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 (shop-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 piece is a rectangle. You can rule the lines straight onto the fabric.
2. Cut the pieces
   2 body panels, 2 sleeves, 1 collar, 2 okumi.
3. Transfer the notches
   Mark the shoulder fold on the body and the fold on the sleeve. Those are where the pieces fold double.

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.
3. Sew the sides, leaving the top section — the sleeve width — open.

4-2. Attach the okumi

1. Sew an okumi panel to the front edge of each front, 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 notch and sew the underarm, leaving the cuff end open.
2. Sew each sleeve into the opening left at the side of the body.
3. Hem the cuff openings.

4-4. Attach the collar

1. Fold the collar in half lengthwise and press.
2. Sew it round the neckline and down both front edges, enclosing the raw edge.
3. Hem the bottom.

✏️ Cut the length to roughly the child's height. It will look far too long, but the excess is taken up as the ohashori fold under the waist cord — that is what makes it a yukata. Cut it short to begin with and there is no fold to make, and it cannot be dressed properly.

5. Tips & variations

• Length equals height: this is the rule in Japanese dressmaking. The waist cord takes up the rest.
• 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.