Cutting guide

Back piece: cut one 31cm x 1m rectangle on the fold, right sides facing Front piece: cut two 35cm x 1m rectangles Front and back neck band: cut two 13cm x 1.13m strips Sleeves: cut two 30cm x 60cm rectangles Sleeve bands: cut two 13cm x 60cm strips Belt tie: cut one 13cm x 1.6m strip Belt carriers: cut two 2cm x 9cm strips

Stitch a dressing gown

1 Download and print the cutting diagrams from the template pack by clicking the button above, and refer to when marking out the dimensions, particularly on the front, back and tie belt. Open out the back piece and match the front pieces across the shoulders, right sides facing. Pin and stitch together, neaten the seam allowances either by overlocking or with zigzag stitch, and press the seams towards the back. Press up 1cm at the base of the two front pieces, then another 3cm – this will be the hem.

2 Cut bias binding the same length as the front and back neck band from contrast fabric. Unfold and press out both of the folded sides of the binding, then fold and press in half lengthways, matching the two raw edges together. Pin and stitch the front and back neck bands together across one of the short ends to create one long strip. Press the seam allowances open, then fold and press the strip in half lengthways, wrong sides facing and matching the long edges of both sides together.

3 Lay the raw edges of the bias binding onto one cut edge of the band and pin. Fold the band back on itself at the two ends, pin and stitch together so that the bias binding is sandwiched between the two layers of the end of the band. Turn the band to the right side, tease out the corner and press flat.

4 Find the centre back neck and mark with a pin. Match the band seam to the centre back neck and the two ends to the second fold at the base of the front two pieces. Pin the remainder of the band around the opening, being careful not to pull the dressing gown or band so the finished opening does not become distorted. Stitch in place, neaten the seam allowance and press towards the inside so that the band turns out from the dressing gown.

5 Turn the two edges of the belt carrier strips in towards the centre then fold in half again. Pin the folded edges together and edgestitch. Position the belt carriers 15cm down from the underarm sleeve corners and secure with a few stitches. Neaten the side edges of the front and back pieces and across the head of the sleeves. Open out the front and back of the dressing gown, with the right side of the fabric facing you. Mark the centre top of the sleeves then match and pin these points to the end of the shoulder seams, positioning the sleeves along the outside edges of the gown with right sides facing. Stitch each sleeve in place, starting and finishing the seam line 1.5cm from the edges of the seam.

6 Open out the sleeves then lay the back and front pieces together, right sides facing. Match and pin the side seams and the underarms of the sleeves together. Stitch from the ends of the sleeves to the point where you started and stopped stitching the sleeves in place – back tack then stitch the side seams together again, starting on the other side of this point. This will allow the underarm and side seam to run smoothly.

7 Cut two pieces of bias binding the same length as the sleeve bands. Re-press the binding as for Step 2 and stitch to one side of each band. Sew the two ends of a band together to form a circle, open out the seam allowance then fold the band in half lengthways, matching the raw cut edges together. Press flat. Match the seam of the sleeve band to the end of the seam on a sleeve, pin, then stitch in place. Neaten the seam allowance and press inside the sleeve. Repeat for the other sleeve band.

8 Cut a section of bias binding the same length as the tie belt strip. Re-press the binding as before and stitch to one side of the belt – you will need to clip the edge of the binding to allow it to bend around the pointed ends. Attach the binding as far as the point at each end. Fold the belt in half lengthways, right sides facing. Stitch along the edge just above the first stitching line, leaving a 5cm gap in the centre of the stitching line. Trim the bulk from the ends then turn the belt right side out through the gap. Tease out the seams and points and press flat. Slipstitch the gap closed and thread the belt through the belt carriers.