Toddler Nagajuban and Size Adjusting

Originally, I was going to make a plain white nagajuban for my son's Shichi-go-san set, of plain untextured polyester, but I became very ill and didn't have the time to measure and cut it all out.

So I went through my fabric stash and found an old stained rayon child's nagajuban, that is white with a grape leaf rinzu pattern.

While not typically a motif sutible for boys (though I have seen it as a motif for boy Ichimatsu dolls), it is not flowery, so I felt I could use it in a pinch. It is plain and will barely be seen, and it passed approval with dad.

It was badly stained and discolored. I removed the lining to be used in a different project, and unpicked the seams. I washed it in the washing machine, and it came out a peachy color from the stain bleed. So I decided to bleach the fabric, which was a huge success. It turned from a peach color to a bright stunning white after only 8 seconds of being dunked in a weak bleach solution.

Here you can see the difference with the bleached fabric and a discarded patch of the same fabric that was from the lining hem. A big difference, there are no more stains!


I then reassembled the nagajuban, adjusting the sleeves to fit.


Bryan obviously liked it, he put it on right away and played around the house with it trailing behind him.


But I needed it back to finish it up, so I traded him his kimono, which he snuggled in like a blanket.


I sewed on himo ties of plain white polyester, and a brocade han'eri. I didn't want a plain white han'eri, and I felt this fabric would suit the ensemble well.



For a bit of color, I added a light blue silk date'eri. It is rinzu with a rangiku pattern. Underneath his hifu vest he wore a shibori heko obi that is the same color as the date'eri (you can see the heko obi worn with yukata here.)

I was going to write a tutorial on sewing the shoulder tucks and ohashori for children's kimono, but somehow I deleted the photographs. I apologize! I hope I will get the opportunity to do so in the near future, kids grow quickly.

After sewing the shoulder tucks and ohashori, the set is complete! Bryan had gone to bed, so his stuffed monkey kindly modeled for me.

Omake:

Wearing it kazuki style?? He likes his kimono.