Handmade Vintage Cotton Yukata and Flowers

Summer is almost over in the pacific northwest, and that means the last of the summer matsuri of the year as well! I haven't been able to go to many matsuri this year, however I was so happy to have been invited to help make items to sell at a local Japanese preschool for their summer festival. I made flower kamikazari, hair accessories. All of the money raised goes to helping tsunami victims in Japan. The small festival was really fun, they did an amazing job putting together the event for the kids, full of traditional matsuri games and foods! 

Before the festival. I had started sewing a yukata from some really cute vintage cotton that I had found at a secondhand shop.

The fabric was a dream to sew with, very light weight semi-open weave made it seem as though my hand-stitched hems were invisible.

Matching patchwork kinchaku made from left over scraps of fabric.

Since I had just finished sewing it, I decided this is what I'd wear to the preschool's summer festival!

As much as I love pink, I am going to look into making or buying a different obi. I think a dark plum purple would be nice. I will need a purple obi soon to go with another yukata I will be making in the near future anyways.

I just realized, I don't think I shared a photo of my kazari himo (decorative cord, like a thinner obijime for yukata) that I made. I wore it last time for Tanabata but didn't share a picture. The glass bead has a pink botan and dark red rose (not seen) painted on the inside, and the ends are capped with dangling pink and clear crystals. it looks really pretty in the back as well, tied in a bow with the dangling crystals.

Now onto the kami kazari, hair flowers, that I made for the fundraiser! I made 51 hair flowers (52 counting the purple rose in my own hair), many of them using beads.


Blurry pic! I didn't take photos of all of the individual flowers, but here are some of my favorites:

My first batch. The dark pink zinnia has clear and pink crystals dangling from clear wire, and the blue rose has feathers, pearls, and sterling silver beads dangling from steel wire - the blue rose was the first one that I made as well as the first flower kami kazari that I sold!

I love the cream lace rose with pearl bead chain dangles

The yellow daisy has a vintage turquoise cabochon center, and I used a large rhinstone for the pink daisy. I experimented with different centers for the zinnias, gold filigree in one, and a silver and Swarovski crystal flower in the other. I thought the pink and green camellia with the bead loop in the center was cute, but it was the least popular.

Purple! Because I was feeling overloaded with pink. The ranunculus (bottom) is a two piece set with a hair comb and bobby pin, it is difficult to see but each flower has a pearl center. The white rose was the most fun to make, but difficult to photograph. There are loops of pearls integrated in the flower petals.


Pearl centered orchids. I think I love the brown pearls

And because the hydrangeas are in bloom, I made a few white rose and hydrangea combo pieces, which look absolutely stunning in a formal updo!