Fiona Upcycled Sheet Robe

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Vintage floral sheets are transformed into a cute, comfy robe with this pattern from Sophie Tarrant. If you love refashioning, you’ve come to the right place! Transform a soft bedsheet in a fun print into a short, lightweight robe that’s cuter and more affordable than a fast-fashion bathrobe from Amazon. This DIY robe would also make an excellent gift for your mom, sister or best friend for an at-home spa day or girls’ night.

Skill Level: Beginner

Finished Size: Custom-sized

Designer Notes:

If needed, you can piece the belt or neckband together from two or three smaller strips of fabric. Sew the pieces together to reach the required length, making sure the fabric is oriented the same way in each section so the print runs consistently. For example, our neckband was cut from two 40 inch strips and one 10 inch strip, sewn together along the short edges with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. We placed the shorter piece in the middle, so the seams would be equal on each side.
If you’re working with patterned sheets, take a moment to think about how the print will sit on the finished robe before cutting. Centering a standout motif on the back or aligning stripes vertically can make the finished garment look much more polished.
The measurements given for our robe should fit a range of sizes, but you may want to adjust the body and sleeve pieces to achieve your preferred fit. As a general guideline, make sure the circumference of your robe is at least 16 inches wider than your hip measurement. This will give the fabric enough room to wrap around your body and overlap comfortably at the front.

Materials:

Vintage bedsheets
Thread: To match your fabric

Tools:

Water-erasable fabric pen
Tape measure
Ruler
Scissors
Sewing clips or pins
Sewing machine

Sewing Instructions:

Begin by washing and drying your sheets to make sure they’re fresh and ready to use – if they’ve been sitting in a closet or laundry hamper for a while, they may need a good clean. Lay the sheet out flat with the right side facing up. For the body of the robe, cut two pieces measuring 28 inches wide x 42 inches long. For the sleeves, cut two pieces measuring 20 inches wide x 16 inches long. For the belt loops, cut two pieces measuring 6 inches x 2 inches. For the belt, cut one 6 inch x 70 inch strip, and for the neckband cut one 6 inch 88 inch strip. (See Designer Note above!)
Join the front and back body pieces. Place them together with the wrong sides facing each other (right sides facing out), then sew along the top edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Trim the allowance down to 1/8 inch, then turn the fabric so the right sides are together. Sew along the same seam again with a 1/4 inch seam allowance to create a neat French seam.
Lay the front and back pieces out flat, layering them together with the front piece facing up and the seam at the top. Fold the work in half widthwise and press to mark the center line. Measure 3 inches out from the fold along the top edge and mark the fabric, measure 2 inches down from the fold and mark again. Connect these two marks with a gentle curve and cut along the line to create the neckline. Open the fabric back out and cut along the center crease, cutting through the top layer only to form the opening at the front of the robe.
Add the sleeves. Lay one sleeve piece out with the right side facing up and mark the center point of one 20 inch edge. Open out the body piece and lay it flat with the wrong side facing up. Place the sleeve on top with the right side facing up, aligning the center mark on the sleeve with the shoulder seam. Pin, then sew along this edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Trim the allowance down to 1/8 inch, then turn the fabrics so the right sides are together and sew along the seam again with a 1/4 inch allowance to create a French seam. Repeat to attach the second sleeve in the same way.
Make the belt loops. Fold each loop piece in half lengthwise with the right sides together, then stitch along the long edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Turn right sides out to create a narrow tube, then roll the fabric so the seam sits along the center. Press flat, then fold each strip in half. Lay the robe out with the right side facing up and position the loops along each side edge with the fold facing inward. You may find it helpful to try the robe on at this stage to determine the most comfortable waist position – ours sat about 16 inches down from the shoulder seam. Pin the loops into place.
Sew the side seams. With the wrong sides together (right sides facing out), begin sewing along one side edge of the robe with a 1/4 inch seam allowance, stitching over the belt loop as you go to secure it in place. When you reach the sleeve underarm point, stop and pivot, then continue sewing along the lower edge of the sleeve. Trim the allowance down to 1/8 inch, clip into the underarm corner to release the seam slightly. Turn the robe so the right sides are together and press along the seam that was just stitched. Sew along the same seam again with a 1/4 inch seam allowance to complete the French seam. Repeat to sew the second side seam in the same way. Fold the bottom hem of the robe up by 1/4 inch and press, fold it up by another 1 inch and press again. Topstitch in place. Repeat steps to hem the sleeves in the same way.
Add the neckband. With the right sides together, pin the neckband around the entire front opening and neckline of the robe, making sure any joins in the neckband are placed symmetrically. Sew in place with a 1/4 inch seam allowance, then clip the curves and open the fabric out. Fold the neckband in half with the right sides facing out and press, then fold it over again so the folded edge covers the seam. Pin into place, but do not sew yet.
With the neckband pinned into place, sew along the bottom corners at the front of the robe to join the neckband to the body along the hem edge. Trim away any excess fabric, then turn the robe right sides out. Push the corners out neatly and press. Hand stitch or machine topstitch the folded edge of the neckband in place.
Make the belt. Fold the belt strip in half lengthwise and press, sew along the open edges, leaving a 3 inch gap in the middle of the long side. Turn the belt right sides out through the gap and press, taking care to push the corners out neatly. Topstitch around the edge of the belt to neaten it up and close the gap. Thread the belt through the loops and voilà – your robe is complete!