Back to the Drawing Board, and it's OK

Painting by Charlotte Salomon

While the re-constructed kimono sleeves look exceptional, if I do say so myself (and I do!), I've decided the "just let it lay the way it goes" front opening doesn't.  I mean, why stop half-way?  Off go the snaps - to be relocated for a more traditional kimono wrap.  Have I mentioned this will be the third snap renovation?  All well worth it, I'm sure...

And by the way, this is the first kimono that I mentioned on June 8 (and thought was finished) - a navy floral top with a skirt that fits just fine, thank you.  The other one recently rehabilitated was a burgundy chrysanthemum kimono top with skirt.  Both skirts are long, straight with side slits.  There's a couple other kimono tops I've fixed, but it was simply a matter of relocated those (#%!) snaps.

Dazed and Confused, in a Good Way

Fashion Design by Melvin Sokolsky

How silly can I be?  Well, just enough to make it work apparently.  It all started when I decided I didn't like the way the sleeves looked on the kimono I had altered last week.  So I looked in my fabric stash, and sure enough I had quite a bit of leftover material from it.  yea!  I figured I'd double the length of the sleeve (which also seems like the width when you're talking kimono because of how they hang/drape).

Jazzed, But My Rhythm's Whacked

Nick Cave in his Sound Suit

Over-worked again...so that I feel exhausted rather than elated.  Have to get that rhythm right and I know it when I'm pushing it, but keep going anyway.  This time I neglected my artwork for the altering. Not the best of decisions - although I still have the rest of the afternoon to make my peace/piece (ha!).

So.  Completed all that jazz with the kimono skirt today.  (The kimono top was finished over the last two nights of hand sewing snaps.  Man, those take forever to sew on.)  I also completed minor alterations to a little raspberry sherbet number - a drapey, pop-corn stretchy, sleeveless, v-neck top I made years ago.

And the Beat Goes On

Painting by Hung Lui

I can see that kimono altering is going to be a long-term phase, just like it was the first time around.  That hemming and hawing from the other day actually paid off - I ended up deciding against the doo-dads and am going with

This Piece is on Fire

Painting by Carol Brown

Just finishing up the final touches on my husband's kimono for his birthday today.  I couldn't wait and gave it to him early, but still had to put a loop at the back for hanging it up and some belt loops.  It looks awesome on him and he loves it.

It has a traditional blue Japanese pattern, but then all of a sudden it starts shooting out these huge stylized blue flames from the bottom of the robe and the sleeves.  Too funny. I knew I had been saving that material for something special!