Costume Update

Hello,

Sorry for not being in contact. Problem with signing.

Since the last time I posted, my sewing machine has returned (q^____________^p) and the costume for my brother is on its way. The trouser is done save for taking in at the waist and doing the hemming and waistband and the pattern for the jacket is being drawn up. Tomorrow I shall buy the necessary fabric and get making since I only have 2 full maybe 1 and 1/2 days left before the event. If need to be, I shall just wear a white top with my trouser if there's no time for me to make my own top.

Hakama Trousers

Yo there!!

Just to let you know the final version of my costume is going underway... almost done with the trousers. I have cut out the patterns, pinned in the pleats and stitched everything up.

Thank you to my dear aunty for letting me use her sewing machine. I miss mine T_T. But yeah, going tomorrow again to finish off - got the hemming to do, the casing and the waistband and voila! It is done.

Chat to you later!!

Hakama Trousers - practice

Day 3 -

FINISHED!!

Did the hemming at the waist and at the bottom of the trousers. I then created the casing which goes at the back of the trouser as well as a waistband.

Casing:
I did 8x8 inches, folding the edges in and folding it in half to create that rectangular shape. Then the longest side is attached to the trouser, NOT sewing the sides to allow the waistband to go through.

Waistband:
I measured the waist and times it by 2. My waistband consisted of 2 separate piece, so after ironing the edges inwards to create that neatness, I sewed the two pieces together, fold it in half then sewn along the three edges. I then attached some of it to the front of the waistband. One would say it's because one would not lose the ribbon. One would say it's design. And it is a sort of a design because when it is wrapped around your waist twice, you will have a string of the waistband at the bottom and another at the top which is then met in a bow in the middle of the trousers at the front.

Here are pics of the final version. As I was taking the photograph by myself, excuse the bad quality. I am currently wearing the trousers with a plain red top OVER the trousers to tone down the flowery print of the cotton material. I can also wear it with white top UNDERNEATH the trousers (as it's the correct term - samurai wear it over their long kimono) and a thin brown belt over the whole outfit.

Front View

Side view

Back view

Adjustments that I have made where the length of the waist. Normally there the side vent isn't sewn but I did it mainly due to religious reasons as well as a sense of decency not to show off my pants. Also I tightened the waist to make it a bit secure. Still loose around the waist but enough to go over my thighs as there are no openings like a fastening or a zip like a normal trouser have. 

Hakama Trousers - practice

Day 2 -

Made the back panel. Cut out the overall shape then pinned in the pleats. The pleats at the back are 2 per panel. As it wasn't specify whereabouts the pleats should be, I made one between the middle seam and the middle of the panel and another between the middle of the panel and the side vent seam.

Back Panel without pleats

Back Panel with pleats - front view

Back Panel - side view

Back panel - back view

Back Panels with pleats pinned in

During my research, I have only come across the history of the Hakama Trousers and some patterns. How it is sewn together - well I improvised. Here's how:

1) Sew the pleats into the fabric - this is to create the pleat creases along down the whole of the trousers. I sew it from the top till the end of the crotch line and allow the pleat to naturally crease for the rest of the length of the trouser. 

2) Sew the 2 front panels together and then the 2 back panels together via the crotch seam. REMEMBER to sew from top of the crotch seam to the end and not down the rest of the length of the trouser, otherwise it would be a skirt.

3) Sew the sides together, from the hem to the beginning of the side vent seam. According to the pictures I have come across during my research, the side vent seam which goes from waist till under the buttocks are open, almost like a slit - a large one at that. Not to sure why - probably because it needs extra movement. Don't worry, you won't see the bum as the trousers is normally worn over the kimono top.

Sewing the pleats

Below are pictures of what it would have looked like when it is worn. The only thing missing is the waistband.

Front View

Side View

Back View

Mistakes:

1) Have the crotch seam start at the top instead of 6 inches down - this to give a sense of comfort as well as movement while walking. When I was wearing this and walking around, I could feel the restrictions as the crotch seam reached down to my mid thigh, allowing the movement to commence from the knees instead of from the thighs or the hips. 

What's to come:

The finishing of the trousers - the waistband and the hemming. 

Hakama Trousers- practice

Day 1 -

Bought material that I wanted to use to make the practice. I went with printed cotton as the real version will be made out of red polycotton. So I tried to get the cheapest I can.

Printed Cotton
£2 per metre
B L Joshi
Ealing Road, Wembley

This is the material that I am using to practice how to make Hakama trouser. And this is the pattern that I am sourcing my trousers on.

http://www.sarcasm-hime.net/hakamapattern.html

So far I have made the front two panels. I took 2 1 metre piece and at the top marked 4 inches in and 6 inches down. Then I draw the crotch seam and the side vent seam. From the bottom of the side vent seam and the crotch seam I drew my side seam to the bottom edge of the piece creating a diagonal line. I have created the overall outline, based on the picture above.

What the shape looks like after the unnecessary pieces have been cut

 

Then came the pleatings. According to my research, the front panel has 7 pleats. 5 at the front and 2 at the back. The 5 pleats must be pleated in a certain way: 3 to the right and 2 to the left. I have done exactly that on the right front panel of the trouser. I did the opposite for the left front panel to create the sense of symmetry and balance.

Front view - 3 pleats to the right 

Side View

Back View - 2 pleats to the left

Here is what the two front panel of the trouser looks likes.