| This version was made using the now out-of-print Butterick #5174, which I found on eBay in a lot containing lots of other little items, like a Yoda nightlight from the '80s. The material I used is 60" crepe from Wal-mart, the back up fabric for my ceremonial gown. I mostly followed the pattern, with the exceptions of the hood, front body, fastening, and sleeve length.
The pattern calls for a seam running down the center front of the gown; I just cut it on a fold, minus the seam allowance. The sleeves were extended to the edge of the fabric. Instead of using velcro to fasten it in back, I inserted an invisible zipper, which meant I had to change the way I sewed up the body of the gown. Nothing too different, just sewing up the sides and attaching the collar and hood before putting in the zipper and sewing up the back. The hood is just a rectangle 17" wide and 36" long with the long edges narrow hemmed. The two short ends were gathered up and pinned in place before the collar was, and sewn down along with the collar.
When I remake this—without the Butterick pattern—I'm definately going to use a different fabric. While the crepe has a nice texture, it frays easily and doesn't have the same liquid drape as the polyester used in the original. I'm also going to make the hood longer than 36". There's not enough material to drape as nicely as I'd like it to.
Back to Senatorial Leia
|