Completing yukata making soon / 浴衣完成目前

My first hand-made yukata is soon complete.  Finished homework today, and finally completing at next weekend class. 
1つ目の浴衣が完成目前。袖の中をくけて今日宿題が終わったので、次週末のおけいこで最終的に出来上がり。

It was a long way...  now yukata does look like a kimono!  それにしてもよく縫ったものだ。ちゃんときものの形になっている。

After doing the homework, I also prepared for the next roll to sew.  宿題の次は、次に縫う反物の準備。

At both ends, mark the outside and the inside for all the cloth of nearly 10 meters. 
10メートル近い布地全体にわたり糸印で表裏の印をつける。

To have a break after all this, a cup of green tea with Japanese sweets is the best choice.  Rice cake from Kikuya in a very nice blue box, which was sent from mother-in-law in Nara. 
その後、抹茶と菊屋の城の口餅で一休み。またもや素敵な柄の箱。

Kamakura One-Day Trip / 鎌倉一日旅

October kimono gathering @ Kamakura.  Getting together at Shinjuku St. at 8:30am (!), we headed for Kamakura on Odakyu & Enoden. 
At Fujisawa St. changing to Enoden, we were suddenly surrounded by a huge number of foreign tourists trying to take photos of us!  What's happening here...?  Their tour guide told us that they were visiting Japan on JICA's inter-cultural event.  It was just like being a movie star, chased by media cameramen clicking shutter of cameras endlessly.  We were the focus of millions of flashing cameras. 

10月のきもの会は待望の鎌倉一日旅。早朝8：30に新宿駅集合(！)、小田急と江ノ電を乗り継いで鎌倉へ。
藤沢駅で江ノ電に乗り換え時、おもむろに外国人観光客らしき大群に包囲される。いったい何が起きているのか？ガイドさんいわく、ＪＩＣＡの国際交流イベントで訪日中の外国人たちらしい。しばしの間フラッシュの洪水を浴び続け、映画スターのよう。

Nice visit to temples and shopping time in spite of a heavy rain and hot, humid weather.  When we came to the Buddha statue, sunshine started to come back. 

大雨と蒸し暑さの中だったが、いろんなお寺の訪問やお買い物が楽しめた一日。大仏さんのところに来たらお日さまが戻ってきた。

Visiting Former Maeda Residence / 旧前田邸訪問

September kimono gathering was a visit to former Maeda Residence in Hongo, Tokyo.  My first time of wearing linen/cotton mix kimono, which was specially order-made for September.  With a blue autumn flower pattern obi, my favorite item for this season. 

9月のきもの会は東京・本郷の旧前田邸訪問。9月の単衣の時期のためにきものギャラリー妟さんで誂えた綿麻きものに初めて袖を通す。この季節いちばんお気に入りの秋草柄名古屋帯を合わせて。

Bon odori dance festival in neighborhood / 近所の盆踊り大会

Our neighborhood committee held their annual bon odori dance festival on 22nd and 23rd Aug.  So exciting!  People in old Tokyo city must have had this bon odori festivals in every corner of their districts in summer.  Men and women, young and old, the dancers were all enjoying themselves very much.  I wish I could wear my first handmade yukata for the festival... 

入船３丁目町内会主催の盆踊り大会が２２日・２３日にあった。昔の江戸の夏はそれぞれの町でこんなふうに詩情あふれる季節だったに違いない。老若男女、みんなよく練習したらしく、とても踊りが上手。踊る方も見る方も心から楽しんでいた。それにしても自作の浴衣を着て行けたら、どんなにうれしかったことだろう…。

Online tailor-made kimono arrives / ネットでお仕立てきもの到着

I have been looking for hitoe ("one layer" in Japanese) kimono, which is worn in June and September when the weather is hot but not the hottest in Japan.  I wanted a yellow hitoe kimono, and searched for a long time in various shops and internet sites.  Finally, I found one in Gallery An internet kimono shop, run by Baba Kimono Shop in Takamatsu, Shikoku.  Looking forward to wearing this in September.  At the same time, another roll of kimono textile for my husband also arrived.  I love its soft texture, also a good choice.  

９月に着る単衣のきものをずっと探していたが、ギャラリー妟さん(高松の馬場呉服店さん)でようやく好みの黄色い着物を発見。今日到着した。９月に着るのが楽しみだ。同時に主人用に和裁教室で仕立てる川越唐桟も到着。思ったよりもやわらかいしなやかなタッチがお気に入り。

My dream summer kimono / あこがれの夏きもの

Taking more time to sewing yukata than my expectation...  It's not about finishing one sewing, but about learning how to sew a kimono in a correct way.  My teacher often corrects my homework, and I need to work on the same part again.  But, I believe, in a long run, this will bear a good fruit.  Instead of completing a crukid kimono, it would be more worthwhile to make a good-shaped one, even if it takes a little bit more time. 

思ったよりゆかた作りが時間を食っている。とりあえず一着作り終える、というのではなく、正しく縫うことを学んでいる。先生はよく宿題を直してくれて、私はもう一度その部分をやらないといけない。でも、たぶん、時間がかかってもこの方がいい結果を生むと思う。ゆがんだ形のきものを早く作り上げるより、時間が多少余計にかかっても、ちゃんとした形のものを縫い上げられる方が良いはず。

I realized that I am almost using up my yarn for my yukata. Yes, I sewed a lot already!

気づくと糸巻から糸がもうすぐなくなりかけていた。  たくさん縫ったものだ。

I found my dream coordinate of summer kimono in front of an antique shop nearby...

Morning glory obi on a blue kimono...  how nice (sigh)...

近所の骨董屋さんに、あこがれの夏着物コーディネートを発見。

青い麻(？)の夏きものに朝顔柄の絽の帯。思わずため息。

Kimono sewing wine gathering at Roppongi / 和裁塾、六本木でワインの会

I was free daytime today, and have been working on kimono sewing homework... 
Working on each side of the body, one of the most difficult and complicated part of the whole process. 
One side was done by our teacher at the last class.  I tried to do the same way for the other side. 
Not sure if I'm on the right track...

昼間は用事がなかったので和裁の宿題にとりかかる。身頃の脇を縫う。最も難しく複雑なところの一つだ。片方は前回のクラスで先生がして下さったので、もう片方も同じようにして自分で縫う。これで果たして正しくできているのか・・・ 

From the evening, I had a wine gathering among our teacher and us students of kimono sewing  class.  When arriving at French Kitchen in Roppongi, I found all the other members were in kimono or yukata.  Since it was going to rain, I wore a dress I bought in Taiwan, instead of wearing my new yukata.  I hope it balanced well with beautiful kimonos around me. 

We chatted about kimono all the time throughout the dinner.  It was such a happy evening. 

夜からは和裁塾の先生生徒さんたちとワインの会。着くと私以外みんな着物を着ていた。雨が降りそうだったので私は台湾で買った現代風チャイナドレスを着用。着物とよくバランスが取れていたら良いのだが。

最初から最後まで四六時中着物の話で盛り上がる。楽しい宵になった。

Pattern of my China dress 私のチャイナドレスの柄