Kimono purse

 I have a lot of products in my Etsy shop that are made from vintage Japanese kimono fabrics. I lived in Tokyo for four years and during that time I collected a lot of fabrics, from fabulous stores around Tokyo but also from the many antique markets that I went to, that were often held in the grounds of shrines. I make scarves and clutch bags with these fabrics, but I inevitably have leftover pieces that I keep and make into fabulous little patchwork purses. Each purse is totally unique and uses kimono fabrics in a similar colour palette. This purse uses kimonos in shades of purple and pink.

The purse is lightly padded and has a purple cotton lining. It's perfect for using as a handbag organiser or as a mini travel bag to store all your essentials in.

It has a purple zipper closure and a purple tassel on the zipper pull.

The reverse side of the purse also includes two pretty pink kimono fabrics.

This purse could also be used as a mini makeup bag. The bright colour makes it was not find in your bag. This purse would make a great gift for a Japan lover.

You can find it in my Etsy shop here.

I lived in Tokyo for four years (over ten years ago now) and have very fond memories of my time there. Japan still has a lasting effect on me and many of the products I sell in my Etsy shop are made using Japanese fabrics or are inspired by Japanese design. While I was living there, I managed to travel around Japan a bit and went to Kyoto several times. One time was with my parents, when they came to visit me from the UK. We spent a few days enjoying the city and seeing the sights.

One of the most impressive sights was the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine that has hundreds of stunning orange tori gates that form a tunnel up the 233 metre mountain.

The temple is dedicated to the rice god Inari and many local business pay to have a torii gate added to this stunning sight.

Visitors can write prayers, wishes or thanks on the back of these 'ema' which are wooden plaques in the shape of fox heads. They can also draw a face on the front of the plaque.

Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist shrine has stunning views of Kyoto.

It's great to go in blossom season when all the trees are in full bloom.

Geisha in the Gion district stroll the streets in brightly coloured kimonos with bold designs.

The Arashiyama forest consists of avenues of bamboo, that are very tall and tightly packed.

We came across these women in the forest, wearing stunning kimonos.

You can read more about my time in Toyo on my blog here.

Kimono fabric scraps

 I have a wide selection of fabric scraps for sale in my Etsy shop. I've divided them up into colour stories and this one comes in shades of pink, purple and cream. Each one is a vintage kimono fabric piece, some are florals, some are geometric and some are plain. They are perfect for using sewing projects such as quilting or patchwork.

This burgundy kimono fabric has an ikat stripe running through it.

Two pretty floral kimono fabrics in complimentary colours.

A stunning rose motif using the kasuri weaving technique where the threads are dyed before they are woven.

Stunning geometric kimono fabric in a deep pink and white colour palette.

Stunning scarf

 I have a wide selection of scarves in my Etsy shop and many of them are made from vintage Japanese kimono fabrics, like this one. I love to play with colour and I often combine several kimono fabrics within each scarf. This one uses fabrics from three different kimonos but all within the same colour palette.

The fabrics are pieced together in a patchwork effect. I spend a lot of time deciding which fabrics are going to go together. This kimono scarf uses a simple butterfly motif fabric, combined with a deep pink and white geometric fabric and a plain light purple fabric.

The scarf changes dramatically depending on which way you wear it. It looks great draped around the neck.

The colours are so vibrant and would make a great addition to any outfit.

This kimono scarf would make a great gift for a Japan lover. Each item is gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to its recipient with an optional gift message included.

Gifts for her

Struggling for gift ideas for the lady in your life? This silk scarf is the perfect gift for someone special. It's made from two vintage Japanese kimono fabrics in a bold colour palette of red and blue.

Th main body of the scarf is made from a red kimono fabric that has a pretty floral design. There are touches of blue, green, yellow and white to add drama.

I've added a contrasting border made up of a geometric blue and white kimono fabric. The blue matches the blue of the flowers and adds drama to each end of the scarf.

This is a decorative scarf and great for enhancing any outfit. Wear it casually with jeans and a jacket, or dress it up with a little black dress for an evening event.

