Once you have your mask, you want to keep it in good condition, right? Thankfully it's probably easier than you think.
Silk face masks drying in the sun
Basic care instructions
If you're feeling fancy
Turn outer layer to the inside (rectangle shape). Hand wash it with mild soap. Fabric softener is okay. Gently squeeze, but do not twist, to remove excess water. Gently pull to reshape, and hang to dry.
Easy, normal care
Turn outside layer to the inside (rectangle shape). Place in net bag and machine wash with like colors, normal cycle and normal soap. NO BLEACH. NO OXICLEAN. Liquid fabric softener is fine.
"Ain't nobody got time for that!"
(I do not recommend this method, but I understand the sentiment)
Toss your mask in with the rest of your clothes. Normal soap, normal cycle. Dry in the dryer on low heat. Your mask will ball up and you will need to spend time ironing it. Even after treating the mask with color stop, some color may transfer on to your other clothes.
Avoid at all costs
Absolutely never apply bleach (dissolves fabric), OxiClean (dissolves fabric) or alcohol (color bleeds) to your silk mask.
Silk can be durable
Follow the recommended care guidelines to keep your mask looking and feeling good for a long time to come. I'll update this blog post when mine finally need to be replaced, to give you a ballpark for how long they last.
...and how I fixed it. And now I desperately want to share my ideas with you so you can feel better in your masks! We'll cover the benefits, drawbacks, and how-to's here, and the next post will show you how to care for your mask so it lasts and lasts.
I think my pattern here is one of the best on the interwebs. I tried other patterns, but I wasn't satisfied. I worked really hard to develop and refine this pattern. It's been field-tested by myself, family and friends, and I've made over 100 masks with this design. It fits well, feels great, and looks wonderful. I'm very confident that you'll love it.
Problems and solutions
Behind-the-ear elastic hurts
⇒ on my pattern the elastic goes behind the head
Masks slip up or down, so you have to touch them to fix it
⇒ cutting fabric on the bias fixes this problem
Curved masks fit better, but are harder to sew, and finding the perfect fit is hard
⇒ my pattern doesn't use curves, but it still fits!
Masks have big gaps at the eyes
⇒ my pattern takes care of that with one fold, no special metal strips needed
Masks are itchy
⇒ silk fibers don't fray and tickle like cotton does
Masks get wet from my breath
⇒ silk dries faster than cotton
I want to use a filter
⇒ this pattern accepts a filter
The elastic is always too long or too short
⇒ I show you how to use a slip knot and make your elastic straps adjustable
Behind-the-head elastics seem dangerous
⇒ I also have a breakaway safety knot option!
Okay...so what's wrong with it?
Sounds too good to be true, right? There are some drawbacks:
bias cut uses a lot more fabric
elastic behind the head requires, well, longer elastic
it's harder to put on than an over-the-ear mask
people who wear their hair over their ears might find the mask elastic slips down. There is a fix though: part the hair where the elastic should go, lift the hair up and out of the way, put the mask on and let the hair back down.
even with starch and a walking foot, the fabric can still be difficult to sew
it will ball up if you put it in the dryer
silk means you have to keep it away from bleach and alcohol
If you're thinking, "I think I can deal with that," read on and I'll help you make a mask you love!
Tutorial time!
First I'll give an overview to help you understand what's involved. After that will be the supply list, and finally the thorough instructions, pictures, and video tutorial. So, let's get to it!
Silk face mask made from antique lavender silk using this pattern
Silk face mask, side view
Taking measurements
(For the "I don't want to measure; just give me the pattern already" people, I hear you. Skip to the end of this section to get common measurements you can use.)
Width (1): If you already have a mask size you like, go ahead and use it for the width. Otherwise, measure from one side of your face to the other, passing over the tip of your nose. Add 2 cm for seam allowance.
Mask measurement guidelines
Height (2): Open your mouth slightly (say the "o" of "opera," for example). Measure from the bridge of your nose (or draw an imaginary line connecting the lowest part of your eyes, and measure from where it crosses your nose) to just under your chin. Add 2 cm for seam allowance.
Top elastic: measure from the side of your face, behind and high on your head, to the other side of your face. Add 12 cm to this measurement to give enough length for the knots.
Bottom elastic: measure from your jaw around and low behind your head to the other side of your jaw. Add 12 cm to this measurement to give enough length for the knots.
Common sizes (seam allowance is included)
Adults and older teens: (same for men or women) 22 cm x 18 cm, upper elastic 52 cm, lower elastic 37 cm
Child age 11-15: 21.5 cm x 15.5 cm, upper elastic 44 cm, lower elastic 35 cm
Child age 7-10: 17.5 cm x 15 cm, upper elastic 44 cm, lower elastic 35 cm
Child age 3-6 (see safety knot instructions, below): 15.5 cm x 12.5 cm, upper elastic 44 cm, lower elastic 35 cm
Overview
I'll give detailed instructions and videos after this overview. Read all the way through this whole post and watch the videos before you start. This part should help you get your bearings.
