Lum - Tiger Yukata #4

fixed collar

When I made this yukata, I already had a much better idea of how kimonos and yukatas are made, but there were still a few small things missing. Meanwhile, Billy Matsunaga posted a video on how to make a kimono/yukata, the easy way, and a few other videos of her sewing her own kimono, where she talks about how to have the collar tilt back, like this. Contrary to what I thought, it's not very noticeable in my real kimono, the back collar seam isn't straight, but curves down. Billy also said that to achieve a nice tilt, she cuts the collar about 3 to 4cm down the back seam. So, besides finally hemming all the hems (one of the sleeves, and the right side overlap hem), I unpicked the back collar seam, hand traced the back collar curve, about 3cm down, and sewed it back by hand, with a backstitch and then a slip stitch, on the inner seam. Kimonos are usually sewn with a running stitch, with an occasional back stitch in between, but I decided to sew it with a full back stitch because my previous straight seam is shorter than the current curved seam. Simple geometry. To be able to embed both seams neatly, with minimal puckering, a back stitch is sturdier and makes it easier to control. Now it looks much better, doesn't it?

glueing strips of EVA foam, to add bulk to the straps

I'm going to wear Lum again for Festa do Japão, next Saturday (the 29th), and didn't want to take my precious geta, I had custom made in my last trip to Japan, for some reasons. The velvet straps burn my skin, making them terribly uncomfortable to wear, the last time I wore them, I almost ruined them, leaving a huge dent on the soles, and I already didn't like to wear them in gravel or uneven ground, like the venue for the Festa do Japão. So I got these black flipflops, that look a bit like zôri, to replace them. Lum's geta are black, with indigo/purple tops, and red straps. Flipflop straps are thinner and fatter than actual geta straps, so I glued scraps of EVA foam to them, to then cover them in red fabric.

starting to cover the straps in red cotton

red covered straps

Red is my favourite colour, so red fabric scraps are abundant here. I took some leftovers from my Sewing Woes dress' cotton, cut about 5cm wide strips, folded the edges inward, and sewed them together with a ladder stitch. Then I cut thinner strips, and followed fairly the same method to cover the part between the toes. I folded the strip in three, and sewed the sides together, with a ladder stitch, up to the straps.

indigo tops

3/4 view

Then I went to Mega China, in search for a blue purplish sheet of EVA foam, and luckily they had one almost the same colour as the obi. When I made the obi, even though I like yellow and purple together, I didn't want it to be 100% purple, because I'm not a fan of purple itself. When I went to look for a fabric, I found this charmeuse satin in indigo blue, which is a purplish blue. I was also lucky with the foam, as the only purple they had was too light, and that's the purple tone I dislike the most, and this indigo is very similar to the obi's satin.

First I traced the soles on top of the foam, and cut them. Then I eyed the strap attachments, traced the bigger holes with my circles "ruler", and copied them to the other foot. To glue them to the flipflops, without taking the straps out, I made a cut to the big toe side, and to the sides of the back strap attachments. Then I added a thin coat of contact glue to the front half of the flipflops and the foam, with one of my silicone brushes. When It was tacky, I glued the front half together. I did the same to the back half, and walked with them around the house for the rest of the day. After a few hours, I trimmed the foam, and I have fake geta, just like Lum's.

This week I'm going to press the yukata and the obi, plump the wig, and get everything together for next Saturday.

+ The yukata is finally done, the seams need basting, but this fabric dosn't fray much, and I'm running out of yellow theread, so maybe I won't bother. I declare it DONE!
The fake geta were quite easy to make, I think I'll buy another pair of these flipflops, in case I need another pair to customise for cosplay.
- This was long due, and this costume isn't 100% done yet. I need to finish the obi-ita, add some grosgrain ribbon to the edges and make the ties, and make the juban. But now I don't know where the juban voile is... Next time I wear Lum, I'll make it.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Find the white voile and make the juban. Use voile scraps to finish the obi-ita.