is medium weight so I wanted the edges to be as light as possible. However, you can still do a fully finished hem with this pattern. 

​These next steps are if you are adding a cut-out appliqué – if you are not, you can skip this step.
 
Appliqué

• Unfold the back piece of your kimono and lay it out right side up.
• Lay out your appliqué.
• Trace along one of the edges of your appliqué, but mark a few millimeters beneath where it will lay.

Appliqué Continued

• Fold the back of your kimono in half and pin together. 

Appliqué Continued

• Cut about 1 inch from your trace line. 

Appliqué Continued

• Unfold the back piece of your kimono and lay it out right side down.
• Fold back the edges along your trace line and pin. 

Appliqué Continued

• Press along the fold line.
• Sew along both edges. 

Appliqué Continued

• Lay the back piece of your kimono out right side up.  
• Place your appliqué over your opening, pin in place. 

Appliqué Continued

• Sew along the edge of your appliqué.

Brush your shoulders off

• Lay the back piece of your kimono out right side up.  
• Lay each side piece of your kimono on top, right side down, line up the edges.

Shrug your shoulders

• Sew shoulders together. 

Side step

• Lay out your kimono with the back right side up.
• Line up each side.
• Pin in place.
• Leave ~12” from the shoulders open. 

Side slide

• Sew sides closed, leaving ~12” from the shoulders open.

Suns out

• Lay the back piece of your kimono out right side up.  
• Fold the seam along the arm opening out and pin. 

Guns out

• Sew along the edge of your arm opening.
  
• Repeat for both arms.  

Bottoms up

• Lay the back piece of your kimono out right side up.  
• Fold along the bottom edge and pin.
• Sew along the edge.

Note: Since I had the appliqué, I did not need to finish the neck and I left the front seams unfinished (as they are the salvage edge). If you did not use an appliqué or your front edges need to be finished, simply fold under and sew closed (much like the bottom hem in the last step).
 
Also, add those embellishments if you have them!
 
Now, head out for some fun in the sun!
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