Total sewing time: about 1 hour if using a sewing machine
Total project time: 6 hours to 1 day, to account for drying time after starching and after washing
For the mask body: Starch your fabric and let it dry. Cut the inner and outer fabric out on the bias. Each mask will have two layers. Turn up the bottom of both layers by 1 cm and press and sew to the back side. Lay right sides together and sew layers together on 3 sides, leaving the bottom unsewn. Press seam allowance in, then turn work right-side out. Press and topstitch all the way around, except for the filter opening. Turn the top down to the inside by 2 cm and sew the sides down. Now fold the mask in half so that only the inner side is visible. Stitch the sides halfway down, starting from the middle fold (you'll see in the pictures and video below). This finishes the mask body.
Wash and treat fabric: At this point I like to wash my mask to get the starch out, and then soak it in vinegar to kill any lingering odors. I do it before the elastic is attached because vinegar can be too harsh on elastic.
Attach the elastic: Once the mask is dry, grab one of the upper corners of the mask (the part you flipped down 2 cm earlier) and lay it down so that the inner layer is facing up. Use a wide zig-zag stitch to sew a channel over one of the elastics. Tie a surgeon's knot. Zig-zag the other end of the elastic to the other upper corner (short end pointing in toward the mask), and tie a slipknot. Repeat surgeon's knot and slip knot for the lower elastic. Now tuck in your thread tails, and you're done!
Essential supplies
Sewing machine capable of a straight and zig-zag stitch: you probably could do this by hand, but silk has a way of gripping the thread and making sewing go very slowly.
Silk fabric: you can use the same fabric for the inner layer and outer layer, or use two different fabrics
Paperboard / cardboard / etc. to make a template
Fabric marking pens
Thread that matches your outside fabric
Elastic: I prefer flat 4 coil that's really stretchy instead of stiff
Highly recommended supplies
Starch (I made my own: 2 tablespoons starch cooked with 250 ml water, then cooled with another 250 ml of water. I poured it into a spray bottle and shook it really well.)
Walking foot. I hate to say it, but if you're using a sewing machine it makes your life a lot easier. It's come in handy for other projects, too, so I consider it a good investment.
Color stop, or some product that will stop color from bleeding. Every kimono I used needed this product. I was able to soak dark and light colors together in the solution without any ill effects, but use your judgement here.
Instructions
Template for child age 11-15
Prep steps
Starch your fabric and let dry completely. Cut your elastic straps and treat the ends with fray check, and let this dry completely, too. Take your paperboard and make a template using the measurements you took earlier. Make sure to include seam allowance. I like to mark my template with the fabric grain, measurements, and top and bottom elastic measurements. Mark a 7 cm opening along the bottom of the template.
Mask body
Mark and cut out fabric: Place your template on your outer layer fabric, turned 45° so that the edges now run along the fabric bias. Mark your fabric for as many masks as you want to make, planning carefully around any patterns, stains, or designs. Repeat for the inner layer fabric and cut everything out. (Video mark 1:28)
Press bottom edge up 1 cm: Lay your cut pieces with the wrong side facing you. Turn the bottom edge up 1 cm and press. Repeat for all pieces. (Video mark 3:45)
Sew bottom edge: Set your machine for a narrow zig-zag stitch. This lets your stitches stretch just a little bit. If you don't do this, you're likely to pop stitches when wearing or washing the mask. Sew close to the upturned edge. This stitching will be visible on the finished mask. (Video mark 3:53)
Sew both layers together on 3 sides: Lay your inner and outer layer together, right sides facing. Move the inner layer up just a little bit (1-2 mm). Using a narrow zig-zag stitch and a short stitch length, begin sewing from the bottom and up one short side. Stitch for about 4 stitches. Change to a regular stitch length but keep the zig-zag. Continue up the rest of the short side, along the top, and down the other side, finishing with a short stitch length. I do the short stitches instead of backstitching because it avoids sewing through thread and it's easier to keep my stitches tidy. (Video mark 4:04)
Trim the seam allowance at the corners (Video mark 5:14)
Press seam allowance in toward outer layer: this will make pressing easier when you turn the piece right-side out. (Video mark 5:35)
Turn work right-side out and press. (Video mark 6:07)
Fold seam allowance corners out of the way, then topstitch: Using a narrow zig-zag stitch and a short stitch length, begin topstitching from the filter opening. Change to a normal stitch length and continue topstitching all around the edge until you reach the opposite side of the filter opening. Finish with a short stitch length. (Video mark 6:55)
Fold the top edge down 2 cm toward the inner fabric. Beginning at the folded edge, sew 2.5 or 3 cm down the side, turn your work, and sew back along the same line. Repeat for the opposite side. (Video mark 7:52)
Fold the mask in half at the sides with the inner layer visible. Beginning at the new folded edge, sew halfway down the side edge, turn your work, and sew back along the same line. Repeat for the opposite side. (Video mark 10:30)
Wash your mask in warm water and mild soap. If you notice color bleed, rinse the mask and soak it in a color stop solution according to the manufacturer's directions. Rinse again, then soak in distilled white vinegar for 30 seconds or so. Rinse one final time, then hang to dry. Let the mask dry completely before continuing.
