When I visited Japan a couple of years ago, I noticed there were several used kimono on sale right outside of a consigned shop. They were all $5 each! The shop keeper told me that they have stains or other minor blemishes, so that they can’t be worn any longer. I thought that they were perfect to make cushions or skirts. I picked two pretty kimonos, and brought them back to New York.
Just in case if you don’t know, kimonos are constructed from a roll of long narrow fabric, about 14.5~15 inches wide. This long fabric is cut straight mostly widthwise and sometimes lengthwise to construct a kimono, but never cut in curves. The pieces of fabric are sewn together entirely by hand. Therefore, when a kimono is deconstructed, the pieces of fabric will go back to long pieces of original fabric, which are perfect for crafts.
Kimono fabric is also densely woven, so that it’s suitable for intricate crafts, such as purses or wallets. I wrapped tins, but there are wide range of possibilities for kimono fabric.