I have been blown away these last few weeks seeing all of the amazing Hovea jackets & coats that people have been making! So many different styles for so many different outfits & occasions! So it’s obvious that Hovea is a crowd pleaser and a great garment for being out and about, but have you thought about making a Hovea for just wearing at home?
Today we are going to have a look at some style inspiration & pattern alteration tips on how to make your very own Hovea dressing gown. Whether you’re in the northern hemisphere, dreaming of cuddling up in a long fluffy robe in the approaching winter, or down under like us – looking for a breezy summer cover-up for when you run out to grab the post from the mailbox – a Hovea dressing gown is just what you need!
Fabric Choice
Hovea is a wonderfully simple pattern that really lends itself to just about any fabric and it’s amazing how different fabrics can change the garment so dramatically! Here are just a few ideas on the types of Hovea dressing gowns you could make…
As you’ve probably guessed from so many of our samples being made out of it – Hovea loves linen! And breathable, relaxed linen robes are the perfect summer addition to your loungewear. Sometimes you just need something to throw on while pottering around the house, but it’s just too dang hot for anything other than something flowy & breezy! For those of you in Australia, you’ll find a wonderful collection of linens perfect for a Hovea dressing gown, here on our website.
On the complete opposite end of the scale, sometimes the only way you can manage to pull yourself from a warm bed is when you can wrap yourself in something snuggly and Hovea can be just that! Because the pattern is also designed for thicker quilted fabrics, you’ll still get the perfect fit with a nice cuddly fleece, or if you’d like something cuddly but still breezy – double gauze like the one we made Harmony’s robe in, is a perfect choice! (plus we have it for Aussie sewers on our online store!).
Is there anything more luxurious than a satin robe? The way it feels on your skin and how it swishes as you move – you can’t help but feel a bit special when wearing one! And of course, Hovea would be perfect for a silky version, with its simple construction making it nice and easy to work with the slippery properties of satin.
So we have all of our at-home robe needs covered, what about when you’re at the beach or by the pool and would like a robe? You might be in need of a breezy cover-up to protect you from the sun, or maybe something a bit more substantial like an absorbent robe made from terry towelling to get you nice and dry after your swim. Either way, Hovea will work great! And for Aussie sewers about to head into summer, check out our awesome lightweight terry-towelling fleece that would be perfect for the job.
Adjusting The Length Of Your Robe
Hovea already has three different lengths included in the pattern, but if you’re looking for a bit more coverage than a little shorty robe you might want to increase the length. It’s a super simple task – all you need to do is decide how much longer you’d like it (check out the finished garment measurements to get an idea of the existing coat length), and add it to the bottom of the front & back pattern pieces. Then, of course, you’ll also need to increase the collar band length by the same amount to match. Couldn’t be easier!
Playing With Pocket Styles
One of our favourite design features of Hovea is the angled pockets, they’re simple but interesting and they can hold a lot. You might like a different look for your Hovea dressing gown though, and it’s incredibly simple to change it up with a classic patch pocket or maybe a sleek inseam pocket! For support on how you would do that, check out how the Opal patch & inseam pockets are sewn – it’s the same process!
Switching Up The Sleeves
Experimenting with the sleeves of your Hovea robe is a great way to play around with the style. You have so many options, all of which can completely transform the look and functionality of your garment. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in your Hovea dressing gown (because it’s going to be awesome and you won’t want to take it off), so this is your chance to really customise it for what you need!
If you’re looking for even more breathability in a summery Hovea robe, try out a wide or flare sleeve style that will give you that extra air flow! Or hey, maybe you just like a dramatic sleeve to make grand entrances with.
Either way, you can create a boxy, wide sleeve version of Hovea by simply redrawing the sides of the sleeve to flow straight down from the sleeve head. For a more evenly spread and flared increase to your sleeve though, you’ll need to draw some vertical lines on your pattern piece to then cut along, leaving a tiny bit of each line uncut along the armscye stitching line. Pivoting on these small points, you can then spread your sleeve sections out to add however much volume you’d like and fill the gaps with paper taped underneath.
If you’re like me and are always sleepily dragging your cuffs through your breakfast when you go to reach for something – a cropped sleeve style might be just what you need! Simply cut the hem end of your sleeve pattern piece to be the desired length + your hem allowance. To make sure the hem fits nicely back up into the sleeve, don’t forget to add a little extra width to the sides of the hem section like the original pattern piece, so when the hem is folded up it will be the same width as higher up section of the sleeve.
Contrast cuffs can be such a subtle but gorgeous detail to really elevate the look of your robe, especially if you match them to your collar band to really bring things together! You can use a plain colour cuff to frame a printed fabric, or a printed cuff to add interest to a plain fabric. If you’re using striped fabric in your robe, try simply changing the direction of the stripe in the cuff to highlight the contrast.
