Getting a Custom Yukata
Buying yukata (a washable cotton kimono) can be difficult if you are outside of Japan and can't read Japanese well enough to use a service like Noppin or Rakuten. It can be even harder if you are taller than 5'3" or have a chest or hip measurement larger than, say, 34". So, most of us. The solution, of course, is to get a custom-made yukata.
But do you want to sew one yourself? You could. There are quite a few books on the subject (mostly only in Japanese, but a few tutorials in English online). They have lots of photos to follow, and most of the pieces are rectangular... but that can be time-consuming and difficult if you're a beginner. I'm still working on my chuya obi in my spare time, and it's only halfway done... 30 labour hours later.
Or you could just order a custom-made work from a professional kimono seamstress. KimonoPoncho is such a store, run by Tanaka Yukiko. She also sells lots and lots of kimono-making supplies, so if you are making your own and want proper things, check her out!
These yukata are reasonably priced, especially for a custom-tailoured item. I frequently see yukata in the $300-400 range on Japanese websites, more if they are designer works which are tailoured for the person. Think about it: the price of fabric (in America, cotton fabric often goes for $6-15 a yard), plus thread and other materials that get used or worn out ($5 or so), plus a minimum wage to make it... and all of these are again, keeping in mind American price standards in a country (Japan) where things cost much more than they do here, $150 on average for her kimono is a very good deal.
On a personal note, I can't wait to buy obishin from her! I have so, so much fabric in desperate need of being something other than a dust-gathering heap. I've been having a difficult time finding something with *quite* the right stiffness/flexibility ratio. At $1.50/metre, I can make a new obi for under $30! And before anyone asks, no, I wasn't paid to write this. Actually Tanaka-san doesn't know who I am at all. But her shop's been in my bookmarks for weeks now, and I'm so happy that I can get what I need to finish my projects without having to guess about shipping and whatnot like on Rakuten... so maybe you'll enjoy her shop, too!
But do you want to sew one yourself? You could. There are quite a few books on the subject (mostly only in Japanese, but a few tutorials in English online). They have lots of photos to follow, and most of the pieces are rectangular... but that can be time-consuming and difficult if you're a beginner. I'm still working on my chuya obi in my spare time, and it's only halfway done... 30 labour hours later.
Or you could just order a custom-made work from a professional kimono seamstress. KimonoPoncho is such a store, run by Tanaka Yukiko. She also sells lots and lots of kimono-making supplies, so if you are making your own and want proper things, check her out!
These yukata are reasonably priced, especially for a custom-tailoured item. I frequently see yukata in the $300-400 range on Japanese websites, more if they are designer works which are tailoured for the person. Think about it: the price of fabric (in America, cotton fabric often goes for $6-15 a yard), plus thread and other materials that get used or worn out ($5 or so), plus a minimum wage to make it... and all of these are again, keeping in mind American price standards in a country (Japan) where things cost much more than they do here, $150 on average for her kimono is a very good deal.
On a personal note, I can't wait to buy obishin from her! I have so, so much fabric in desperate need of being something other than a dust-gathering heap. I've been having a difficult time finding something with *quite* the right stiffness/flexibility ratio. At $1.50/metre, I can make a new obi for under $30! And before anyone asks, no, I wasn't paid to write this. Actually Tanaka-san doesn't know who I am at all. But her shop's been in my bookmarks for weeks now, and I'm so happy that I can get what I need to finish my projects without having to guess about shipping and whatnot like on Rakuten... so maybe you'll enjoy her shop, too!
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