Review: Simplicity 1108 | Carefree Summer Kimono!

If you sew for others, I promise you that this is the type of experience that you want to have.  I bought this fabulous Terracotta Tie-Dye Cotton Gauze from Mood Fabrics.  I picked it with a cotton maxi dress for me in mind.  Mikaela spotted it as I was unboxing.  She grabbed that fabric quicker than I could get a good look at it.  She wrapped it around herself and started prancing and spinning around like it was love at first sight.  Because it was!

She began her own pattern search on what I could make for her! LOL  She received a quick lesson on stretch vs. wovens.  She decided that she wanted this Simplicity 1108, view A kimono.

This kimono is sized from XXS-XXL.  I cut the XS because she wanted it oversized.  And it's indeed roomy.  I could wear this -- if I could pry it from her hands!  Oh, and this fabric is 100% cotton.  Always remember to prewash or dry clean your fabric FIRST before you cut into it.  I washed this in hot water and dried it on high.  I needed to make sure I got all of the shrinkage out of it because I was handing this off to a teenager.  And we know they care nothing about sorting out laundry.  EVERYTHING in the wash on cold!

I had to press the fabric so that I could evenly cut it out.  The pressing removed a lot of the character from the gauze, but I had to so that the fabric way lay flat.  I used a very lightweight knit fusible interfacing for the bands.  Finding the right weight is extremely important because you don't want it to be too stiff and take away from the fabric's natural drape.

After attaching the bands, here is how I sewed the non-interfaced pieces which are facings.  The seam allowance is turned under and press.  This can be sewn by hand for the most impeccable finish.  But I chose to do an as-neat-as-possible ditch stitch.  You want to make sure that the finish on the inside is "clean" because as you see, it will show.

View A has cut in sleeves, so this kimono is basically back, front and the bands.  The back has a center seam and has slight gathering at the neckline.

I finished the seams with my serger and the seams are pressed to one side.  I created a narrow hem for sleeves.

This is probably one of the most perfect fabric for a kimono on this style... if you like that relaxed, carefree, heading-to-a-music-festival look.

If you can't tell, she loves piece and I'm sure she'll wear it to shreds!