Making a hanhaba obi

[Helen]

Hi all!

I recently purchased my first yukata. It's a contemporary garment rather than an antique, I'm afraid (I'm a student so I have a rather limited budget) but it's made using the traditional pattern. If anyone's feeling nosy then here's the pic from the website:

www.jun-gifts.com/specialcollections/yukatakimono/yukatakimonoccc.htm

Anyway, I'd better get to the point. I already have a plain white kaku obi (yes, I know these are usually worn by men but I've seen Japanese women wearing them with yukata as well) to wear with my yukata around the house. However, I'd like to wear my yukata in public so I could do with a hanhaba obi as well. The trouble is that obi tend to be rather expensive, and, as I've already mentioned, I have a fairly limited budget. So I was wondering how easy/difficult it would be for me to make my own hanhaba obi.

If anyone can give me any advice on this subject (useful links, what fabric I should use and where to find it, possible colour combinations, etc.) then it would be much appreciated. Alternatively, if you don't think that it's a good idea for me to try and make my own obi then just say so - I don't bite...hard. Although if that's the case then it would be nice if someone could point me in the direction of a bargain or two.

In short, any advice you can give me would be much appreciated.

- Helen

[bawsin]

Welcome, Helen! That's a very pretty yukata you've bought.

I don't know a thing about making obi, but several people have mentioned the following book, which apparently includes some patterns for obi:

Make Your Own Japanese Clothes: Patterns and Ideas for Modern Wear by John Marshall. Detailed instructions on making Japanese garments, using either traditional Japanese sewing methods or easier modern methods. Includes patterns, fabric suggestions, and sizing instructions. 136 pages, softcover. Published by Kodansha America Inc., 1988.

Here's the listing on the Amazon.com site:
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/087011865X/qid=1101349295/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-0609796-0913528?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

As your funds are limited, you might like to look into buying a second-hand copy, either through Amazon.com (which facilitates this service) or through some other used-book site such as abebooks.com. Better yet, your library may have a copy (mine does!), or if not, you may be able to obtain it through interlibrary loan.

I don't know how good the obi section of the book is, and whether it includes a pattern for hanhaba; the index on Amazon.com really doesn't indicate. If you like, I may be able to borrow the book over the next couple of days and take a look for you. That way, if there's nothing on constructing hanhaba obi, then you've not lost anything. Would that work for you?

[bawsin]

Helen, two afterthoughts:

1) You may find it worthwhile to search on eBay for hanhaba (and don't forget also to search for the variant spellings "han-haba" and "han haba", not to mention such alternative terms as "half-width obi"). There's one hanhaba obi on eBay right now; the starting price is $5.99, and there are no bids yet. It looks to be synthetic, but then, most hanhaba obi are...

2) You might also try asking people in the cosplay community for more information on making obi. For example, I did a quick Google and found this thread on "obis and sashes" on a cosplay site:
forums.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=9540

The thread includes this info: "Hanhaba obi are the type worn with yukata. These are lightweight, a single layer, but still stiff like canvas. The fiber can vary. Some are silk (usually converted from other obi). Most of the ones I have are either acrylic or wool. I've also have one that's a satin polyester and reversible-- red on one side, yellow on the other."

I daresay that if you contacted the original poster, she may be able to give you some more guidance - based on actual experience! - re: sewing hanhaba.

[Helen]

Thank you for your advice, bawsin.

I've had a good look around ebay and managed to find a few hanhaba obi but most of them are pre-tied or silk (I'd prefer a cotton or acrylic obi since the yukata's made of cotton), so I think I'll wait a while to see if anything more suitable pops up.

Thanks for the link to the cosplay forums - I didn't think of that. I'll e-mail the poster and see if she can point me in the direction of a hanhaba obi pattern. If not, then I'd appreciate it if you checked the book for me.

[Helen]

Okay, I've managed to solve my obi problem but I have another question for anyone who can answer it.

I've heard a lot of conflicting information concerning wearing yukata in public. I've heard that yukata that come with a sash, even if they don't have a lining (such as the one I bought) are only meant to worn around the house and so they aren't suitable for public wear. If this is the case then I don't really mind so much because I wear my yukata as a dressing gown anyway, so its still got a use. Besides, Christmas is coming up soon and there are quite a few affordable yukata available on ebay. ^^ So buying another yukata to wear in public isn't too much of a problem for me.

However, I've seen quite a few Japan-based websites, which say that yukata that come with a sash can be worn both around the house and for public appearances with an obi.

This is a bit confusing as I'm not really sure who's right or who's wrong here. Can anybody give me some clarification?

[Ume]

These yukata you talk about are actually nemaki = sleepwear. These are not appropriate to wear outsidec unless, on a very hot day leaving the bathhouse walking strait home. These gowns are not supposed to be worn outside, especially not when going out, the short route from the bathhouse to your home should be ok though.

Yukata worn out side of the house, mostly to festivals, are a bit different. Usually they are longer, for outside wear a women needs the ohashori at the waist (over blousing tuck at the waist/hips) the nemaki are shorter (and easier to wear) so you canft make this tuck. With out this tuck your kimono is not appropriate for outside wear.

Ichiro san and Yuka san sell gorgeous yukata to wear so if I where you I would have a look at there site. Use the search option for yukata, they are really very lovely!