I had an idea that I could sew while camping so I started a Kimono. 

I brought a bees wax candle,

thread, needles and scissors.

So once I was  a bit rested ( a couple of days)  I took scissors to cloth after measureing against my sholders. I added a couple of inches and it is was here that I made my first mistake – I did not give enough ease for this type of garment – I should have added another 4 inches for the extra ease that you want in a house robe. Oops but I carried on!

I next made a cut down the centre of the fabric to the just shy of the halfway mark of the full panel. This is where to cut a few inches on either side for the neck opening – a very long T cut is the finished result.

I slipstitched the side seams into two nice French seams and had the beginnings of a small kimono.  I then remembered I needed two front panels – oh, the joy of being very tired.

  This is where I made my second mistake.

I did not make the front panels long enough as they should be shy of the T top opening.  Also, the angle was not necessary  but this was how I made my first three kimonos of a Folkware pattern and the method stuck with me.  Oops # 2

  The distracting woods.

So I had to come up with a fix in the bush and this is what I did.  I took a long piece (probably 7 feet) and cut it in half – Oops #3 – it should have been a diagonal cut but I was trying to make up for the first Oops..  So the final fix was cutting the a remnant, matching the pattern and slip stitching to keep it in place and I had the front almost finished.

Once home, I neatened up the panel fix seams with some folding and overstitching the neater seams.

Very time consuming but I was on holidays and had the time.  Once home, over the next few days I finished what normally takes two hours on the machine.

Amazingly it still looks like a Kimono!  I have more details on the collar and the sleeves as well as the finishing touches.

And if any one is interested I will do anther page to finish the job, just drop me a line in the comment’s to encourage me to find the time this week.