New Robe – Vintage Pattern

I recently bought several vintage patterns from What I Found. (Watch out, that website is a trap. Fair warning.) I blame these bloggers (here and here too) for my new found love of vintage patterns. All the inspiring sewing out their has me sewing up a storm!

Since resizing, tracing and using an older/used pattern were all new things for me, I decided my first one should be the easiest out of the bunch I purchased. This wrap seemed right up my alley. I have been in need of a new robe (mine was a lavender store bought one that had definitely seen better days) and decided this looked like just the comfy thing to wrap around me on weekends and in the morning.

I could definitely see making one for the beach too… Especially the sleeveless version. The normal version I could make into a top to wear any time!

Well, I’m not a 32 inch bust, so I used this tutorial on how to size up patterns. It was incredibly helpful. First I traced the pattern pieces. Then I slashed them and retraced them in the larger size onto my Swedish tracing paper.

After all that, it was time for some fabric. I didn’t want it to be light pink terry or that weird fuzzy stuff that’s just a little too soft. If it was terry, I wanted an interesting color, and since JoAnn’s didn’t really have anything of interest, I defaulted to the cotton prints. Since the cotton wasn’t really the weight I was going for, I underlined it with white flannel.

I also picked out some fun cotton for the bias trim, interfacing, fabric covered buttons and the pocket lining.

This was also my first time using fabric covered buttons and I love them. I will be using more of these for sure. Of course, we need a modeled shot.

I am really happy with how it turned out. The flannel gives it a great weight, and makes it super cuddly. The only disappointment was in the bias edge trim. I just couldn’t seem to get it on where it would inclose both the flannel and the cotton in all spots. Then I also used the wrong thread when stitching it to the backside. The bias tape on the pockets was also not very well applied. Before I wash it, I will have to make sure and re-do it so it doesn’t fall apart in the wash.

I did however do my first continues cutting of bias trim. It finally made sense to me when I saw this tutorial from Collette Patterns.

Just a side note for Eugene spinners, knitters and weavers : ETC has a 15% off sale for blog readers. Check it out here.