If you have made the Clara, Nancy or Betty you will love Rosie. This vintage style wrap top is a pattern hack of the Clara, the back, (but shorter) sleeves and cuff are the same pattern pieces. You will need to draft a new front following the step by step guide and draft a pattern for the waist band and ties. Bias binding is added to give the front and back neck a professional finish. If you haven't made any clothes before I suggest to first make the Clara, Nancy or Betty then move on to Rosie. More experienced sewers will be blown away at the ease this flattering top is sewn together. This vintage feel, relaxed wrap top, looks great with a pencil skirt, full circle skirt, wide legged trousers and jeans. Is sooo flattering to all body shapes in no time at all it will be a firm favourite in your wardrobe.
The Rosie is a free pattern and tutorial for your own use at home and not to be reproduced commercially. The Rosie is a simple pattern hack from the Clara Kimono, and is a great project for sewers with a few previous project under their belt.
Materials and Equipment
50cm of light weight iron on interfacing.
2 meters fabric, viscose, lightweight polyester, crepe or tencel - that is 150cm wide.
I packet of bias binding I got mine here
Or make your own how to - here
Matching thread, pins, tape measure, chalk and scissors.
Suitable Fabric.
It is important that you choose the correct fabric for The Rosie Wrap.
Your fabric choice needs to be medium to light weight, to achieve the look in the image,
Heavy or stiff fabric would result in a different look to the images shown.
The Rosie would be very suitable for lightweight fabric such as viscose, polyester or a lightweight crepe.
Tips for beginners
Seam allowance 1 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 had just sewn, seam should be ironed open.
Sizing
Small
Fits up to size 12 - the finished garment measures,(across the chest) front laying flat 58 cm and the back 58cm total finish circumference 116cm
Medium
Fits size 12 to 14 - the finish garments measures (across the chest) front laying flat 62 cm and the back 62 cm total finish circumference 124cm
Large
Fits size 16 to 18 - the finish garments measures (across the chest) front laying flat measures 66cm and the back 66cm, total finished circumference
MEASURMENTS TO MAKE THE PATTERN FROM CHOOSE YOUR SIZE, SMALL, MEDIUM OR LARGE
small
Medium
Large
1. Make a paper pattern for the Rosie Wrap blouse follow the measurements for your size as given above,
2. OR Pin the selvedge edges of you fabric together, and using tailors chalk, measure and chalk out the pattern pieces.
Cut out the Rosie wrap.
Using chalk or a small nip into the fabric (0.5cm) mark the gathers at the back and front on the hem. On both fronts measure from the side seam 16cm for L, 14cm for M and 10cm for small, mark with chalk or a small nip, measure along 14cm all sizes and make another mark(you will gather between these notches). For the back from the side seam measure 23cm for L - 21cm for Med - and 19cm for small, and make a notch or chalk mark on both side of the fabric. You will gather between these notches on the back panel.
Gather between the notches on the front and back, as follows.
Change to your longest stitch and with out securing the ends stich two rows, close to the raw edge of the fabric, between the notches on the back and on both fronts. You do not need to pull your treads to gather the fabric until you are ready to attach the waist band.
3. Cut out the interfacing, using the measurements given for the waist band cut 1 x back and 2 x fronts, iron the interfacing onto the WS of the bands on ONE SIDE of the band only. Both side of the waist band are not interfaced.
4. Join the front shoulder seam to the back shoulder seam using a French seam. With WS together pin, the front shoulder to the back shoulder and stitch a 0.5cm seam, press flat, flip your work over, leaving the RS together stitch again using a 0.5cm seam. Press. Repeat on the remaining shoulder.
5. Stay stitch the neck and the front wrap over, put your sewing machine foot to the edge of the fabric and
using a medium stitch, stich a line of stitching to stop the fabric stretching while you make the Rosie wrap.
