Turning a Hakama into a Sashinuki?

[matsumoto]

Greetings from Japan,

I happened to get my hands on a Shintopriest hakama and I was wondering if it is possible to turn this Hakama into a Sashinuki?
Never held a needle in my hand so I am not going to make one myself and buying one is very expensive. The Hakama is a bit too long anyways so in theory I could use some of this fabric to create a blooming form if possible.

www.bilder-upload.eu/show.php?file=3002cf-1415011533.jpg


Matsumoto

[Please Delete]

It really depends on how much extra you have. If it is trailing by about a foot or so, I suspect you can do it--you just need to run a cord through the bottom hems. You should be able to test this by putting them on and trying to tie it around your calf or ankle with a simple cord, and see what it is like. Generally there needs to be a lot of fabric, though.

[Deleted]

Well... and this is only my opinion of course... but maybe.

Typically, hakama com down to your ankles, sashinuki are tied just below the knee to create the "bloom", so the amount that makes them "a bit too long" for you would need to be roughly equal to the distance between your ankles and your knees. That is, if your normal hakama are about 40 inches long, sashinuki for you would need to be about 50 inches long.

If these hakama aren't long enough, you might be able to do something with extra fabric by extending the length of the legs. That might look terrible, though.

If the legs of the hakama have four panels each, you could totally deconstruct the hakama, remove one panel from each leg, cut that panel into thirds, use those pieces to extend the length of the remaining three panels, then reconstruct the hakama as sashinuki with three panels per leg. That might be more work than you are up to.

Don't be so pessimistic about your sewing ability. Hakama are not really that difficult to make, and sashinuki are basically really long hakama.

So, maybe, but probably not without at least some effort. I know what you mean about buying such things being expensive. I suppose Western clothing is much the same. You can dress informally for not much money, but try to get dressed up special and the bills pile up quickly. (Hm.)

[Please Delete]

The earliest ones appear to tie at the ankle, but this does require a good tight fit, and I usually find it easier to tie just below the knee; modern versions eschew this altogether for internal ties.

To tie around the ankles should work if you have less fabric. I'm not hopeful, though, if these are from Japan.

Ii

[Please Delete]

Oh, on adding fabric: you might be able to add an extension of plain, white fabric (I would suggest prewashed silk, probably habotai, but with some strength and not the thinnest available) and I seem to recall seeing this done before. Regardless, it will be about what shows when they are worn.

Ii

[matsumoto]

Thank you for your input. I took a picture. I hope its helpful to determine how much fabric is left. I know the Hakama is too long for me, but is it long enough for my purpose?
If I remember correctly you need to have some sliks strips sewn on the inside of your Sashinuki, so you can tie it around the ancle?



Matsumoto

[yamashita]

Wrap them around where you want them to be on your legs. If the length is ideal, I say go with that. After which, of course, you may see what you can do as far as attatching cordage to it. That's the simple answer, anyway...