This is part III of an ongoing series on wasai. Look here for part I, which deals with measuring yourself and cutting your pieces, here for part II to learn to mark the pieces, and here for the introduction. Now you have marked all the pieces, and are ready to sew: congrats, the hard part… Continue reading Another tailoring: sewing an authentic Japanese kimono
This is part II of an ongoing series on wasai. Look here for part I, which deals with measuring yourself and cutting your pieces, and here for the introduction. Now that you have your pieces cut, you need to mark them, since wasai doesn’t allow for notches, and the seam allowance (SA) varies depending on… Continue reading Another tailoring: marking the pieces of an authentic Japanese kimono
You have read my long rant here, have examined your motivations, and are determined to actually sew the kimono? Well let's go then. First off, I want to once again specify we are going to work on an unlined kimono, or 単衣/hitoe. I think cutting is the most interesting part, as it is a zero… Continue reading Another tailoring: cutting an authentic Japanese kimono
Why this guide After almost a decade in Japan I have had the chance to sew myself and others quite the selection of 和服/Wafuku (Japanese clothing): from さみえ/samue, to underwear, to kimono, I have made it all. Recently, though, I started making proper kimono again, a turn of events powered by Yahoo! Auctions and a… Continue reading Another tailoring: a small guide to Wasai and Kimono sewing
If you follow my Instagram account you must be familiar with a couple of pairs of trousers I have been wearing a lot lately. These pants feature a unique side closure, which is inspired by the iconic and in my opinion problematic Gurkha trousers. When I say iconic, I mean it: Gurkha trousers feature a… Continue reading The Gurkha trousers: when style meets imperialism.
This is part 2 of Canvassing 201. For part 1, click here. For Canvassing 101, click here. Congrats! You have made it this far. Now that you have your fronts and you have finished preparing your canvas, it's time to baste them together so they can be treated as one. Of course, there are more… Continue reading Canvassing 201: assembling the canvas and jacket front
For the intro to canvassing, complete with an outline of the different canvassing styles, click here. Finally, it is here: an in-depth canvassing guide! I'm making this guide in the context of a heavy flannel winter jacket, so I decided to use the British style of canvassing. This is the most canvassing you are ever… Continue reading Canvassing 201: preparing the canvas
Canvas is a type of underlining used to shape and give structure to tailored garments, especially coats (aka jackets) and overcoats. Far from being a standardized practice, it takes many forms: from the multilayered full canvas used in Savile Row, to the its absence in Neapolitan tailoring, there's really no right or wrong way to… Continue reading Canvassing 101
Last year I wrote about the jackets and their components. In compete honesty, I am more of a maker of pants than of coats: I always say that not everyone wears blazers, but everyone wears pants! There are so many things to consider when making pants, from raise, to pleats, to ease, to cuff…the options… Continue reading #TailoringForThem – Part III: All about pants
Finally, it is here: my new linen suit! I got this Irish linen last year with the idea to make this suit and I finally followed through. After 3 versions of this self drafted jacket, I think I have nailed the general shape. This time I opened the quarters slightly more for increased ventilation and… Continue reading Linen suit: ready for summer
