A good friend's baby shower was today, this is the little kimono I made for her baby (unknown gender). It's cotton flannel and reversible, with orange squirrels, acorns, and leaves on one side, and a solid forest green on the other side. The ties are a brown velvet ribbon.
I used the pattern in For your little one, baby goods making. I liked the lines of this pattern best, but there are others available online, like this one at Martha Stewart (found via MeggieCat, but the link to her blog that google popped up doesn't work anymore.)
Here's the close up of the print and hand stitching. I used my favorite thick linen thread, bought from Kumi's shop. I'm guessing that the animals cavorting on the fabric are squirrels, because they seem to have an obsession with acorns. But they sure look like foxes to me. Foxes who love acorns.
I had a topological problem with the pattern, when I sewed everything together according to the pattern (at least as I understood it, as I can't read Japanese), the sleeves came out in this long tube rather than normal-looking sleeves with the lining on the inside. Since I'm a procrastinator, of course this happened 2 hours before the baby shower was starting. I asked my mathematician husband if there were some way to make it right that didn't involve a seam ripper, and he didn't think so. It really seemed like it should work, but I guess not. So I seam-ripped, did more hand sewing, and finished with 30 minutes to spare.
Max asked me where I was going, so I told him I was going to a party for his friend's new baby brother or sister. He asked if the baby was going to come out of the mama's tummy at the party? Now that would be quite the baby party, wouldn't it?
What a lovely kimono! I like the hand stitching around the edges. I have a similar pattern in one of my books, only it's cut in one piece, kind of hard to explain but it's one of my favorite things to make for my shop.
Kumi certainly has some wonderful things in her store!
Posted by: Donna | Saturday, 02 February 2008 at 09:39 PM
Amanda it is GORGEOUS! Lucky little baby.
Posted by: Ali | Sunday, 03 February 2008 at 06:08 AM
The kimono is so beautiful. That is a really wonderful gift.
Posted by: Macoco | Monday, 04 February 2008 at 07:58 AM
That's adorable, love the fabric.
Posted by: Kristi | Wednesday, 06 February 2008 at 03:47 PM
what an adorable kimono, love the fabric!
jessica
Posted by: jessica | Thursday, 07 February 2008 at 08:57 AM
Oh I love it, it's so cute. Could you tell me where you got the squirrel fabric?
Great job.
Posted by: Josie | Sunday, 16 March 2008 at 02:55 PM