Etsy - Kitsuke Accessories Sets

I am very excited to announce that I've begun creating more kitsuke accessories, including wide obi ita, obi makura, and date jime! I've been busily experimenting with making different styles of kitsuke accessories, and I am so happy with the results! I will be offering more kitsuke accessories in different fabrics in the near future, please look forward to it!

I've started off by making two sets of 5 piece kitsuke accessories in a blue floral cotton fabric.



The sets include an obi makura, obi ita, date jime, and 2 koshihimo. You can find the kitsuke set in my Etsy shop, here.

The obi makura is a soft type, with poly-fiber filling, and polyester himo. I used two different types of fabric for the makura himo, a sheer polyester, and a mesh type polyester.

Obi makura measurements:
Length: 23.5cm
Width: 10cm
Circumference: 24cm
Himo Length: 157cm


The obi ita is the long type, with a rigid chipboard core.



Obi Ita Measurements:
Length: 48cm
Width: 13cm
Pocket opening width: 16cm


The date jime is an easy to wear himo type, with a semi-stiff shin core. Just wrap the date jime across the front of your kimono, cross the himo ties in back, and tie in front.

Date Jime Measurements:
Width: 10cm
Length (front only): 70cm
Himo Length: 78cm
Total Length: 226cm

For the Koshihimo, I offer the option of thread tassels on the ends, or without. The set comes with 2 koshihimo.

Koshihimo Measurements:
Width: 4cm
Length: 225cm


In an effort to use up as much of this fabric as I could, I made a few other small accessories that I've listed separately. The first I made was a sensu & sensu fukuro set:



Sensu Measurements:
Length: 21cm
Width: 3.5cm
Opens to 36cm

Sensu Fukuro Measurements:
4.5x22.5cm


And finally, I made some small purse accessories, including a coin pouch, card wallet, and compact mirror.

The mirror and coin pouch have a layer of poly-fiber padding, and the card wallet closes with an elastic and button. This time I used a red cotton lining.

Coin Pouch: 12.5x7.5x4cm
Card Wallet: 10x6cm
Mirror: 8.5cm square

Embroidered Stretch Tabi

This morning I finished another small project! Another pair of stretch tabi! They are made from an old tank top I had since I was in high school (13 years?) that had a small bit of embroidery along the neckline.

I used Saiya-chan's pattern again, but did some more experimenting. I had previously worked up a way to make them with lining, but this time I wanted to add some sort of closure to the back, since I found that I tend to snap the sewing threads when trying to fit my feet into the small sock opening. I used velcro for the back, it is what I had on hand for now and I figured it would work best with dealing with the stretch. I found that ribbed cotton jersey fabric stretched out really badly in my sewing machine, even with using an even-feed pressure foot, so the velcro helped even out some of that stretching that happened in the back.

I learned some things making these tabi, so now I look forward to the next pair. Next time I think I will add fusible interfacing to the sole and the edges of the back opening where the closure is, in order to prevent those pieces from stretching. I think that if I do that, I can use buttons to close up the back of the tabi!

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!