Test Robe No. 2

If I count the little doll robe I wrote about on 3/14, then this full sized version of the Sally Bowles robe would be Robe #2. When I made the robe's front band/collar into a belt, the show's costume designer must have had heart failure because the fabric was her last 10' long 4" strip. Not to worry, I carefully ripped the stiches out and pressed the fabric flat again. So it was important to me to see how the front band went on the robe because I'd made my doll robe without it. Wouldn't you know it, I screwed it up. After a little panic I fixed it .. well, made it better.

Forgive me, but I've never done a fully lined robe before. Following the instructions from a YouTube on making a fully lined little girl's pajama top, I decided to sew my seams on the shell and the lining one-for-one slowly closing up the garment one seam at a time. First the shoulder seams, then the sleeve seams on both shell and lining. THEN I slipped the lining inside the shell. The next seam was the front seam sewing both the shell and the lining together.

I knew I had to get the front band in that seam, but really got it wrong. I stitched each edge of the band to a matching edge on the shell and the lining. Somehow I imagined that I could press a crease in the band to solve the puzzle. The result was more of an expansion joint. Then I realized I should have sewed it like corded piping between two pieces of fabric (RS to RS), and then flipped it inside out. I lined up my two stitch lines as best I could and sewed through. I ended up stitching three times instead of once.

After the front band was done, I pulled through the sleeves and sewed the cuff seams, followed by the sleeve seams. After the sleeves were done, and I was satisfied that I hadn't twisted them (a lesson from the doll robe, then I sewed the side seams.. shell and then lining. I think there's a specific order to sewing the seams of a fully lined garment. I am told, no I could have sewed shell and lining completely first, slip one inside the other, and sew up the cuffs. I still can't get my mind wrapped around that approach. This worked, I'm not fooling with it.

I left the bottom hem open so I can get inside if needed after we fit the actress. For weird fabric, I think it came out pretty good for a test robe. Now I wait to hear if the show designer thinks so.

Good night!