A new addition?

I have been wanting to make jewellery items out of kimono fabrics for a while now, but was unsure how to make them. At the weekend I got busy playing with fabrics and after a lot of fiddling, I came up with this kimono cuff idea! I have used kimono fabric on the outer side and a contrasting cotton fabric on the inner side, with strong canvas strap in between the fabric pieces to add stiffness. Each cuff has been finished off with a rose button and neon pink elastic loop closure. I'm thinking of trying more in varying widths and colours and may even add charms and tassels to some of them too! They would look great worn on their own, or in a group in a selection of widths and colours together.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely mothers out there, especially to mine who is the loveliest!

I wanted to make her a card, but it ended up becoming a hanging decoration instead! It's heart-shaped and made from pretty vintage kimono pieces that I had in my collection.

 I chose two pink and red kimono pieces which I then cut into heart shapes.

 The kimono fabric is quite fine, so I added a cotton backing to each one to make it stronger, and pinned a turquoise ribbon loop in place.

I then sewed around the heart shape and when I got close to the end, I stuffed the heart with wadding before sewing it up. I then finished the edges with pinking shears to stop it from fraying.

I think it's quite sweet and am thinking this could be a new addition to my Cheeky Leopard store….

Kimono handbag

Last week I mentioned a new style of handbag that I'd added to my store and I've recently added another one! Each bag has been made from kimono pieces from my collection and consist of more than one fabric, to create a nice mix of prints. This one is made from one of my favourite kimono pieces. It is a pretty terracotta and cream blossom print on a black ground, and I decided to use a silhouette floral fabric on the flap of the bag, for a contrast. The lining is terracotta, picking out the colour of the blossom from the outer fabric. The strap is long enough to fit over the shoulder or across the body and is made from a Japanese obijime, which is the strap that goes around the obi.

You can find it in my store here.

Kimono handbag

Last Sunday afternoon was a typical English rainy afternoon and perfect for staying at home and playing with fabric, which is exactly what I did! I managed to rustle up this little kimono handbag to go with the one I made last week. I love piecing together different kimono fabrics to create a mix of prints and colours that work together. I felt the bag needed a bright lining so gave it a vibrant yellow cotton inside and I used a pink and red obijime for the strap. The bag has a hidden magnetic snap closure to keep everything safe.

You can see both handbags on my Etsy store here.

Fabric Friday

Today's fabric choice is a little offering from my rather extensive collection of kimono fabrics. I have several boxes full of small cuttings that I collected over my four years of living in Tokyo. Many stall holders at the antique markets I frequented, sell small pieces of kimono fabrics, and these are often the perfect size for a Cheeky Leopard coin purse or clutch bag.

I rediscovered this kimono piece recently as I am planning a new design group for Makower, inspired by Japanese fabrics. I often draw inspiration from some of the elements in the kimono fabrics for my designs. I chose this one for the flower shapes, but I also love the mix of vibrant pink and red with a touch of orange. I'm always intrigued by the layouts of kimono designs, the layering of the pattern is often very intricate and I love the inclusion of geometric motifs in some areas - see bottom right of the image. I also love the fact that this fabric piece looks so modern, even though it is vintage.

You can see more kimono-inspired designs on my portfolio website.

Fabric Friday

There's nothing like a new year to encourage a bit of fabric sorting and that's what I've been doing today. It's been lovely to rediscover some gems I had hidden away as well as, rather painfully, getting rid of items that are no longer needed. Hopefully they will find a new home and be made into something fabulous!

Today I'm focusing on the kimono fabrics which are so pretty and soft to play with. I tend to home in on the brighter colours and have quite a melange of prints and styles.

Most of my fabrics are kept in boxes, so it's really nice to pour them all out onto the floor of my studio and have a good rummage through them. It's amazing what you can find!

The two silk kimono pieces above are so pretty and use typical Japanese images. The fabric on the left combines blossom with bush clover and is placed on a soft cream ground. I'm pretty sure it would have originally been used as an undergarment. The fabric on the right is a stunning red and cream stork design and would have made quite a statement as a kimono!

These two kimonos are made of cotton and I've been loathe to cut them up. I'm not sure what to make them into yet, but think the stork design would look beautiful on an iPad case and would be something quite different.

This kimono is quite small so I think it may have been a child's kimono.

It's hard to think that these two kimono pieces are vintage when you look at the neon yellow and hot pink used in them! They have such a modern feel to them.

I love the hot pink flowers on the soft grey ground.

Fave fabric Friday

I love a bit of vibrant purple and you can't get much more vibrant than this! It's a beautiful kimono that I found at an antique market in Tokyo a while ago. As with many of the fabrics I buy, I am loathe to cut it up and it has been sitting in my fabric stash, waiting to be used. I am unlikely to wear it, so I must be brave and cut it up!!! I'm thinking of using it for a clutch bag and will add a suitably vibrant lining to match the outside. Maybe a bright red?!