From casual to formal, the kimono shape has endured
for centuries as a staple form of dress for peasantry and nobility alike.
The classic boxy shape is recognized worldwide as an
icon of Japanese life and culture and is used as a canvas for color, pattern,
and design. In Knit Kimono, author Vicki Square has created 18 unique designs,
each illustrating a knitted interpretation of a style or feature of traditional
kimono. The styles and shapes of the garments run the gamut from short to long,
rectangular sleeves to shaped, straight to overlapping front opening, with sleeves
or without, casual to dressy. The knitted fabric matches traditional kimono design
as much as possible—yarns are composed of natural fibers like silk, cotton,
linen, bamboo, and wool, and stitch patterns are chosen that drape and move much
as their woven counterparts.
In addition to 18 kimono projects, Knit Kimono offers
a brief history of the traditional kimono shape and how it has endured through
centuries of political and social change. Although the projects may look difficult,
they are based on simple rectangular shapes that require very little shaping on
the knitter’s part. These are ideal first-garment projects for knitters
wanting to venture beyond scarves. These are also ideal projects for experienced
knitters wanting classic, wearable garments. Create your own timeless and wearable
work of art with Knit Kimono.
Paperbound, 8½ x 9, 128 pages
80 photographs, 50 illustrations, 30 charts
ISBN 978-1-931499-89-7
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