Ever since making my
shirbori robe this summer (which I wear non stop in the warm months) I've been dying to make a full length version to wear in the winter. I know that not everyone is a robe person, but I certainly am. Whether straight out of the shower, or just as an extra layer in the evenings, my robe gets a ton of wear. I have had a really ugly fleece one for about 10 years that is gray and stained and my husband absolutely hates it, so yeah, it was time to upgrade.
I used the same pattern as I did for my last one -
vintage Simplicity 0017 from 1985 - that I had picked up for 25 cents at a thrift store. The thing that I loved about this robe in particular was the wide kimono style sleeves. That being said, if you can't get your hands on this pattern, I think that most bathrobe patterns are pretty similar. I am sure there are at least ten available right now through the the big 4 pattern companies.
Because I was using a knit instead of a woven, I went down to the smallest size -labeled petite - which worked out well. I used the size small
last time when I made the linen shibori version and that was perfect for that fabric. I have had my eye out for the perfect fabric for this project for a little while, so when
Organic Cotton Plus offered to send me some yardage to sample, I was pretty excited. I went with this
charcoal and off white striped knit. It's 10oz which I have found to be a really great weight for clothing. It's not see through at all. I liked the idea of organic fabrics as a bath robe and because it only contains the natural fibers of cotton - no rayon or polyester at all - it has such a beautiful spongey and soft quality to it instead of slinky like a lot of knits can be.
As for pattern alterations, I lengthened the sleeves so that they would go to my wrists and of coarse lengthened the whole robe by about a foot and a half. I just lengthened it straight down, which I am actually questioning. It does feel a little narrow below the knees and tends to pull apart at center front, especially when I walk. I think if I make it again, I will add a bit of width gradually from the hip down on the center back piece. I think that might do the trick.
I played around a bit with the stripe direction for some added interest. Honestly I didn't really have a choice. I had three yards of the fabric which I thought would be plenty, but I could have used 4. Next time! I think that a really nice robe is such a great idea of gifts. Also, I kinda want to make another one in black or heathered gray. Just don't know how many robes I can justify in my life.
