How to sew a kimono with free pattern and step by step tutorial
The kimono or kimono, “thing to wear” is a traditional garment in Japan. This Japanese robe has a characteristic T-shaped design with square sleeves and a rectangular body. We want you to wear a kimono this spring with one of our printed muslins. Charlene @charlene_hands, on this occasion, teaches you how to sew a kimono, with French-style ruffles. To make the Mimosa Kimono, you only need the chosen fabric and follow the step-by-step tutorial that we share in this post. Among the fabrics to make it, we recommend the different muslins from our spring-summer 2022 Katia Fabrics collection: Print Muslins, plain muslins, Chambray muslins, Vichy summer muslins, Tartan muslins, etc.
Kimono Mimosa
The Mimosa Kimono is a beautiful robe to wear at home or for a day at the beach in romantic style. Very easy to sew! Learn how to sew a very comfortable and feminine ruffled kimono with @charlene_hands tutorial. This summer, it will surely become a must-have in your home wear wardrobe!
Difficulty level ★★☆
Approximate duration: 4h
Supplies:
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A Pilot Frixion pen
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A ruler
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Needle, thread, and thimble
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Thread according to the color of the fabric
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Scissors
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Pins
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Sewing machine and overlock. If you don´t have an overlock, zigzag all seam edges to prevent the fabric from unraveling.
How to sew a kimono in muslin
Cut the different pieces
Cut the pieces as indicated below:
- Back: 1 rectangle of 1 m x 50 cm
- Front: 2 rectangles of 1 m x 25 cm
- Collars: 2 rectangles of 120 cm x 10 cm
- Waistbands: 2 rectangles of 120 cm x 10 cm
- Sleeves: 2 rectangles of 45 cm x 45 cm
- Sleeve ruffles: 2 rectangles of 70 cm x 10 cm
- Ruffles for the bottom: 2 rectangles of 90 cm x 20 cm
The neckline on the fronts
With the two front pieces right against right, make two marks on the upper left, the first about 10 cm from the horizontal line and the second about 25 cm from the vertical. Draw a straight line between these two pickets and cut according to the line drawn as you see in the photo.
Shoulders
Right to right back and front faces and sew the shoulders at 1 cm and overcast the seams.
Collar
Bring the short sides of the neck right to right together, pin, and sew 1 cm from the edge.
Fold the collar wrong to wrong lengthwise and pin the raw edges all the way around the neckline of the kimono. Sew to 1 cm and overcast. Iron the seam to the inside of the kimono and sew an overload seam a few millimeters apart to keep the strap seated.
Sleeves
Locate the center of one of the sides of the sleeve (it doesn´t matter which side it is, since the sleeve is square). Right side up, this picket with the shoulder seam of the kimono. Pin the sleeve on both sides. Sew 1 cm from the edge and overcast. Repeat the same operation with the other sleeve.
Sides
From the scraps of fabric you have left after you have cut all the pieces, cut two 10 cm x 3 cm rectangles. Fold and face right to right and sew 5 mm from the edge lengthwise (to make the loops). Turn around and iron, you already have the loops ready.
Place a loop 10 cm from the bottom of the sleeve, pin one of the two ends so that it is perpendicular to the side of the kimono. Pin the other end about 9 cm lower.
Face the sides of the sleeve and the sides of the back and the front right to right, aligning them. Pin along these sides. Make a backstitch 1 cm from the edge and overcast.
Sleeves ruffles
Right to right facing the two sleeve ruffles on the short sides to create a kind of small tunnel.
Make a rolled hem on one edge of the ruffle and sew two lanes of loose thread to gather on the other side of the same ruffle.
Face the ruffle right to right with the bottom of the sleeve and pin. Pull on the loose threads to gather so that the ruffle and sleeve hem are the same length. Distribute the gather evenly and backstitch 1 cm from the edge. Overlock the seam.
Fabric steering wheel
For the ruffle at the bottom of the kimono, face the two small sides of the two ruffles right side up and sew 1 cm from the edge. Sew with loose threads on the top edge of the ruffle and make a rolled hem on the bottom edge. Make a 1 cm double hem on each of the small sides.
Right side up the ruffle and bottom edge of the kimono. Pull on the slack threads to shorten the length of the ruffle. Distribute the gather evenly along the bottom of the kimono and backstitch 1 cm from the edge. Overlock and iron the seam up.
Belt
Face the two pieces of the belt on the shorter sides, right sides together with right sides of the fabric and sew.
Fold the belt strap in half lengthwise, right sides together. Sew the shorter sides and long sides 1 cm with a backstitch 1 cm from the edge. Leave an opening of about 8 cm to be able to turn the belt around.
Trim the seams, turn the belt inside out, and hand-stitch a few stitches to close the belt opening.
Congratulations, you now know how to sew a kimono! Enjoy your Mimosa Japanese Robe!
