How To: Lightweight Minimal Kimono

I'm still in deep, deep denial about our ethereal Panama trip coming to an end. Looks like all I can do is look at photos of San Blas, wear this kimono around the house and dream of winter being long gone.

TOOLS:

Flowy fabric, 1.5m  |  Pins  |  Pencil/fabric marker  |  Scissors  | Iron-on hemming tape

I. Trace two long, rectangular pieces for the front and back of the kimono, as well as two pieces for the sleeves. We're making something very loose and flowy, so it's really hard to actually mess this up. If you're worried about the size to make the pieces, measure your bath robe. Cut an approx. 15 cm wide piece out from the centre of the front piece, leaving you with two more narrow pieces for the front panels.

II. This type of fabric tends to fray easily, so the key is to tuck all the raw edges in folds to protect them. You'll want to finish the long front edges of the front panels first. With the help of the iron, press one 1cm-fold first, and then fold again, press. Sew a straight stitch right at the edge of the fold. Repeat for the back of the neckline. If you don't want any stitches showing in the finished piece (or are lazy, I don't judge), you could just do all this with iron-on hemming tape inserted under the fold.

III. Pin the shoulder seams together, right sides facing, and sew a straight stitch with a 1.5-2cm seam allowance.

IV. To create a seam here that doesn't start fraying, trim half of the seam allowance off of the back piece. Then iron a fold to the other side of the seam allowance, letting you wrap that fold over the trimmed, shorter one. In the image below, the left is folded over, on the right you can see the shorter allowance inside the fold.

V. Take the hemming tape and cut narrow slits of it, insert under the fold you created, and press to seal. Repeat steps III through V to attach the sleeves to the kimono. Then repeat again for the under seams of the sleeves and all the way down the side seams, the sleeve hems, and the hem of the kimono.

San Blas is a beauty. On our private island, no one in sight.

xo,

Julia