How to attach the elastic: adjustable slip knot method
Pay special attention to the instructions, and follow the video exactly. If you tie the knots in the wrong order or from the wrong side, it's more likely that your elastic will come undone. I've tested different methods, and this one works.
Upper elastic, first knot is a surgeon's knot: grab an upper corner of the mask and hang the elastic a little bit over the side edge. The elastic should be about 1 cm down and 1 cm in from the corner. Change your stitch to your widest zig-zag with the shortest stitch length. Sew a channel over the elastic for about half a centimeter. Tie off your threads and hide them. With the short end of the elastic still hanging over the mask's edge, tie a surgeon's knot.
Upper elastic, second knot is the slip knot: Use the same zig-zag technique to hold the other end of the elastic, pointing in toward the mask, to the upper opposite corner. Tie a slipknot.
To secure the lower elastic straps, follow the same procedure in the previous steps with one small change: have the elastic pointing diagonally to the corner.
Hide your thread tails, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
To put the mask on, turn the mask right side out but with the points still in. The mask will look a little bit like a boat. Grab the elastic straps in both hands, look up, and put your chin in the mask like it's a sling. Pull the elastic straps up and over the head, letting go of the bottom elastic and putting the upper elastic at the top back of your head. Shift the mask up on your face. Pull up at the nose and down at the chin with a little stretch. Make sure you can see your topstitching at the top of your nose. Adjust the length of the elastics so that the mask feels light on your face. The bottom elastic should be loose, but tighten when you look up.
So, how did it go? Were there any steps you struggled with? Did I make a mistake? Did you find the project easy or hard?
If you're looking for a pretty good introduction about sourcing your own silk fabric and making your own masks, you're in a good spot. In this post I'll go into how I became interested in this project, what I learned, and what tools I used that made this project easier. The next post will focus on the pattern and video tutorials, and the final will walk through how to care for the masks.
From this...
...to this!
Why silk?
Antimicrobial properties
This all started when I heard about a company here in Japan that was recycling kimono into face masks (check out their beautiful products in this link). I was skeptical about using silk, so I started doing some research. I was so surprised to learn that silk might be even more effective than cotton, because silk contains copper, and copper has been used for thousands of years as an antimicrobial agent. Who knew?
(Want to know more? Click here for an article about a small study that pitted silk against other materials for face masks, and follow this link to read an abstract about the various ways copper was used through the ages.)
Cheap and abundant
Silk? Cheap?? Yes!!
Okay, well, now that I knew it was a good option, where would I get the material so I could try it? I spent weeks trying to source silk from various places online, but nothing was as easy or as cheap as I wanted it to be. Then I remembered all the used kimono I saw at our local recycle shop! I headed over right away, and was thrilled by the seemingly endless selection of beautiful fabric and colors.
Imagine my shock when I looked at the price tags and saw how cheap it was! And by a stroke of luck, kimono were half-price the day I went. I didn't spend more than $5 on any one kimono, and most of them were only $1.50! Can you believe it? We've all dropped more change in a vending machine, and here I was walking out with a heavy armload of kimono! Even better, this project would give new life to this beautiful fabric and let it be used on a daily basis. Instead of staying stuck in a dark drawer until it's brought out for a special event. Or hanging sadly among hundreds of others, unwanted. (I'm not going to talk about how many get tossed in the garbage, because it pains me too much.)
Now, I understand that not everybody has access to recycle shops full of kimono. Have hope! Check out your local thrift store, especially scarves or the men's shirt section. Read on for tips that might help you identify silk based on feel, in case there isn't a label.
But is it pure silk?
Yes. But, not everything I bought was silk. I bought 10 kimono, and 6 turned out to be 100% silk, while the other 4 were polyester. How do I know?
