How to make kimono sleeves?

How to make kimono sleeves?
by Wajeeha Younas

Kimono sleeve
What is kimono sleeve?
A sleeve cut in one piece with the bodice. The Kimono is the traditional dress of Japan. It has long sleeves and reaches from the shoulders all the way down to one’s heels. Different types of Kimono are worn depending on the occasion; Kimonos for everyday wear are a lot simpler than those for formal occasions. This sleeves are also used for the patients for easy put in and take off. People having arthritis, back injuries, broken arm and hand, paralysis, wheel chair users etc. These patient have provided such clothes for their ease because the have problem in their wearing tight dresses. This provide ease for the patient. In pakistan these sleeves are in trend last year but now its not in trend. but its origin is japan. japan is famous for this sleeve they wore it in different styles and designs enhancing their beauty.

Making of kimono sleeve

Kimono sleeves in the modern context refers to sleeves which are cut as one with the bodice — an extended sleeve with a wide hem. You can also call sleeves that resemble the ones in the traditional Japanese kimono as kimono sleeves. They are wide sleeves at the hem with more ease at the armhole. Checkout the sleeves in a typical Kimono.

If you go by the Japanese traditions you cannot casually make the sleeves as per the pattern and wear it — there is a particular tradition associated with the sleeves . According to Japanese culture, kimonos are different for different occasions; their sleeves have special meanings. The sleeves of the kimono indicate the age and marital status of a woman. A young unmarried Japanese woman would wear a Furisode, a colorful kimono with flowing sleeves which almost touch the feet. The sleeves are about 18 inches long ( or more) . Tomesode and Houmongi are kimonos worn by married women. Tomesode kimono has short sleeves. The loose drapes of the sleeves will suit almost every body shape. Remember to make it in a very flowy fabric which will drape well on your body.

How to make a kimono sleeve for your bodice
It is not a difficult task to draft the kimono sleeves. Take a piece of fabric 40 inches wide and 20 inches long. Fold the 40 inch side by half. You will now get a 20 inch square with fold on one side.

On the fabric, mark the following dimensions. A-F is the armhole depth which is marked as 8 inch. You can increase this to 9–10 inch for more ease. Your bodice should also match the armhole depth. From F mark 3.5 inside at B. Join A to B in a soft curve. This is your armhole line. Now join B in a curve (as per the picture) to C which is marked 8 inch from the bottom right side corner. Cut out A-B-C-E-D. You need to cut two of these for both sleeves

kimono sleeve flat pattern
Hem the bottom edges of the sleeves. To sew this pattern, open the sleeves and keep it on top of the bodice shoulder seam, right sides together, edges together. Stitch to either side joining the armhole, stitching from the center to both sides. Now stitch and join the two side seams B-C &C-E

The other way of making the kimono sleeves is to make a drop shouldered pattern, with extended sleeves. Infect many of the patterns with this type of sleeve are called kimono sleeves, though technically speaking this is not right.

Here A-B is the length of the bodice, A-E is the measure from the center fold to the sleeve hem. B-C is the waist. A bell shaped sleeve like the one in this flare dress pattern is a similar wide hem sleeve.