How much I hate polyester satin: or what can be used and what should never be used!

I would love to see people post about the items for kitsuke they have repurposed from other uses, and things they have made from scratch:
(belt buckles, brooches, earrings and necklaces can all be turned into obi-dome, I promise)

Also, let this be a place for those who can't necessarily afford to buy a full kimono set, find ways to create a set using items they may already have -- kimono kitsuke on a budget, or where DID all my dishtowels and shoelaces go? Dish towels can be used for obi-makura pillows in soft Taiko-musubi knots. In a pinch, one can use nylons, shoe laces, ribbon or yarn in the place of traditional japanese silk himo to hold kimono and obi knots in place while dressing. I don't really recommend any of these! But I have done it and had it work!

What are some of the other creative things people have done to wear their kimono?

Well,sometimes I make my own koshihimo. I made them from silk. They are so necessary,and you never know for sure how many you'll need!
When I tried to do other musubi than the otaiko one,I realize that I needed more,and I really didn't want to spend 8$ to 12$ in then.
So I made my own and I'm really happy with them ^^

I'm trying to break into painting obi -- and making obi. this is the first such piece that I would be making to wear on the outside of the kimono -- I've made things like juban, han-juban and wrap skirts to layer under kimono before -- I'm too tall for most regular juban to fit the length of my legs.

Weirdest thing that ever got turned into Kimono-kitsuke: A table cloth and placemats. I made a tsuke-obi for a halloween costume kimono that was for a wind-up geisha-doll, and therefore was covered in gears! That was fun, but not something I would EVER wear normally.

Hasume wrote:

I'm trying to break into painting obi -- and making obi. this is the first such piece that I would be making to wear on the outside of the kimono -- I've made things like juban, han-juban and wrap skirts to layer under kimono before -- I'm too tall for most regular juban to fit the length of my legs.

Weirdest thing that ever got turned into Kimono-kitsuke: A table cloth and placemats. I made a tsuke-obi for a halloween costume kimono that was for a wind-up geisha-doll, and therefore was covered in gears! That was fun, but not something I would EVER wear normally.

You're very creative! That's really great,so the kitsuke never gets boring ^^
I have made a Pente obi,you can see it here.
I'm a painter,and recently I had wonderful ideas to paint...on obi!
I bought some plain silk obis,and then I draw and paint on them. This one is my first,but I hope to make many more.
I would love to be an obi painter,and my next obis will be for sale(if I'll be able to keep my cold blood and let them go away,of course!).

[quote="Kimino] I have made a Pente obi,you can see it here.
I'm a painter,and recently I had wonderful ideas to paint...on obi!
I bought some plain silk obis,and then I draw and paint on them. This one is my first,but I hope to make many more.
I would love to be an obi painter,and my next obis will be for sale(if I'll be able to keep my cold blood and let them go away,of course!).[/quote]

Kimino-san - have you painted any obi recently - I particularly love your owl obi and was wondering if you'd made any more. I love to look at your projects!

Best,

Hasume

P.S. Right now I am working on pocchiri for Maiko-henshin - I have a performance in 2 weeks! @___@