Burn test
Fabric manufacturers are amazing at copying the properties of silk, so the only way to be 100% sure of the fabric content is to do a burn test. If you haven't heard of it before and you want to know more about it, I encourage you to track down some YouTube videos. Threads Magazine also had a very good walk-through video, and made a handy chart (find it here). After a few tests of my own, I was confident that I could identify silk accurately. It smells bad when it's burned (like poop), it self-extinguishes, and the ash left behind makes a very satisfying crunchy sound when you crush it. If you decide to try your own burn test, 1) follow the safety instructions in the linked video just above, and 2) warn your housemates, 'cause it's stinky.
Burn test results: 4 kimono were polyester, 6 were silk
Tips for finding real silk in the store
I can't give you any guarantees, but look for these signs and you'll improve your odds of finding pure silk:
Biggest indicator: special fabric treatment. Look for pleating, hand painted details, shibori, embroidery, or things of that nature.
Does the kimono lining have an ombre dye to it? High-end kimono often will, and the lining is usually silk. If the lining is silk, chances are good that your main fabric is, too.
Pure silk kimono lining. Note the orange and the pink ombre.
Is the lining different between the upper body and the lower body? If it is, feel the lower portion with your fingers. Does it seem a little tacky, like your fingers pass more slowly along the fabric than you would expect? Silk feels that way.
Is the lining bright white? Silk will have a cream cast to it, not bright white.
Does the main fabric seem pleated or shaped in some way? It's likely silk, but silk with lots of ripples shaped into the fabric can be heavier and more difficult to work with.
Silk fabric with pattern created by tiny ridges
Does the main fabric seem to have a pattern woven into it, not with color but with the fabric itself? The relief side of the fabric, if you can see it, will have the opposite pattern. This is often done with silk, but sometimes done with polyester fabric, also.
Pure silk fabric with a woven pattern of miniature maple leaves
Any other important info?
Odor, and how to get rid of it
Yes, let's talk about odor. Kimono may come home with quite a strong smell, including but not limited to mildew, mothballs, and/or cigarette smoke. The mothballs were the worst for me. I tried washing the kimono in my washing machine, but that magnified the smell by 100 and made my washing machine stink for a week, so don't do that. I also tried alcohol, vinegar, baking soda, sunlight, and a vacuum bag that was liberally sprinkled with baking soda and contained a charcoal odor-absorbing packet.
What worked?
Sunlight and straight vinegar were the most effective, and the quickest. The baking soda and charcoal combination worked, too, but the smell seemed to come back when the fabric got wet. That happened with the sunlight-treated kimono, too, but it almost completely went away after I soaked it in vinegar.
I finally settled on my favorite process: air the kimono outside for days (turned inside out to protect the main fabric from the sun), then rip the seams and cut and starch and sew everything, then wash it well and rinse it in vinegar, and finally let it air dry one more time.
What not to do
Alcohol of any type is not recommended, because it will cause the dye to run. Don't use OxiClean or bleach, either, because both of those products will dissolve the fabric. Also, don't wash your kimono without airing it outside for at least 2 days (3 or more is even better).
Sewing tips
Starch is your friend
This is the project that got me to use starch for the first time. Silk is -- and this is an understatement -- difficult to work with. I cooked my own heavy starch mixture (easy recipe in the mask tutorial segment) and used it extensively.
A walking foot is also your friend
This is the project that got me to use a walking foot for the first time. One layer of silk is difficult enough to control. Add a second layer and things somehow become exponentially worse. The combination of a walking foot and heavy starch, though, made it all very easy.
But is it worth it?
Yes, absolutely. Look, it is a pain to deal with the smell, and it can be frustrating to sew, but there are ways around that. And the reward is gorgeous fabric that helps protect you, and, best of all, it feels amazing. No matter what cotton I tried, it always had little fibers that tickled my face and made me want to scratch and rub it all the time. Cotton also trapped a lot of water and felt wet against my face. Silk feels absolutely smooth against my skin, and it dries much faster than cotton. Now that I've tried silk, I'm never going back to cotton.
If I've convinced you to give it a try, I hope you enjoy the results as much as I do. So, head over to the next post, and let's get you started!
Manhole cover printed onto cotton shirt using sumi ink, before and after washing
Yes, you can use liquid sumi ink for street printing or fabric painting, speaking from personal experience, thought I have only tried it on 100% cotton. I successfully used a combination of long dry time, repeated washing, and a color stop product to permanently mark my fabric and keep the ink from marking other materials it would later be washed with. Be aware that the end result will be lighter than it was. If you need a dark effect, use thinner fabric and/or use a heavy hand when applying the ink.
