How to Fix Holes on Your Kimono.

What will you do if you find some holes on your favorite kimonos??? Will you go crazy? dump them?

STOPPPP!!!

Here is a way to wear your kimono again.

These days people never fix your clothes if it's torn or there is a hole on it because clothing isn't that expensive. Long way back, people used to fix holes on socks and wear them again!

Kimono was too expensive to buy for the people in old times, so they fixed and wore them again. (Well, it is still expensive though...)

Here is the way.

This is a wool kimono. Wool is especially in danger of being eaten by bugs!!

1)
Prepare fabric that matches the kimono. It's perfect if you have the excess fabric when you order the kimono. When you buy a new kimono and have it sewn, they will give you the excess fabric if there is.

2)
Cut a piece a little bigger than the hole.

3)
Place your kimono wrong side up.

4)
Cover the hole with the small piece.

5)
Pin it.

(sorry, the direction is strange but I couldn't fix it...)


6)
Thread a needle. Use your silk needle and silk thread. Otherwise, your kimono may be damaged for the thicker needle and thread.

7)
Sew zigs and zags all over the piece with tiny stitches.

Finished.

If the holes are small, people won't notice them.

So, in this way, I think the Japanese people have been able to keep many traditions until today.


However the holes are on the left front, you might want to give up fixing it unless the holes are small. Left front, which is called uwamae is considered the most beautiful part of kimonos, and people for who are wearing and who see people in kimono pay the most attentions on it. If you are wearing, you try to make uwamae looks great, and people who see you judges the value of your kimono by looking at your uwamae.

Kimono designers create beautiful paintings and consider how the uwamae looks beautiful. When the sewists sew, they organize where to bring the most beautiful pattern on the uwamae.

So, if even if the holes are fixed but your uwamae doesn't look good, you don't want to wear it to a party. Just wear it for grocery shopping as a casual kimono!

I hope it makes sense to you!