How to make a kids' yukata

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one yukata, 120 cm height)

• Main fabric (cotton, chusen-dyed or double gauze) — about 110 cm wide × 250 cm (43 × 98 in)
• Sewing thread
• Two waist cords (store-bought or made from the same fabric)

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Kids' clothes” → “Kids' yukata” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the length, the body width, the sleeve length, the sleeve width and the collar width. Presets cover heights of 100 to 130 cm.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Trace the pattern
   Every line is straight. You can rule them straight onto the fabric.
2. Cut the pieces
   2 body panels, 2 sleeves, 1 collar, 2 okumi. The front half of each body panel is narrower on the inner edge, leaving a step at the shoulder line — that is the neck opening.
3. Transfer the notches
   Mark the shoulder line, the sleeve-join notch and the okumi notch on the body, the fold line and the sleeve-join and cuff notches on the sleeve, and the collar-end notch on the okumi.

4. Sewing

4-1. Make the body

1. Fold each body panel at the shoulder notch, which joins front to back.
2. Place the two panels right sides together and sew the center back from the hem up to the step at the neck opening. Leave the front inner edges unsewn.
3. Sew the sides from the hem up to the sleeve-join notch. Above it stays open for the sleeve.

4-2. Attach the okumi

1. Sew the long edge of each okumi to the inner edge of the front, from the okumi notch down to the hem, right sides together.
2. The okumi is the overlap that lets the front wrap. Without it the front gapes.

4-3. Attach the sleeves

1. Fold each sleeve at its fold line and sew the cuff edge below its notch and the underarm, leaving the cuff open.
2. Sew the sleeve-join edge between its notches into the opening left at the side of the body (from the shoulder down to the notch).
3. Hem the cuff openings.

4-4. Attach the collar

1. Fold the collar in half lengthwise and press.
2. Match the collar center to the center back and sew it from one collar end to the other: back neck, front inner edge, the slanted edge of the okumi, enclosing the raw edge.
3. Hem the okumi edge below the collar end and the bottom.

✏️ The preset lengths run from the shoulder to the ankle (about 70% of height), to be worn as is. If you want an ohashori fold under the waist cord, or a sewn waist tuck, make the length about the child's height instead. You cannot lengthen it after cutting, so if in doubt, cut it longer.

5. Tips & variations

• Tuck for growth: cut it long and take a tuck at the waist, then let it down as the child grows.
• Match the jinbei: made in the same fabric as the jinbei top and pants, siblings match.
• A machine is fine: it is all straight seams, so hand sewing is not required.