Basic Process
get the ink on the fabric, using your method of choice
let it dry for 3-5 *days*
soak in the hottest water your fabric will allow, with a little bit of laundry soap
rinse well
repeat steps 3 and 4 until the soapy water is *considerably* lighter (9 or 10 times if you're using a small sink)
apply a color stop product, likely found at your local fabric store or online
The Backstory
In 2016, Bored Panda ran an article about a team of artists in Europe who were printing t-shirts using actual manhole covers. Often overlooked, manhole covers can be quite intricate and unique to a country or city, so if you can find a pretty one you have the makings of a one-of-a-kind memento. Which was perfect, because I had a request from a family member for a t-shirt from Japan, but that also posed a problem. Or opportunity, depending on how you look at it.
The Raubdruckerin group (Pirate Printers), are exclusively based in Europe, so they couldn't help me. But this didn't seem too complicated a project, and I was willing to give it a try. All I needed were a decorative manhole cover in a quiet location, paperboard, a cotton shirt, and something to print with.
The "something to print with" gave me pause for a minute. Craft supplies are difficult to source in my area and can be expensive. I knew where I could buy a small amount of fabric paint, but I needed quite a bit, it had to be eco-friendly, and anyway I've always been less than impressed with fabric paint's tendency to crack and look shabby over time. So, not fabric paint, then.
Well, if I wanted it to be through-and-through Japanese, I couldn't think of anything more appropriate than sumi ink. I've seen Edo-period paper with characters that were still as black as the day they were written, so the ink definitely doesn't fade. And thanks to my son's mishap during a calligraphy class involving a brand new pair of beige pants, I knew first-hand that the stuff was also permanent on fabric. Another bonus: since it's usually made from only vegetable soot, gum arabic, and water, it is an eco-friendly option. And supply wasn't a problem; even the convenience stores carry it. Only one problem left: how could I make it so permanent that it wouldn't bleed onto anything else when it was washed? There are times when even the internet fails. All my searches about making sumi permanent on fabric led to dead ends. Maybe they did for you, too, and that's how you ended up here. Hopefully I can help you avoid the trial and error that I went through.
What *didn't* work
short dry time (pretty obvious) ironing dried inked fabric for 5 minutes with the highest heat the fabric could stand (this made no difference at all) starting with dried, inked fabric, spraying it until damp, ironing with a rag to soak up extra ink (a surprisingly small amount of ink transferred to the cloth, but the fabric still released a cloud of ink when I soaked it later) I didn't try alum for one main reason: correct me if I'm wrong, but my research told me that typically it's used as fabric *prep* so that it better accepts the color, which would mean my fabric would need to be damp before the ink was applied. If I were dying a whole shirt one color it wouldn't be a problem, but ink on a damp shirt would just bleed where I didn't want it.
What finally worked
Cotton shirt with brush-applied design, before and after washing. Please forgive the lighting difference.
The long dry time was definitely necessary. I don't have a clothes dryer, so I can't advise you there. I think air-drying is best, anyway, because it's easier to control how much the fabric rubs and contacts itself.
Shirt with sumi ink design, soaking in water with a small amount of laundry soap
Definitely use laundry soap when soaking. The modern chemical cocktail that is laundry soap is very effective at both removing whatever is not strongly bonded to the fabric, and keeping it from re-depositing itself in unwanted places.
Lastly, the color stop product. The Dylon "Color Stop" I used might only be available in Japan. It claimed on the product specifications that it wouldn't work on natural dyes, but I found it to be incredibly effective. According to the packet translation, it contained "mixed aqueous solution of double hydroxyl group and alkaline amino."
The Street Printing Process
Nothing too surprising here, I imagine. Just make sure you do this on a windless day.
Here's your materials list:
T-shirt, tote bag, etc.
paperboard to protect against bleed-through (don't make my mistake and use cardboard, because the channels in it will create lines on your design)
scrub brush
rags/ old towels/ etc.
lots of water for rinsing the ink off
ink (verify that it is eco-friendly)
gloves
paint roller
paint tray
something to put the dirty towels, used paint roller, and paint tray in
optional: tape or additional paperboard for masking off, also think about whether you'll be hanging around until your product is dried, or if you'll be rolling it up and transporting it immediately. If it's the latter, have a large sheet of paper available to lay on top of the item before rolling it up.
Street printing process
Find a likely object to print with, such as a manhole cover, grate, etc.
Clean it as well as you can with the scrub brush and towels. I wouldn't use water at this point because you really only need the surface to be clean, not the indentations. Plus it's usually rather futile to try to clean those deep cavities.
Prep your fabric. If you're printing on an item with layers like a tote or a shirt, put paperboard between the layers to keep the design from bleeding through to the opposite side. If desired, mask off areas you don't want the ink to appear (see the Raubdruckerin page for examples and design ideas).
Working quickly, because sumi can dry fast, use the paint roller to apply ink to the object. If your hands are dirty, now is the time to don gloves. Lay the fabric item down on the object and press evenly. When you're sure you've made sufficient contact everywhere, lift the fabric away by peeling from one corner. Set it aside to dry.
