This kimono was inspired by two of my favorite Japanese motifs: koi fish and sakura branches. The design evokes the image of koi fish swimming in a river beneath the blooming cherry blossoms. The contrasting colors of the obi belt represent flowing water.

The pattern is charted with written instructions for assembly. The kimono is worked in overlay mosaic crochet, and the obi is regular crochet. If you’ve ever made a mosaic crochet project with a double envelope border then this project should be simple to follow!

The pattern can be adjusted for length. The full chart will make a kimono that fits a height around 5’10”-6’ (177-182 cm), with instructions to shorten it to 5’4”-5’6” (162-167 cm). The pattern currently fits up to a 44” hip, but I am working on a plus sized set of charts which will fit up to 57” and be released as a free update when it’s available. I’d love to work with folks around that size to make a pattern that will fit properly! If you’re interested feel free to reach out to me, I will gladly give you a copy of the pattern in exchange for some measurements and feedback :)

Correct pattern gauge is 34 st’s x 34 rows = 6”/15 cm, Ravelry doesn’t allow swatches above 4”.

Yarn used for kimono (all from Ice Yarns):

• Pure Cotton Fine in White (3 lots) and Orange (1 lot)
• Natural Cotton Fine in Dark Orange (2 lots, 1 if shortened version)
• Amigurumi Cotton 25 in Light Orange (1 lot)
• Viscosa Brillante in Gold (1 lot, held double)

Yarn used for obi:

• <1 skein each of worsted weight yarn in 5-6 coordinating colors (good for partial skeins)

Materials:

• E hook (3.5mm)
• Stitch markers
• Tapestry needle
• Blocking mats (or large flat surface) and pins
• Measuring tape
• 3+ buttons for obi, at least ½”/1 cm diameter. Smaller buttons are not recommended, but larger ones may be used if desired.