As if I don't have a million other things that need to get done before this but hey it was a fun little project that I was able to do while a certain little guy was napping. It cost me all of like $7. I'd model it for you but I'm way pregnant and it just wouldn't look quite right but hopefully you can figure out that this is a robe of sorts. It goes around your chest above your bust. I have wanted one of these for years and I am just now finally getting around to making myself one. I prefer not to have my arms constricted by a regular robe and frankly they get a little hot to wear sometimes. I have a lot of long hair so the whole styling/blow drying thing leaves me a bit flushed. This little number is fantastic because it frees up my arms, keeps me cool, and I'm not having to re-wrap my regular towel around me for the five hundredth time.
You'll need:
1 bath towel (or a bath sheet towel or terry cloth yardage if you want a bigger size - you'll just have to hem the edges)
1 yard of 1" elastic
1 - 1 1/8" half ball cover button
Scrap fabric to cover button with
Coordinating thread
Take a long edge of the towel and fold it down about 1 1/2" from the top and pin. I wanted the decorative strip to go down the front on my left when I had this finished so pay attention to how you want your finished cover up to look and choose your top edge accordingly.
Sew in place creating a 1 1/4" hem.
Take the elastic and wrap it around your chest, under your arms and above your bust. Pull it a little snug, add an inch and cut. Thread elastic through hem with a large safety pin. Pin the other end to the towel so you don't lose it inside the hem. Take care to keep the elastic from twisting.
Sew elastic in place along towel's existing seam.
Trim elastic. It's raw edge is hidden by the hem.
You'll do the same for the other end but before you do wrap the towel around you and pull the lose end of elastic so it fits securely and fasten with safety pin. The weight of the towel made it so I needed to make the elastic even tighter than I originally had it...by about 8 inches. So make sure it fits to your liking before sewing the second end.
Here's what it looks like with elastic all sewn in.
You'll follow the instructions on your button package but just so you get an idea...you just cut a little circle of fabric, place your button on the wrong side, fold over fabric tightly making sure to catch it on the teeth of the button's rim and popping on the button back.
Sew button on front top corner about 1 1/2" in from side edge. I used upholstery thread but you don't have to, I just wanted the added assurance of my button not popping off. Make sure to pay attention to which end your button is going on and which is the button hole end.
On the opposite front top corner, sew a button hole about 4" in from side edge. This is the trickiest part but the last step so take a deep breath, you're almost finished! I found the easiest way to do this was to mark a horizontal 1 1/4" line and sew a zigzag stitch with the length set to .5. Basically a satin stitch. Sew two rows bordering the line, securing the ends and leaving a space between the two rows so you can cut the hole. Use an exacto knife to carefully cut between the two rows creating your button hole.
I find button holes to be a bit of a pain as it is but here you're also sewing through the elastic so you have to stretch the elastic/fabric as you're sewing this button hole. I tried using my automatic button hole setting on my machine but it was aggravating so I did it this way instead. Make sure to do a few practice runs on scrap fabric to make yourself more comfortable with it.
And you're done!! Yay! Super cute and fast to make. Also would make a great gift!
OMG, I LOVE IT!!! If I sewed, I'd totally be making this today. Actually, you make me want to learn....hmmmmm.
Posted by: Rachel | August 17, 2010 at 08:46 AM