the basin – day 407

above the darkness a light still shines – stay strong, be kind, breath deep, breath slowly, stay safe, be well

life, since the world was young, has been hard. today is no different yet everything has changed. we change with new eyes awaking from new dreams, always different, always the same. since the world was young we have beholden to others for our very survival, always different, always the same. may our strength be found in kindness, in love, always fragile, always strong.

take care and kindness with you always.

The Kimono – the makeing

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

I brought a bees wax candle,

thread, needles and sci ssors.

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.