6. Fold the sleeve in half and mark the middle with chalk or a pin. Lay the kimono flat RS facing up and pin the sleeve to the jacket. The chalk mark or pin must match at the shoulder seam. Repeat with the remaining sleeve. Stitch using a 1 cm seam allowance. Repeat on the remaining sleeve. Zig zag or over lock the seams.
7. With the RS together fold the sleeve in half and pin, making sure the shoulder seams are pushed towards the sleeve. Pin the under arm seam as shown.
8. Stitch the sleeve and side seam together. Start sewing from the raw edge of the sleeve, stitching over the seam you made to join the shoulder to the jacket. Stop, leave your needle in the fabric, lift up the foot, and swivel the jacket around until you are able to sew the side seam. Repeat on the remaining side. Over lock or zig zag the seams.
9. Making the cuff. With RS together fold the cuff in half and stitch the short seams together, press the seam flat. Fold the cuff in half RS together and press as shown in the image.
10. Attach the cuff to the sleeve. With the RS of the sleeve facing, slip the cuff onto the sleeve. Match the seams and pin the 3 raw edges together. Stitch the 3 layers together using a 1cm seam allowance. Zig zag or over lock, press. Repeat on the remaining side.
11. Measure the bias binding 128cm for sizes, L M and S and cut. If your bias strips are not this long, join them together to get the 128cm. The bias is cut a few cm shorter than the actual measurement, and you will need a very gently stretch to fit the bias binding band around the front of the wrap across the back and down the remaining front. It is important that you observe the measurement and cut the bias at the correct measurement otherwise you may stretch your fabric and not achieve the crisp wrap over. Pin the RS for the bias binding to the RS of the Rosie wrap and sew in the fold. As shown.
12. Pull out the stay stitching and trim any loose threads. Fold the bias tape over as shown and press into place, pin and machine stitch to hold, the bias binding securely in place.
Waist band and Ties.
13.With WS facing pin the front bands at the short seam to the back bands. With the WS facing you the short seam on the left side must only be sewn of 1.5cm, back stitch to secure. Leave a gap of 5cm then sew the remaining 1.5cm and secure. This gap is to thread the tie belt through.
14. Stitch the remaining seam from the top to the bottom. Press all the seams open. Repeat on the remaining band. On the remaining band press the seam under on one long side only for 1cm as shown. Leave the band without interfacing to one side. Pull the gather stitches that you made on the hem of wrap blouse.
15. With RS facing pin the interfaced band onto the wrap top. Leave 1 cm hanging over each end as shown. Match the seams and if necessary, tighten the gather stitch so the band fits the wrap top. Machine stitch into place.
Make the ties
16. With RS together fold the bands in half (as shown) pin and machine stitch the long seam, and one short seams. Repeat on the remaining tie (please note the ties are different lengths).
Trim the corners, fold the short seam back into the belt ( making a bucket shape) and using a chop stick push the belt to the RS, repeat on the remaining side.
17. With the RS of the wrap top facing you, pin the long tie in the middle of the front waist band on the front seam ( as shown) the raw edges meeting. Use a 0.5cm seam allowance and stitch into place.
18. With the RS of the wrap top facing you pin the shorter tie on to the left hand side of the end of the waist band .Position the tie in the middle, you should have 3 raw seams, using a 0.5cm seam allowance stitch the tie onto the waist band.
19. Lay the wrap top on a flat surface, and with the RS facing you pin the remaining waist band onto the waist band that is already attached to the top, as shown, machine stitch in to place using a 1 cm seam allowance.
20.press the seam open.
21. Pin down the short seam catching the 1cm turned under and pressed edge. Pin along the bottom of the waist band matching the side seams and the slit you made to thread the ties through. Machine stitch into place using a 1cm seam allowance.
22. Turn the waist band to the RS, and pin and tack the folded under seam to the WS of the wrap blouse. Machine stich into place.
23. Pin the seams on the gap you left for the ties together and carefully sew a rectangle to secure the seam together as shown.
Get that kettle on , CONGRATULATIONS , you have just made the Rosie wrap top.
