Project 12 of 50: Dressing Gown

PR Pattern Stash Contest Entry #1

Butterick 5537: Dressing Gown

Review is here.



Man, this project has been one huge mojo sucker! I don't know why. Maybe because I normally shy away from anything competitve and, while I don't have any illusions about winning the PR Pattern Stash Contest, in my mind, it's still a competition.

I keep coming up with all these projects that need to be sewn NOW - and none of them qualify for the contest. LOL. Or maybe, I'm just resisting sewing up the patterns that I've been avoiding for so long?

Anyway, I've had heaps of time to sew up this dressing gown. My daughter and I have been on school holidays. We didn't go away anywhere in particular, but we have had a few outings. Still, there's been time. I've procrastinated like crazy. First, it was because I didn't have the right piping, so I put it off until I could get to Spotlight. They didn't have what I was looking for, then neither did Lincraft. I ended up making my own from my stash (which totally could have been done two weeks ago). The pattern doesn't even call for piping!  I just thought it would look nice.

The only main reason I've pushed through with the dressing gown (and not started another project) is because I badly want to add it to my Project 50 tally. I guess that little goal setting exercise is proving its value.

Now I've got a cuddly dressing gown to see me through this winter, and, hopefully, many more after that. I can't see myself sewing another one anytime soon.

So what did I think of this pattern?

Butterick 5537

It's not bad, but it just looks sloppy. I guess that's to be expected with an oversize dressing gown made from polar fleece. I made the size that corresponded closest to my measurements and I feel like I'm swimming in it. I had to shorten the sleeves by 19cm. Admittedly, this is partly because I eliminated the cuff, but still - the garment doesn't have a 15cm cuff!

The instructions were good. I followed them loosely, but deviated a little at times. For example, I inserted piping in between the facing and the body of the garment, I left off the pockets, I did a Hong Kong binding on the edge of the facing (turning it under 1/4" and topstitching just wasn't going to cut it) and I interfaced the hem and sleeve hems before stitching. The instructions for the collar result in a relatively nice finish, the handstitches hiding in the polar fleece nicely.

Overall, I'm sure I'll get plenty of wear out of this dressing gown and I'm glad to have the project finished!

(I even left my hair unbrushed for these photos for the authentic dressing gown experience! LOL)

Next up, a t-shirt for my daughter. She's requested another Farbenmix Quiara shirt with the double sleeves. Pity. I can't use that one for the PR contest either. That's OK. I know what's more important to me.