Using rags, remove as much remaining ink as possible from the object, then flush liberally with water until clean.
Prep fabric item for transport. Gather all materials. The idea is to leave the area better than you found it.
Follow steps 2-6 from Basic Fabric Process above.
Japanese manhole cover, before printing
Manhole cover, after printing and cleaning
So, if you followed the steps here, how did it go? I'd love to see your work!
Make sure your completed piece crosses left-over-right. It's important.
I assume you're here for the pattern. Let's get to that first, and then we'll talk backstory. This pattern works for split-top style tissue packs and top-pull tissue packs, as long as the dimensions are equal to or smaller than 8 x 12 x 2 cm. I created this pattern from a photo I took a while ago. If you have another pattern, or if you have suggestions for improving this one, please comment below.
The pattern
Materials needed
Lightweight woven fabric, at least 30 x 20 cm
Contrast lightweight woven fabric for the collar, at least 4 x 36 cm
Usual sewing supplies (iron, thread, etc.)
Instructions
Cutting
Cut out all pieces as shown in the photo below, all units are in centimeters, 1 cm seam allowance is already included, collar measures 36 x 4 cm:
Cutting guide for tissue cover pieces
Assembly
Generally, sew front pieces together, attach to the back at the shoulder, add the collar, then sew the side and bottom seams.
Now for all of that, with pictures:
With wrong sides facing out, sew middle cross pieces to the side pieces, aligning the bottom edge.
Middle cross pieces sewn to front side pieces
With wrong sides facing out, attach at the "shoulders"
"Shoulders" attached, preparing to attach the collar
With wrong sides facing out, attach collar, beginning at left cross edge (Note that collar edge does not meet on the right. This is intentional, but you can add an extra cm if you want the edges to meet):
Collar attached, then remaining edge was turned under twice and pressed
Hand sew the collar's free edge to the inside of the kimono, or stitch-in-the-ditch (with the correct side of the fabric up, sew between the collar and fabric seam to secure the collar's free edge). I sewed by hand because I like the look so much more, and the piece is small enough that it didn't take very long.
Match the side and bottom edges with wrong sides facing out. Sew.
Free edge of collar is stitched down. Sides and bottom edge are sewn.
Trim seams and turn piece right-side out. Press and stuff with tissue pack. Done!!
The backstory
I was in Hitachiota, Ibaraki during the Hinamatsuri festival. The shops go all-out with their decorations for Girl's Day, and there are lots and lots of handmade items on display. An especially common theme are paired items representing an emperor and empress. There were lots of cute designs, but I really liked the charm and practicality of this tissue cover:
The tissue cover that started it all for me
I should have bought it. I don't know why I didn't. It would have been much easier to develop a pattern with an actual product in front of me, but ah, well. Live and learn. Honestly, I still like theirs better, so I'll probably fiddle with the pattern a little more, hoping to get it just right.
If you decide to make one, here are a few things to keep in mind: kimono are always worn with the left side crossing over the right, except when a person who has died is lying in state. Then the kimono is crossed right-over-left. It's a little detail, but it is very important. Also, patterns and colors are different for men and women. For women it's usually red and/or ornate patterns, and for men it's muted colors or black or blue. Not always, but usually. Of course, you could always throw caution to the wind and make it however you like. Creativity is highly encouraged, as are pictures! ;-)
I assume you're here for the how-to. Just three paragraphs of fluff and then we'll get to it.
Completed dress form at lowest height
Why a dress form?
I've got reeeaaaally broad shoulders. As in, men's medium or large shirts fit me pretty well in that area. So finding stuff in Japan that fits me well is a challenge. Much easier to make my own clothes, and it's easier to make or alter my own clothes if I have a dress form to drape on. I actually have a personalized soft foam form back in the States, but the shipping cost was prohibitive. So, DIY to the rescue.
Why not just make a duct tape form?
Duct tape isn't pinnable. It gets your pins all sticky. Paper tape works and doesn't get pins sticky, but I have a hard time sourcing it here and it requires wetting the paper and then waiting for it to dry while it's on your body. Both types are also difficult to put on a stand, and are easily malformed. Originally I thought I would make a tape form and fill it with foam and call it good, but I realized I really don't like the surface of the tape form (duct tape and paper tape have trouble staying smooth and they're prone to buckling). I decided that using the tape shell as a mold for the foam was the best option for solving all all of the issues in one go. Even though it's early days yet, it looks like it worked even better than I expected.