To maintain the original length of the Hovea sleeves, simply trim off the hem allowance of the sleeve as well as the finished height of the cuff band you’d like, minus 1.5cm (5/8”), which you’ll need as seam allowance. Your two cuff pieces should be double the height you’d like them to end up + 3cm (1 1/4”) for seam allowances and the width of your sleeve end at the stitching line where they will be joined.
Just sew them into loops, press one raw edge down 1.5cm (5/8″) to the wrong side and join the other edge to the sleeve end with right sides together. You can then press them away from the garment and fold them to the inside of the sleeve so the folded edge is aligned with the stitching. Just a simple row of top or ditch stitching to enclose the seam allowances and you’re done!
For something a little bit special, try decorating your sleeve ends with some gorgeous lace! Or if you’re feeling outrageously fabulous even some faux fur or feathers! At whatever length you’d like, finish your sleeve end with a simple twice turned hem before sewing your trim into a loop to fit the end. Depending on the desired look and the type of lace you’re using, you can then pin and topstitch the trim into place on the inside or outside of your sleeve.
Embellish & Embroider
Take your Hovea cuteness to the next level with some sweet embellishments or embroidery like the bathrobes below! You could create them yourself or use embroidery patches for a super easy option. They give me big Fran Fine from The Nanny vibes and honestly that’s all I’ve ever wanted in life.
Hovea’s For The Whole Family
If you saw Natalie Ebaugh’s post earlier in the sew-along you’ll know that Hovea isn’t just for women, but for anyone and everyone. The style’s relaxed fit & drop shoulder means that it really can work on any body shape and they’re just so lovely and comfy, you’d have to be silly not to want one!
You could make a cute coordinating set of Hoveas for your partner and yourself, or maybe in each of your favourite colours if matching is a bit much! A Hovea robe would also make an awesome Mother’s or Father’s day present, or maybe a pair for both of your parents as a Christmas gift. It doesn’t just have to be for your family though, get a Hovea production line going and treat your friend group to robes for each of their birthdays, or as a matching set for your bridesmaids to get ready together in. The possibilities are endless!
And that’s all folks, I hope you’ve been inspired by our dressing gown hack and you feel ready to give it a go yourself. Don’t forget to let us know how it goes in the comment section below!
Naomi xx
| LOOKING FOR MORE HOVEA POSTS? |
Here’s the full list of Hovea inspiration and ideas:
- Inspiration & Ideas for Hovea
- Hovea Tester Roundup
- Hovea Curve Tester Roundup
- Hovea Planning Template
- Traditional Korean Textile Arts with Youngmin Lee
- Beginner Quilting concepts with The Weekend Quilter
- Top 10 tips from a quilters first journey into Me Made Clothing with Shannon Fraser
- Introduction to Indian Kantha Quilting with Manjari Singh
- Simple Log Cabin patchwork tutorial with Scribbly Gum Quilting Co
- Wholecloth quilting with Natalie Ebaugh
- Introduction to Japanese textiles and embroidery with Mari Yamada
- How to make a patchwork quilt design without a pattern with Broadcloth Studio
- Modern Quilting with Porfiria Gomez
- Making a patchwork jacket with leftover fabric
Here’s the full list of Hovea tutorials & Hacks:
- Sewalong | How to Choose Between Hovea & Hovea Curve
- Sewalong | Common Hovea pattern alterations
- Sewalong | Quilting prep
- Sewalong | Quilting Design & Planning
- Sewalong | Machine quilting
- Sewalong | Tips for making a patchwork jacket from scrap fabrics
- Sewalong | Basic Binding Method for quilt coats
- Sewalong | Pockets and Seams Quilted Views BDF
- Sewalong | Inset Sleeves Quilted Views BDF
- Sewalong | Final Finishes Quilted View BDF
- Pattern Hack | Tips for making Hovea reversible
- Pattern Hack | Sewing a Hovea Dressing gown (this post!)
- Pattern Hack | How to make a quilt coat from a vintage bed quilt
- Sewalong | Unlined pockets Views ACE
- Sewalong | Lined pockets Views ACE
- Sewalong | Flat Sleeve Insertion Views ACE
- Sewalong | Ties & Hang Loop Views ACE
- Sewalong | Hemming Unlined Views ACE
- Sewalong | Full Lining Views ACE
- Sewalong | Collar band Views ACE
- Sewalong | Belt & Belt Loops Views ACE
We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNhovea and @megannielsenpatterns when sharing on social media, and check out what everyone else is up to!
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