A Kimono for me! It's more or less identical to Joanne's.

Just after Christmas, I blogged about a kimono I made for my daughter - and in that post I was wearing her kimono (I still don't have a photo of her in it - she is very photo-shy). I could use the same photos again!! This time, I took some photos for Instagram on my phone and they are pretty awful. Black is so difficult to photograph. I tried to lighten the exposure to help. David took some on his camera and they are a bit - a lot - better so I can use here. 

I used the same fabric as I had enough left, though not enough to be quite as careful with my pattern placement. I don't think it's a big issue, though. I didn't make any further changes to the pattern. I thought I might have to shorten towards the original length and perhaps use the shorter sleeves. However, I managed to get the pieces in. So this is still version D, with the longer sleeves from the full length version C.

This was an easy sew - particularly as I had just made the kimono a month earlier. This was faster to make up, partly through experience and partly through realising I really didn't need to do all the hand tacking I did last time. I also benefited from the practice and I think the corners on my bias binding are nicer.

I was all too aware of the weight I have put on when I saw the rear view - unless I pulled it down, the fabric ridged across - a faux sway back! Actually, I do have a sway back, anyway, but didn't think I'd need to adjust a kimono. Maybe I should have gone up a size.

Overall, it's a good result. I like wearing it with my black trousers. Black isn't one of 'my colours', though (I prefer navy and suit it better - I'm a cool summer). I found that I didn't have a top to wear under the kimono, though I have compromised with tops and have already worn it a three times. When I modelled Joanne's, I used a black top but felt overwhelmed by it. The top in these photos is black but has warm colour stripes across the top and down one side - not easy to see in the photos because of the necessary overexposure. Do I make a suitable top? Do I simply put the kimono aside for when Joanne will inevitably need a replacement? I plan to make another kimono for myself - if I could only find that same fabric but with a navy base!! Otherwise, I have some suitable fabric though not as nice as that fabric with the flocked embellishment.

There's nothing more to say. Nice pattern - it's described as 'easy-to-sew' and it is!. All parts match where they should. I might try view B with a more drapey fabric.