Time required
Probably 5 solid days, depending on how you work. I'm just assuming that you have to feed yourself and run errands and other essential things like that. The foam probably took 4 hours, with walk-away time during the curing process. I had to sand quite a bit of foam away afterward, which took about 2 hours. The cutting, fitting, trimming, and sewing by hand and machine took about 8 hours. Area prep and cleanup also take time. That doesn't add up to 5 days, but everything always takes longer than I think it will, so I figured I'd overestimate for once.
Total cost
Less than ￥10,000
Materials (top to bottom, plus a few extra I missed in the picture)
DIY dress form materials
Taped dress shell (old shirt, lots of duct tape, plastic wrap, friend to help)
Cardboard
Pillow
Old hanger (rigid, not flexible)
PVC pipe 2 meters long
Duct tape
Pipe that fits inside the PVC pipe, at least 1 meter long (2 is probably best)
Metal file
Sponge block (I didn't need this in the end)
Coping saw
Plastic ring that can be tightened, same diameter as the inside pipe
Long-sleeved gloves
Mask
Base
Socket and screws to attach the pipe to the base
Expanding spray foam
Power drill
Not pictured
Utility knife (also for cutting the foam)
Cardboard tube (from gift wrap, paper towel rolls, etc.)
Spray bottle filled with water
Kitchen plastic wrap
3 meters of heavy fabric to cover the dress form
Curved needles for hand sewing
Strong thread
Bra that fits well, if you usually wear one
Cotton batting for quilts
Glue gun and glue sticks
Process (in brief)
So here's the gist. Fill a dress form shell with spray foam. After the foam cures, cut away the shell and use it to make the pattern for your dress form's cover. Pad or trim the cured foam to match your measurements, cover the foam lightly with quilter's batting, and put the cover on your dress form.
Process (detailed text, not enough pictures)
Make a taped dress form that includes the neck and sleeves. If you haven't done this before, get a few how-to videos under your belt before you try it. For this case a duct tape form will be fine. I tried using brown craft paper because it was less than ￥100 per roll. The problem with it was that it didn't stick to itself well, and it didn't form well to curves. If I did it over again, I would use duct tape.
Cut the form off of the body, straight up the back. You already know to be careful here.
Create the inner skeleton. Take the wide diameter pipe and use the coping saw and the metal file to notch out a place for the hanger. Slip the hanger in and tape it in place with duct tape.
Tube with notched-out area for hanger
Slip the cardboard tubes over the hanger arms and tape them in place. This will help the dress form keep a rounded shape at the shoulders.
Hanger taped to wide-diameter pipe, with cardboard tubes covering the arms
Make the form's base. Attach the socket to the base using the drill and screws. Fit the smaller-diameter pipe into the socket. Add the screw collar to the pipe, somewhere near the bottom. You'll use this later to adjust your dress form's height.
Prep your shell. Line the inside of your taped dress shell with two separate layers of plastic wrap. This will help the shell release from the finished foam. You'll reuse the shell to make a pattern for the dress form cover. Use plastic wrap to cover the neck hole. Cap the sleeve ends of the shell with cardboard and tape in place.
Pad out your skeleton. Take the pillow and poke the pipe-hanger through it from the pillow's seam edge to the opposite edge. The pillow is key because it gives the foam room to expand, without bursting your dress shell. Place the pipe-hanger-pillow into the taped dress shell, fitting the hanger into the dress shell's shoulders. Center the hook in the shell's neck as best you can. You won't tape the dress shell's center back closed yet.
Fill upper front torso with spray foam. Stuff starts happening quickly here. Have a spray bottle filled with water handy. The spray foam requires water to activate and cure, so you'll be using it frequently. Protect all surfaces where the foam might land. Do this project in a well-ventilated area.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT touch wet foam because it sticks, then it makes long sticky strings, and then it sticks like superglue to whatever else it comes in contact with. Superglue cheese. Horribly messy stuff while it's wet. Instead, if it ended up somewhere you didn't want it, wait for it to dry, and then sand it off.
Lay your shell down on its chest. Liberally spray the inner surface of the shell with water. Wearing your long gloves, mask, protective eye wear, and clothes you don't care about, follow the directions on the spray-foam container (shaking and all that good prep stuff). Squirt a couple test streams into the arms of one sleeve of the shell, just to get an idea of how much the foam will expand. Once you get comfortable with it, lift up the bottom end of the hanger-pipe and spray inside the sleeves and chest front, and down the torso. Lay the pipe down and spray into areas that will be hard to reach when the shell is taped closed (neck area, shoulders, upper torso). You might use an entire can here. Don't do the area below the torso yet. Spray the foam with water immediately. Tape the dress shell closed. Let the foam harden.
