Sewing/pattern question

[kengwen]

Ok Craftgrrls, here's my dilemma.

I bought fabric intending to make a reversible bathrobe. I had shoulder width, arm length, and shoulder-hem lengths and just bought fabric based on a mental plan/pattern that was very simple/boxy - I've tried to draw it out here:Argh, well, I fail at getting this image uploaded. Sorry about that :( Basically it's

Comments

[nnitro]

do you have a big sweatshirt or something you could kind of use for reference? arm holes are indeed round and the sleeves will probably at least look weird if not fit / hang weird. I don't think you need a pattern really, just use a garment you already have to get the general idea for the shapes of the pieces.

[kengwen]

???
Maybe I'm reading your reply wrong? The sleeves and armholes will both be round, they'll just be attached perpendicularly, but if you look at the armhole and sleeve hole end-on they'll be perfectly round, vs most patterns the armhole is round end-on but if you disconnect the sleeve and look at it end-on it's elliptical.

I know I've seen things that were constructed this way. I have a couple robes kind of constructed this way (it's actually just a single piece from wrist to wrist across the shoulders), but they're not reversible, so just one fabric panel, and both fabrics are a thin weave vs the flannel + fleece I am trying to use.
I'm not actually sure I have enough fabric to increase the length of the sleeve if I do that ellipse-thing at the top end...

[nnitro]

I guess I was referring to the front and back pieces and how there are rounded cut-out parts like you said. I've never really had much success with sleeves anyway haha so don't listen to me.

[kengwen]

Eh, I think sleeves are hard for me too, hence my post. I'm worried about messing it up before I've even started!

[askygoneonfire]

A kimono is basically just a great big T shape. The key is making sure the upright of the T is wide enough so that the join on the sleeves would sit as a dropped shoulder seam rather than on the shoulder, because that would make the sleeves sit funny. Otherwise I see absolutely no reason it wouldn't work; have a look at kimono patterns to check you are doing what I imagine you to be doing/you are close enough to that shape for it to work? (eg. http://www.theweebsite.com/kimono/images/kimono_m.gif)

Do post the finished article!

[kengwen]

Oh, ha, a kimono is actually one of the items I have that I've been looking at to compare. I'm pretty novice in sewing technology but I think I understand what you're saying. I was making the shoulders pretty wide anyway because the giftee is a fairly new massage therapist and her shoulder width measurement has increased by a good 1-2" in the last year, so I wanted to make sure to accommodate future arm-size increases. I think it's pretty close to that except I wasn't planning for the kimono sleeve-pockets. Thanks! And, will do!

[stasia]

Huh. I just saw this post on a blog I follow!

Robes

It looks like it might be something you'd like to look at.

Stasia

[kengwen]

yes, thanks!

[kikotei]

Garment sleeves are usually cut on an angle at the end attached to the shoulder in order to get the sleeve to hang straight on the wrist.

A kimono sleeve is not cut and attached the way you described. And they do sit crooked on the wrist, but a generally cut to look more flowy to disguise a lot of that.

[supahpossum]

Might be worth making a prototype in cheaper material first and then adjust it before making the real thing.

[kengwen]

Ah, what a timely note! This reminded me (this project has been planned for like 2 years) that I had had that exact same thought, and even bought a cheap used sheet to use as a prototype. Thanks!