Project Kimono: Postponed

My sewing machine's broken.....

But I can still finish pattern making and test dyeing before it is fixed.

Project Kimono: Day 2

Lining pattern.

It took me a few days to figure out what kind of dyeing method to use for the pattern.

At first, I am quite taken with the effect of silk painting. I had the plan to use batik technique to make blank shapes of waterlilies while dyeing the black and pink gradation, then do the details of the leaves and flowers with silk painting technique.

After doing lots of research on the techniques, effects and materials, I found that to achieve the effect that I had in mind, it might take ages to finish the lining. 1, apply batik resist(1 day's work). 2, dye the black gradation. Wash it and wait for it to dry.(which is another day's work). 3,dye the pink gradation, wash it and wash out the wax, dry (1 day's work again). 4, outlining the waterlilies with gutta ( 1 day's work). 5, silk paint the leaves and pedals, dry, wash out gutta, dry (1day's work). 6, paint outlines and details, press, wash, dry (1day's work). So that's 6 days' work at least and not to mention all those washes and dry during the process will seriously frail the edge of the fabric.

I've searched for dye, resist and tolls online, it's too expensive to buy everything I need just for this one project.

So I have decided to make my patterns using tie dye technique and hopefully I would be able to work out some way to create water lily with it.

The effect will definitely be quite different than I expected but I would like to make it a challenge to satisfy myself with a extravagant result using limited resources.

Project Kimono: Day 1 10/07/2012

Day 1: 

*washed and dried the fabric

*drafted cutting patterns, but need to be adjusted for seam finishes and sizing.

 

Launching Project Kimono

Yea  yea, I'm finally doing it!

Ok, the reason I'm taking this monsterous project is that  I've wanted to make myself a kimono/Hanfu for ages. I wanted to do some french cooking for leisure this semester but somehow I don't think it is going to happen. I don't have the gene of a cook, although I struggled to be a qualified cook. Wow that period of my life seems like a life time ago.

 I've gone through a major Chinese Hanfu phase as I was doing the Bricolage project last year. And now my attention has turned to Japanese Kimono. I'm not going to describe in details here how those particular styles of clothing attracts me, or my feelings or interests towards them. Because well let's face it, everyone knows I'm always interested in hisotrical costumes. And there are a lot of spare fabric that's taking up too much of my storage space and I thought I might as well turn some of them into something either useful or beautiful. .

It started from a simple one layer lace kimono night gown and evolved into something now that I hope won't be too crazily-out-of-control complicated and time consuming for me to finish. Because the last thing I need is another unfinished project!!!!!!!!

If proven to be managable, it will be something of a lined Uchikake and Hanfu Dachang style combined "kimono". The outer shell will be navy blue with a few embroidery pieces. And the major work is the lining, because I don't have a piece of fabric that's large enough to make the whole thing, all I've got is a piece of black silk lining and a piece of white stripped fabric. So I have to find a way to cordinate these two to make it look like a whole piece when joined together. What I came up with is to try a combination of batik silk paiting, tie dyeing techniques to create a pattern that flatter's me (yeah, I'm making it to please myself).  Oh dear, this is going to be a pain I can tell but let me break it down.

Name: Project Kimono

Duration: 10/07/2012-27/07/2012  18days

Task break down:

10/07- wash Fabric research on dyeing techniques

11/07- design lining and outter shell patterns

12/07- finish designing cutting patterns

13/07- buy dyeing and fusing materials

14/07- press, fuse and cut fabrics

15/07- embroider outter sleeves

16-18/07 embroider outter shells

19/07- test dyeing

20-22/07- dyeing

23/07- assemble outter shell

24/07- assemble lining

25/07- put garment together.

26-27/07- wash and press garment.

does it sound managable??

OMG that have I gotten myself into. haha but I can do it!!!!