1930s Silk Kimono Robe

Since I won't have any time this weekend, I made myself sew for two hours today. I started a mock-up of the 1930's Kimono robe I'm making for my sister. I just draped and played around with muslin and I like how it all turned out. I'll have to have my sister try it on to make sure it drapes on her well and that she likes it. So here are two pictures of the muslin version which of course isn't perfectly finished. I didn't complete one of the sleeves or make a sash yet. Also, I included a picture of the silk that was chosen for the robe.

For those of you wondering about fabric care, I was told, by several costumers, including my wonderful costume construction professor at UCLA, that there are very few fabrics that you can't wash. The trick is to test wash a small portion and if it survives the wash in the hot cycle, you should pre-wash the fabric. That way, after the garment is made, you don't have to dry clean it. So I did wash the silk and it still looks and feels wonderful. I don't bother with all fabrics. But since I want my sister to be able to treat this like an everyday item, it was important that it be easy to take care of.