Kimono scarf

 Kimonos come in many different designs and colours and I normally gravitate towards the more brightly coloured ones but this soft pink one caught my eye. I love the softness of the background colour combined with the bright colours used in the floral design.

This silk scarf is long and thin and really makes a statement to any outfit. Voluptuous chrysanthemum motifs combine with delicate maple leaves and stylised blossoms.

This jaunty bow gives it drama.

Look up close and you will see that some of the flowers are outlined with metallic gold. I love the ombre effect used on some of the petals and leaves.

Double-wrap the scarf around the neck to show off the design to its full extent.

Purple passion

Purple is the colour of passion and mystery and is often associated with royalty, luxury and power. It's one of my favourite colours and I decided to revisit some purple items in my store.

This clutch bag is made from a stunning outer kimono which has a delicate chrysanthemum motif on it. Chrysanthemums are often used in Japanese design and I love the way that this motif becomes abstract due to its scale and placement. This clutch has a detachable chain handle which fits over the shoulder or across the body.

I love to give each of my items an interesting lining so that the user has a little surprise when they open it up. This bag was crying out for a hot pink lining. I love that flash of colour when the bag is opened.

In my store I also have a selection of silk scarves made from vintage kimono fabrics. This one has a pretty maple leaf design on it and looks great tied in a loose knot around the neck.

The cuff bracelets are a popular item in my store and make a nice addition to an outfit. This one is made from a purple and black vintage kimono fabric and has a kimono fabric button to hold it closed.

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Fabric Friday

Fabric Friday is a great excuse to sort through my fabric collection and to remind myself of what I have. For a while now, I've been meaning to find some fabrics to use as scarf designs. The kimono fabrics are lovely and soft and floaty and lend themselves perfectly to pretty decorative scarves. This morning I've been sorting through my extensive kimono collection to see if there is anything suitable. I like the idea of combining several kimono fabrics within one scarf, so have been looking for the right combinations of colour and design.

There are so many beautiful fabrics to use, I don't know where to start! Below is a very small selection of what I have.

Pinks and reds make for a pretty colour palette. The kimono fabric above left is a child's kimono and uses a fabulously bright colour combination.

I also like the more subtle colours of navy blue and cream. The soft blue bushclover design above is often used on Japanese kimonos.

Purple is such a stunning colour and looks great against many skin tones. These two kimono fabrics are quite different in design, but the colour pulls them together.

Japanese design also includes fabulous geometric prints. I love the dramatic design of the black and white geo above, and think it will work really well with the black and red ikat design.

The fabulous floral kimono above has also been used to make a clutch bag in the past. I love the stylised drama of the flower and am thinking of combining it with a  purple ikat fabric.

The red and white blossom works well with the soft pink maple leaf design - two traditional Japanese design motifs.

I am hoping to have some scarves made up and listed on my store in the near future and I'll mention them on my blog once they are done.

A bit of black and white

Last week I mentioned some of the beautiful kimono fabrics I picked up in Tokyo. I finally got sewing over the weekend and here is the first of the brood! It uses the pretty black and white maple leaf design and I used it on one of my small clutch bag designs. I couldn't resist adding a purple/pink lining for a flash of colour when the bag is opened.

You can find it in my store here.

Kimono cuffs

On Sunday I got busy with the sewing machine and ran up a few more kimono cuffs! They are really fun to make and I love choosing the combination of fabrics for each one. The top fabric is made of vintage kimono fabric and the underneath fabric (that sits agains the wrist) is generally made from cotton. I like to use a colour that contrasts with the kimono fabric and adds a bit of zing! The cuff is stiffened by adding a canvas strap which is sandwiched between the kimono fabric and cotton. I then hold it closed with a button and elastic loop closure. Each button has been carefully chosen to compliment the kimono fabric.

You can find this cuff in my store here and I will be adding more cuffs over the next few days.

Each cuff is a unique item but would look fab worn on its own or with a variety of other cuffs.

I chose a red and cream kimono covered button for this cuff.

I like to wear it with the button facing upwards, but it could be swivelled around to show the pretty maple leaf design instead.

 This cuff is made from a pretty coral maple leaf design.

You can see the flash of bright green cotton on the inside.