'm super excited to be sharing this make with you this week. I fell in love with all of Sew Me Sunshine's cotton lawns so picking one was really tricky! but I ended picking the Blush Tropics originally to line a coat but the more I looked at this fabric the more I realised it needed to be on the outside of the garment instead. The moment struck me when I took an Instagram stories in my old and ugly dressing gown and I thought a lightweight dressing gown is what I needed!
This fabric, like all of Sew Me Sunshine's fabrics, cuts like a hot knife through butter. It's a dream to work with but does crease a bit but that's totally expected since its 100% cotton. The good thing about it holding a crease well is it makes pressing it so much easier and it holds its shape really well. The back of the collar stands up because of the crispness of the fabric which really gives it that authentic robe look. I’m so happy I chose this fabric it is stunning as are all the cotton lawns!
I couldn't' find the perfect pattern for me although there are so many options out there. I'm also on a pattern diet so I decided to draft my own. My favourite feature of this robe is the horizontal inseam pockets, of course. I decided to show you guys how to draft this yourself because of it super easy and the perfect replacement for the rather tricky welt pocket. It's really simple and once you learn how to do it you will be adding it to anything you can. I think this pocket is perfect for jackets, coats, robes, blazers or would make a cool feature on a dress. So let's jump right into the tutorial...
I am going to be using plain A4 paper to show how I drafted this pocket just out of ease and you can totally do the same and do a practice run first!
- First, measure the size of the pocket you want to create. I use my hand as a guide so I know that I can then fit my hands and phone into my pockets. Draw the pocket out as a rectangle.
- Cut two pocket pattern pieces out and label one top and one bottom.
- Put the pocket pieces aside and take the pattern piece you want to add pockets too. Draw a line where you want the pocket to go. I think these pockets look the most flattering in between the hips and the waist. We will call this the new seam line.
- Then using the pocket pieces as a guide mark notches where the pocket will go. Make sure the notch goes either side of the line.
- Cut along this line and label the top part of the pattern top and bottom part of the pattern bottom.
- Take your pocket pieces and tape the top to the top and bottom to the bottom.
- Add seam allowance to the new seam line and around the pocket.
- To sew this pocket you will place them right sides together and sew along the new seam line, around the pocket and along the new seam line again. Here are some pictures showing how the pocket pieces work in the final garment:
Sew Me Sunshine have loads of fabrics that would work well as a kimono the Rifle Paper Co. Menagerie Paradise Garden Coral would look amazing as a lightweight robe and so would the Atelier Brunette Moonstone fabric.
I hope you found this tutorial useful and give this pocket technique a go or make a wonderful robe for yourself using Sew Me Sunshine fabric. You can find me on Instagram at @Zoesews and at my blog zoesews.worpress.com.
Happy Sewing x
This is beautiful Zoe! I love the pockets so much! I made a self-drafted kimono a couple of summers ago but I managed to put the patch pocket in the front panel that’s hidden – oops!
This makes me want a new dressing gown. I normally live in my giant fleece one but one of these would be way more practicable!