Vintage kimono embroidery gets a second life when appliquéd to a contemporary ready-to-wear denim jacket. Designer and sewer June Colburn explains the main requirement for using this technique is to choose a simple handmade or store-bought garment without prominent darts, which can affect the shaping of the appliquéd embroidery. She describes some kimono types and typical embroidery motifs, provides a list of kimono sources, and then explains how to harvest embroideries in her article “Embellishments: Rescued embroidery,” published in Threads #201, Feb./March 2019. She even details the best needle and thread to use for this project.

See a 360-degree view of June’s kimono embroidery-appliquéd jacket, and zoom in for a closer look at its stunning details.