Vintage kimono fabric Purses

                                                        Sunlight 

                                             passes through a butterfly

                                                               asleep.

                                                                                                           -Ranko

9cm purse trio

These are some of the purses I have made using vintage kimono fabric.  I really like working with old fabrics, I like to imagine the women who may have worn these kimonos. Mostly the kimono fabric is from the 1950s or 60s and I would guess was worn by ordinary people. Kimonos are sewn from long pieces of fabric measuring only 35cm (14inches) in width.  The purses are made from panels of kimono where the stitches have been removed.  Mostly I buy silk kimono pieces but I have a feeling that some of them are perhaps a silk synthetic mixture.  The lining inside is a thin acetate.

I  learned how to make the purses online, but have since altered my method.  Purse frames come in all sorts of dimensions so for each type I make a new pattern. It took me many attempts -  many crooked and lop-sided purses to make a few that are symmetrical and fit the frame neatly.  Finding a strong glue that will bond fabric and metal is really important.  I use gutterman HT2 fabric glue, which you can also order online.  I am putting together a tutorial of how I make the purses for anyone who is interested in trying it themselves.  I will post it up here shortly.

Here are a few more purses:

12 cm purse

12cm purse i made for my Aunt

inside a 9cm purse

10cm purse

The poem at the beginning is by a Japanese Haiku poet.