Kimono Redo!

You may remember my vintage kimono from an estate sale that I bought for five bucks a few weeks ago.  It was pretty tattered, but I loved the vintage fabric and knew that I would do something with it.  Well, I did, and I'm loving it.

I put out a teaser a week ago about finally finding a project using my vintage hankies.  I really want a handkerchief curtain, but I don't have an appropriate window for one.  I had already ripped the seams out of my kimono, planning to insert fabric to make it larger and had what I hoped was a great idea.  Yep, you guessed it!  Hankies are fabric, right? 

I recently took an old, but unused sewing machine out of storage.  I used to sew all the time, but stopped once my daughter was born.  A full-time job and a baby didn't leave much time for it.  More time went by, and I still didn't use that machine.  I did whatever sewing I had to do by hand, including hems, buttons, replacing zippers and fixing ripped seams.  I also used a fair amount of "stitch witchery".  Okay, a more than fair amount.  Okay, a lot.

When I finally started putting the handkerchiefs together, I basted them to make sure they fit together well.  Thanks to a vintage sewing box that I picked up at an estate sale two years ago, I had a decent supply of thread, needles, pins and pre-wound bobbins.  Can I get an "amen" for the pre-wound bobbins?  Although these sewing notions went largely unused, I loved the way they looked in the box and I started adding my own items to it.  

Threading a bobbin won't slow me down!  I've got plenty!

I have a bag of vintage notions that's been up on my Etsy page for quite a while.  They're still in the Ziploc bag in case they ever sell, but at the rate I'm going, I'll be using them myself.  Sewing vintage with vintage.  (The kind of stuff that keeps me up at night--who used these before me?)

After needing to order a new power cord and foot pedal because the original ones were missing, I got ready to sew and realized I had no bobbin case!  Really, with all those bobbins?  Not having sewn in 20 years meant that I was a little rusty.  I should have noticed that sooner.  My love affair with Amazon continues, as I ordered one for less than five dollars, and it was in my mailbox within two days.  Okay, now I think I'm ready.  

Wait.  I need a tutorial on how to thread it.  Really?  Re-entering the world of sewing in the age of the internet meant that a 60-second YouTube video was at my fingertips.  It was pretty easy since this is a no-frills machine, which is fine because I'm a straight-stitch kinda girl.  

The Irish linen pockets weren't such a good
idea after all.  Too big. Too plain. Too big.

This is a great starter machine, which is all I really need. 

I added huge patch pockets made from Irish linen handkerchiefs that I had, but I removed them because they were just too much.  It took the kimono from bohemian to tacky.  Still, I would love to have pockets and I'm sure that this project, while completely wearable, still isn't done.  But you can judge for yourself, and remember to be kind:

The robe and the handkerchiefs were pretty frail.  No such
thing and tearing out a seam unless I wasn't afraid to lose
some fabric, thus the "layered" look of the rose hankie.  I was
impatient and tore it out, then resewed it.  The thread was
much stronger than the fabric.  But it looks frilly, right?

As I was working with this, I realized the fabric is actually
silkier than I'd thought.  In it's tattered condition, it looked
like cotton.  It's definitely a silk/cotton blend.  

I made the belt from fabric I bought about five years ago, with the intent of making curtains.  I just loved the print.  Still do!  I tried to piece the handkerchiefs together so that they complimented each other, and the garment, but also to have equal impact on both sides.  The red flowers are obviously the boldest, and I didn't have another which would compare, but the print on the navy blue and white one was pretty unique, so I think that any way I turn, I'm going to turn heads.  I can't wait to wear this outside on the next warm morning to get my mail. Slowly.  I might bring in the garbage cans too, just to extend the show.  

The vintage shamrock pin needed a home yesterday.  

This looks like my yard!

I have long lamented the fact that my beloved vintage clothing typically doesn't fit me so either my daughter wears it, or I sell it.  I plan to extend a few more pieces so I can get in on the fun.  You don't even need to ask...of course I'll show you!