Do I know what I'm doing?

Well, I've bit the bullet and have started tearing apart Yano-san's mother's kimonos. At least one. I have no idea what I'm doing or what I'm working with or what I'm headed for. The kimonos are of different fabrics and even Yano-san didn't know what they are made of. Silk? Polyester? Brushed cotton? The inner lining looks like silk but I don't really know. The pretty orange fabric is still on the roll and it is very loud compared to all the other kimonos. Obaachan must have bought it for one of her daughters or grandaughters years and years ago and it has just sat in the cupboard. Anyay, I started with a haori rather than one of the kimonos since a haori is smaller. Haoris are kimono jackets that only go part way to the knees. Traditionally, all these kimonos would be made of silk but I'm not sure...

So, I sat on the floor and with my trusty pointed scissors and started taking out seams from the haori. Well, as I had been told, all kimono are made by hand and this was true of this one so maybe it is silk. Tiny little even stitches all over the piece. A minimum amount of cutting was done. Everything is symetrical. The width of the fabric is the width of the sleeves and where a piece is too wide, the fabric has one big pleat in it. Anyway. I tore it all apart and discarded the lining (which was stained and weak) and was left with the pieces which I've ironed and laid out on the bedroom floor (right side down so that you can see the pieces). That is the complete haori. No waste whatsoever! So now what am I going to do? Think I'll attack one kimono a day for awhile. I've had enough for the day.