This scarf makes a great gift for a Japan lover and it is totally unique. You will not find it anywhere else! All items are gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to their recipient with an optional gift message included.

Shop for more scarves here.

 

Patchwork kimono purse

I recently added this cute little purse to my Etsy shop. It's made from vintage Japanese kimono pieces that I've sewn together to make a patchwork.

The main print is a beautiful blossom print on a pale pink ground. It has touches of red in the print and I've added other fabrics in a similar red colour to complement it.

The purse is lightly padded and has a red cotton lining with a matching red zipper closure. There is also a red tassel on the zipper pull.

This purse is big enough to use as a travel bag or as a small makeup bag. It's a great place to store smaller items in your bag and keep them all in a safe place.

This pretty kimono purse makes a great gift for a Japan lover and is totally unique. Items are wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to their recipient with an optional gift message included.

Vintage kimono scarf

I have a wide selection of scarves in my Etsy shop, most of which are made from vintage kimono fabrics that I bought when I lived in Japan. There are so many fabulous kimono designs and they look great reimagined as decorative scarves.

This kimono scarf is made from a stunning kimono made from a bold brown and gold print using Japanese icons such as blossoms, chrysanthemums and maple leaves.

The kimono scarf is double-sided and is combined with a solid black kimono fabric on the reverse.

The scarf looks dramatically different depending on how you wear it.

Look up close and you can see the gold detail and gold embroidery. This metallic addition brings out the richness of the browns and terracottas.

This would make a great gift for a Japan lover. Each item is wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to its recipient with an optional gift message included.

You can buy this scarf here.

Kimono fabric love

When I lived in Japan I collected a lot of amazing kimonos and kimono fabric pieces. They come in such stunning colours and are great for using in sewing projects, or just for looking at and enjoying. I now sell these fabric pieces as a selection of scrap fabric bags and each bag contains a selection of fabrics that are similar in colour.

This kimono scrap bag contains fabrics in a selection of reds, pinks, oranges and browns. There is a variety of sizes and weights of fabric, but they are all vintage kimono pieces.

This is one of the larger pieces of fabric in the collection and uses a pretty ikat-style design on a brown background.

I love this bold geometric design that is often seen in Japanese motifs. The bold red and white colour palette is very pleasing.

It's great to include softer colours too and this fabric is very fine, taken from the lining of a kimono. I love the soft pink watercolour-effect.

I love this bright orange colour and the 1930s style flowers randomly scattered on it. It has a very painterly feel and the colour makes it very bold and modern.

Stunning flower on a bright red background. This kimono fabric is cotton and includes a small geometric print around the flower.

Stunning chrysanthemum in a painterly feel. I love the antique cream ground colour.

This is such a sweet stork print, almost abstract in feel. It's a very small piece of silk but adorable! It would make a great piece in a small crafting project and I love the antique pink and cream colour palette. Some customers have used these fabrics to make doll's dresses.

Often the lining fabrics are more interesting than the outer kimono fabrics. This orange and cream fabric was taken from the lining of a kimono.

Pretty ombre flowers on a pink and yellow background. Although this fabric is obviously a vintage piece, it has touches of modernity with the bright green leaves and I love that injection of bright orangey red in the background.

 

Kimono cutie

Here's another kimono cutie I've just added to my Etsy shop. It's a decorative kimono scarf made from vintage Japanese kimono fabrics that I've pieced together. I love using a variety of fabrics within one scarf and often like to add a decorative border to the ends of the scarf in a contrasting coloured fabric.

The main body of the scarf is made from a gorgeously soft silk fabric in shades of red, yellow and white on a deep blue background. There is a floral pattern that includes stylised chrysanthemums, maple leaves and blossom.

The scarf can be worn in many different ways. I like to drape it loosely around my neck.

The border design is made from a vibrant red and white geometric design, made up of circles and dots. It also includes floral elements.

This scarf can be worn in many different ways and is a great way of adding colour to an outfit.

All my scarves are wrapped in pink tissue paper and sent with a Cheeky Leopard postcard. They make a great gift for someone special and can be sent straight to their recipient with an optional gift message included.