Spray foam the lower body. You'll probably be starting a new can of foam here. Same precautions as before. Prep with water. Spray foam into the bottom of the dress shell, trying hard to get it into all the nooks and crannies. Spray with water. You'll actually have to hold the form upside-down while you wait for it to cure enough that it's safe to lay it down or lean it against something. Allow to cure again.
Check for unfilled areas. Once it is completely dry and cured, gently use your hands to press all over the dress form from the outside, searching for pockets that the foam didn't get to. If it's a hard-to-reach area, you have the option of poking a hole in the dress shell and applying foam that way. Just make sure you've sprayed the foam everywhere it needs to go. Spray with water. Again, allow to cure.
Spray foam steps are finished! Also, I caught a big one!
Remove tape shell from foam body. Once the foam is completely dry and cured, try to remove the tape shell from the foam form in one piece. Save the shell. Now it's time to make measurements. Measure at your waist, hips, and chest, then compare to the foam's measurements. If it's too big, use sandpaper, a utility knife, or the coping saw to reduce it (again, mask, safety glasses, well-ventilated area, etc.). If it's only a little too small, that's fine since we'll be using cotton batting to pad the form a little.
Make the cover for the dress form. Take your taped shell from before and mark princess seams on the front and back of one side. Mark the side seams, keeping them perpendicular to the floor. Mark the shoulder seams. Mark the neck seams. Mark the armscye (where the arm meets the body, the sleeve seam). I also marked triangles on the seams to help me match points.
IMPORTANT: You need to decide if you want to have a back center seam, or if you want to sew the sheath closed at the side seam. Having a back center seam makes it easier to do a fit-check, but it is a much longer seam to sew by hand than the side seam.
Cut the shell into pattern pieces. Cut the marked seams. For symmetry, flip the cut side onto the uncut side (front and back, but not at the same time) and draw princess seams again. (If your body halves are not equal, draw the princess seams by hand instead of using the cut side as the pattern.) Mark and label all pieces, and cut out.
Cut out your fabric. If your tape shell held together pretty well, you can use it as your pattern pieces. Lay them on your fabric, add seam allowance (be generous, in case you want to expand your form later), mark an label all pieces and cut out. If your shell suffered a lot, use it to make a test sheath first using inexpensive fabric like gingham. Adjust as necessary and make a new pattern, then continue on the form's fabric.
Tape shell as pattern on gingham test fabric
Apply a thin layer of batting to the form. Spray foam tends to shed. Minimize it with a layer of cotton batting between your foam and your cover. The batting should separate easily into very fine layers, so you have a lot of control over how thick or thin it is.
Cotton batting, separated into thin layers
Foam form with cotton batting applied
If applicable, add a bra. Put the bra on your dress form, if you normally wear one. I forgot this step and really wish I hadn't. By the time I remembered, I'd sewn the cover on completely and I didn't want to undo it all.
Sew the cover. If you have a center back seam, sew all pieces together and leave that seam open. Ease it onto your form and check the fit. Adjust as necessary.
If you do not have a center back seam, sew all pieces except one side seam. Ease onto your dress form and check the fit. Adjust as necessary.
Zipper or no zipper? Time to make a choice. You can either use a zipper to close your cover, or you can use a ladder stitch and finish it all by hand. A zipper is much faster for making adjustments, but it might get in the way during drapings and fittings. Sewing by hand can be awkward and time-consuming, but the result looks very professional and you have a lot of control over the fabric while you sew. Choose the one that works best for your situation and put the cover on your form.
I chose to close my cover by hand at the side seam
Make hole covers. The only thing left is to cover the visible holes for the arms, neck, and lower body. Use the form as a guide and trace the shape of the openings onto cardboard. With the same fabric you used for the form, cover the cardboard. Wrap the fabric up over the edges and glue to the wrong side of the cardboard with a glue gun.
Cap the holes. Use a ladder stitch and strong thread to sew the cardboard covers onto the dress form cover. That's it! You're done!! You may want to cut the large-diameter pipe so that it ends close to your dress form. It will look better. Until I buy a longer base-pipe, I'm going to leave mine so it's not too wobbly.
Sewing the cardboard cover on by hand, using a curved quilting needle and silk thread
Final thoughts
Pros: the project met my goals. It was inexpensive, the supplies were easy to find at my local hardware store, I was able to complete it at home, and the finished product is sturdy, professional-looking, fits my body type, and I can use pins on it. Cons: It was definitely messy. The spray foam squirted unexpectedly a few times, and even after a few washes it's still stuck to my old pants. Sanding and cutting the foam makes dust that gets everywhere, and it's staticky so it can be hard to remove. It also does take quite a bit of effort and time. So, what do you think? Did I skip any steps? Did I leave you with questions?
If you make this project, I hope you'll share the results here in the comments. Good luck!
Psst, here's the best part: it only weighs 2.5 kg!
