Let me say that I am generally not good at following other people's tutorials. Honestly, I really only look at the pictures and only read the words after I've made the mistake. Yes, I don't know where get off either.
That said, I really loved the tutorial for it's great photo illustrations and clear writing for figuring out where I went wrong. The kimono is simplicity in it's finest. Quick and classic. If you are the other person who hasn't made one yet, I highly recommend you go for it.
Now a word about the fabric. I've gone on a bit about my material lack here but I did find 3/4 of a meter in a thrift store I was taken with. It had flowers. Birdie Boy likes flowers. In addition to trucks. I asked The Man before I began: Is this too girly? And he says, 'No.' Because he's a liberated guy (he likes flowers too.)
But it is too girly, isn't it?
Hmmmm... (Maybe it just looks off because of his post nasal drip :D)
Anyway, great kimono tutorial. Please go find it. Thanks Habitual!
I don't think it's too girly - I didn't even realise the fabric was floral until you pointed it out, but me thinks that may say more about my dodgey eyesight than anything else.
ReplyDeleteI must be the other person of which you speak. Will make it. Soon. Because you said so & it looks so darn cute.
Honestly? I thought it was a bit girly. Not even especially because of the fabric. I think it's more the combination of fabric and the style of the kimono top. Other than that: I love how the top looks. I never made it either. But now I really want to :-)
ReplyDeleteits a lovely top, and who cares if its a bit girly or not! my son has pink reins lol
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to convince my dh to let me make one for my son, but he thinks it's too girly. Even with trucks. I love Birdie Boy's! Blue bias tape makes anything manly!
ReplyDeleteAs my dad likes to say "real men wear pink". I think that applies to floral prints as well. I think it looks great!
ReplyDeleteBeing new to your blog I actually thought the first picture was a girl, and because of the print. But, the shirt style looks great on him and it answered the question of if I should make some for my son as well as my daughter.
ReplyDeleteSociety makes up rules about what boys and girls "should" do (and wear). But you and your family don't have to follow them! Every time someone breaks those so-called rules, the world becomes a friendlier, less-divisive place, I think. So if your little boy likes flowers, go for it! (On this subject, take a listen to Dar Williams' song "When I Was a Boy.")
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to the tutorial! I may make one of these for my daughter, who is mad for pirates and cheetahs. I hope I can find appropriate fabric! :)
I haven't made the habitual kimono yet either...though I've been wanting to. I certainly don't think the kimono style is too girly (and that's part of why I love it so much). Nor do I think that print is too girly, maybe a bit girly, but not too girly.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is too girly, I just love it. But I am a mum who made her boy a flowerkimono with blue binding too :-) kimono</a
ReplyDeleteIt turned out really cute. (And I have to admit I hadn't heard of the tutorial until now.) It may be a little on the girly side, but if my three year old son wanted to wear it, I'm sure I'd wind up letting him. People are terrible about picking up on clues for little ones genders anyhow. Any time my son was little and I dressed him in anything but blue, I always got comments on how cute "she" was. Yellow, green, brown, orange, red--anything that wasn't blue! I rarely bothered correcting because it would have taken more time and effort than I really felt bothered about. So maybe the blue trim will do it for most people. Who really cares anyhow if he's happy with it?
ReplyDeleteHe reminds me of my two youngest. They were blond and took their sweet time about getting a real head of hair. Easier to be patient about it with a boy than a girl, but they do look like babies longer!
~Jenny~
I don't think it's too girly, and you have renewed my determination to make one for my boy--one of the few easy clothing tutes that works for boys!
ReplyDeleteToo girly for what, exactly?
ReplyDeleteI think it is the combo of the style of top and the flowers, but it's not like you wrote 'MY MUM WANTED A GIRL' on it. It's certainly too girly for the execs who think that girls should only wear pink and boys only blue or possibly kahki. But I don't think it's too far accross the cultural divide for everyday whear.
i think your boy looks fantastic in this top! and its not too 'girly' at all. why can't boys wear flowers? i love it. :)
ReplyDeletei made this top recently too. very good tute. I did have a hard time figuring out the tie placement but that's just me. I ended up switching to snaps. I made it for my son after his heart surgery. I also made him some matching trouser/bandana style pants. I LOVED IT. But he doesn't. Every time I put him to bed in it, he comes in the next morning with it in his hand. I have photos on my blog. http://totesandtherapy.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/sewing/
ReplyDeletehe is NOT wearing the matching pants in the photo though...
Honestly... I would say it is a bit girly. However, the trim/tie in brown or black would move it more in the boy direction, and I would widen the trim a bit, and then I think it would say "boy", if you care about that. It is adorable, though!
ReplyDeleteIt's totally girly to me, but super cute!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I've decided that I'm going to send this kimono onto a girl child of a friend and make Birdie another one. The main problem is not the girlyness per se, but that anything remotely 'pretty' I make for the boy is stolen by his sister, who says I make 'boy' clothes for. She's five: gender ideology is law.
ReplyDeleteFrom now on, if I get an idea to make something for one child I will actually make it for the other. Maybe me being so out there chosing gendered clothing has something to do with growing up in the '80s :D
I just love your photos - what a cute little model.
ReplyDeleteIf you continue to think it's too "girly", you could overdye it to reduce the contrast, making the flowers less obvious. Come to think of it, you and the kids could "color" the white with dye pens, sharpies, dye "crayons", or Rit and paint brushes (and gloves!). It's a good looking shirt!
ReplyDelete