The Bessie Beach Robe
The Bessie
The Bessie is a free pattern and tutorial for your own use at home and not to be reproduced commercially. The Bessie Beach Robe is a gorgeous project for beginners with some experience. If you are very new to sewing I suggest to make the Nancy Kimono or a few of my small projects first, then move onto the Bessie Beach Robe.
Materials and Equipment
150cm of fabric that is 150cm wide, I got mine from here
Matching thread, pins, tape measure, chalk and scissors, a small safety pin or a rouleau maker
Suitable Fabric.
It is important that you choose the correct fabric for The Bessie.Your Fabric choice needs to be thin light and flow, to achieve the look in the image.
The fabric used for this project is from Fabric land and is 100% viscous.
Heavy or stiff fabric would result in a different look to the images shown.The Bessie would be very suitable for lightweight fabric such as viscose, light weight cotton, or a thin chambray, silk or a polyester fabric, with drape and flow.
Tips for beginners
Seam allowance (SA) 1 cm or 2 cm this is the distance between the edge of the fabric and the stitch line. You will find a series of parallel lines engraved on the needle plate of your sewing machine pick the one marked with the measurement you need and keep the edge of the fabric to this guide.
RS = right side of fabric WS = wrong side of fabric.
Press = Iron the section you have just sewn, seam should be ironed open.
Sizing
Small
Fits up to size 12 - the finished garment measures, is adjusted at the waist to fit. N.B. THE LENGTH IS A MIDI ON A SMALL 5 FOOT 2 INCH WOMEN,
IF YOU WANT A MIDI FINISH AND YOU ARE 5" 6 INCHES YOU WILL NEED TO ADD 10CM TO THE SKIRT SECTION OF THE PATTERN,
you will not need to buy any extra fabric as the amount 150cm is enough for the longer midi length.
Medium Fits size 12 to 14
Large Fits size 16 to 18
Make a paper pattern follow the measurements for your size as given , OR Pin the selvedge edges of you fabric together, and using tailors chalk, measure and chalk out the pattern pieces
Pin the selvage edges together, and pin the paper pattern onto the fabric or chalk on the measurements on the fabric.
Cut out.
1. With RS together iron then pin the 4 straps, as shown
2.with the foot of the sewing machine to the edge of the fabric, stitch the ties together.
3. trim the raw edge of the ties.
4. with the rouleau maker or a small safety pin turn the straps inside out. if you are using a safety
pin tie the loose thread from stitching the seam onto the safety pin and drop the pin back into the
tie, and pull through.
Leave 2 ties to one side (these will be used later) press the remain 2 ties, and cut into 4 equal sections.
5.
You will now need the 4 sections that you cut out for the top of the Bessie.Using a zig zag stitch or overlocker neaten the 4 shoulder seams 2 x front 2 x back.
Lay two facing you WS up, with the shoulder seam at the top, and make a turn and turn hem, on the side seam, fold under 1cm press ,fold under another 1 cm press, as they face you one hem needs to be on the right hand side and the other hem needs to be on the left hand side of the other front. With the shoulder seams at the top, you will then have a pair of fronts, repeat for the back.
Measure down 30cm and mark with a pin on all the 4 of the turn and turn hems. Stitch from the neatened shoulder seam to the pin, on the turn and turn hem, repeat on the remaining 3 sections.
6 and 7. Join the shoulder seams using a 2CM seam allowance, this is important because you will need to thread the ties into this seam, and if you make the seam too small you will not be able to insert the ties.
8. attach a safety pin to the end of one tie, insert the safely pin and tie into the shoulder seam you have just sew
Pull out at the other end, and using a pin secure the tie in the seam.
Stitch across the ties with the foot to the raw edge of the fabric. Repeat on the remaining side.
Using a zig zag stitch or overlock stitch neaten the remaining raw edge.
Lay the right sides of the top section together to make a pair.Using a pin mark 8cm from the raw edge up, repeat at the end on the raw edge.
Using a 1cm seam allowance machine stitch the 8cm sections, press the seam open.
Make a small turn and turn hem 0.5cm x 0.5cm on the neatened front and back , machine stitch into place, as shown in image number 10.
With the seam flat (for 8cm ) before you come to the turn and turn hem, start stitching from the raw edge ,(mine is shown overlocked in this image) until you reach the remaining raw edge, repeat on the remaining side. Neaten the remaining raw edges with a zog zag stitch or the overlocker.
The skirt section.
Neaten with a zig zag stitch or overlock the 2 long seams and one short seam, the remaining seam with form the hem of your dress. repeat on the remaining section.
11. Fold one of the skirts sections in half and mark with a pin. Pin, the skirt to the top, from the middle (marked with a pin and matching to the middle seam on the top) to the edge of the skirt and top, repeat from the middle to the remaining end you should be left with 2cm on each end of the skirt.
keep in the pins to hold in place and on each side of the skirt section measure down 3cm, as shown below make a 1cm x 1cm turn and turn hem for 3 cm only.
Machine stitch into place. Machine stitch the waist of the skirt of the top using a 2cm seam allowance. Press the seam you have just sewn open.
12. Press the seam flat and open.Repeat on the remaining section of the skirt.
13. Stitch along the neatened seam edge creating the same casing as on the sleeves. repeat on the remaining side. The casing is ready for the side ties but they will be added later.
Pin the casing RS together and unravel the fold and fold seam. Pin the seam together from the unraveled section for 40cm * stitch together using a 2 cm seam allowance. You will have to start sewing 2cm under the casing. * the 40cm stops for the side split you may want to make this longer or shorter. Repeat on the remaining side.
Press the seam flat. The turn and turn seam shown by the pen, can be hand stitched into place or machine stitched as shown. N.B. Be very careful not to stitch over the opening for the casing.
Thread one the the remaining ties in to the top casing, using a safety pin, starting at the right hand side of the dress, cross over the left hand side of the dress and bring the tie out back at the right hand side seam. Insert the remain tie into the left hand side of the dress cross over the right hand side and bring the tie out at the left hand side of the Bessie dress. You will have one tie on the left and one on the right hand side of the Bessie Beach robe. Neaten the hem of the dress.
Try on the dress :-) (sorry we jump to number 18 )adjust the side ties to fit and check the length, of your Bessie Dress, if needed cut the hem to the desired length, using pins or chalk, to mark how much you want to shorten the dress, cut the section off.Finish the side splits, fold the remain edges back for 2cm, stitch into place, repeat on the remaining seams.
Turn the hem up for 1cm ( if you have had to adjust the length you will need to neaten the hem now, then hem) and machine in to place, repeat on remaining side.
19. Neaten the end of the ties.
Trim to a neat edge if required, make a small turn and turn hem on the end of each tie, and hand stitch into place.
20. One final press of the dress, and CONGRATULATIONS you have successfully finished the Bessie Beach Robe.
21. Wear with Pride.
