Wafuku - Vintage & Antique Japanese Kimonos, Haori & More

Adjusting kimono length - an easy way to cheat and save time when shortening it the traditional way - when wearing a kimono shortened to length the traditional way (see above), with a big fold tied in place at the waist, you can cheat a bit to save time by making the fold at the waist and just loosely stitching it in place with simple, very large stitches. Don't worry about the big stitches showing on the outside, the sash will cover them. This way, you can have your kimono adjusted to length the traditional way (rather than taking up a hem or losing pattern on the bottom) without having to faff about with making that length adjusting fold every time you put it on. The Japanese do this with children's kimonos (fold showing outside) and with men's ones (fold usually on the inside), although not with adult females' ones but it works just as well when done to women's kimonos. 
How to do it: instructions and photos below. 
Put on the kimono and, at the edge of one front, make a fold at waist level, to make the kimono the correct length (remember the sash will raise the kimono an inch or so, so make allowances for that). This fold, which shows below the obi sash, is called ohashiori. Use a couple of pins to hold the fold in place, with the pins exactly where your waist is. Repeat at the other front. Take the kimono off and pin the same amount of fold all the way round the kimono at the same level, then sew along the pin line. It doesn't have to be neatly sewn, just quick, very big stitches will do fine since they get covered by the sash. See the pictures below. 

NOTE A plain kimono or one with an all-over pattern can easily be hemmed, although the Japanese never hem them. Just fold it up the required amount and loosely stitch it; you don't need to fold in the top edge, cut it or do anything complicated.