Rowan Sweater Hack Along - How to add the Doris waistband - by Kim

September 02, 2020

Jump to the previous post in the hack along: Rowan Sweater Hack Along PT4 - Creating your colorblock. Jump to the next post in the hack along: Rowan Sweater Hack Along PT5 - Cutting your fabric

We’ve already talked about our inspiration for the Rowan Sweater Hack Along in this blogpost - we’ve slightly simplified the original design made by Kim, to make it super beginner friendly! In Kim’s original design, she brilliantly used the Doris skirt waistband as a bottom band. Amazing right?!

Ultimately we decided to skip this step to keep this Hack Along free for everyone, but many of you have been asking about how Kim worked this pattern magic! Luckily for us, Kim has kindly provided a simple tutorial on how to add the Doris skirt waistband to your Rowan Sweater design. And there’s more good news - if you don’t own the Doris skirt pattern yet, you can take 25% off with code ROWANDORISHACK, until the end of the Hack Along - Saturday September 5th!

How to add the Doris Skirt Waistband

Today I’m happy to share how Rowan met Doris……

Start with the traced and doubled base pattern you’ve created at the beginning of PT4 of the Hack Along - Creating your colorblock. This is the part before creating your colorblock. Fold the front bodice in half, this way creating a fold at the center front. Since I’m making a dress for my daughter, I’ve lengthened the base to a dress length matching her height. Based on her chest width, I decided to make a size 104.

Print the front skirt of the Doris skirt pattern in a size that overlaps the bottom width of your Rowan tee. It does not have to be the same pattern size, it’s all about the shape of the diagonal. Place the front skirt upside down on the front bodice of the Rowan tee. Make sure that the center front of both the skirt and front bodice are aligned. Copy the slightly curved diagonal seam of the Doris skirt from center front, meeting at the seam allowance of the side seam.

Make sure to keep the 1cm (⅜”) seam allowance in mind - the diagonal line should meet the bottom, 1cm (⅜”) from the side seam.

Now it’s time to cut out your pattern piece! If you're making a colorblocked Rowan sweater, continue on with PT4-Creating your colorblock with this front bodice as your basis!

Creating the bottom band

Now we’re going to create the bottom band. For this you can use the waistband of the Doris skirt in the same size as the front bodice you’ve used to draw the diagonal. Depending on the type of fabric you’re going to use for the bottom band, you’re going to calculate the necessary bottom width for your bottom band. For my bottom band, I’ve used the same sweat fabric as for my dress. When using main fabric for your bottom band

First, measure the diagonal front bottom width and the straight back bottom width excluding the seam allowance. You only need to measure half of both, because the bottom band will be placed on the fabric fold. Add both measurements - example: front diagonal width - 24cm + back straight width - 23cm = 47cm.

• If you’re using main (sweatshirt/french terry fabric) for your bottom band, take 90% of this measurement - example: 47cm * 0,9 = 42,3cm.
• If you’re using rib knit fabric for your bottom band, take 80% of this measurement - example: 47cm * 0,8= 37,6cm.

Based on your calculations, adjust the length (either by lengthening or shortening ) of your bottom band, without including the point of the bottom band in your measurements. The square part of the bottom band should measure your bottom width calculation. 

Now, if desired continue on with PT4 of the Hack-Along, creating your colorblock, until PT 8 - closing the side seams. Or continue on by following the tutorial of the Rowan tee pattern. The final step is attaching the bottom band! 

Attaching the bottom band

With the right side out, fold the bottom band in half.

Overlap the pointed ends of the bottom band. The overlap should form an argyle, not a triangle! Stay stitch the ends in place, 6mm (¼”) from the raw edge. Follow the instructions in the Doris skirt tutorial on how to attach the waistband and how to sew the corner nicely. Give everything a good and final press.

Look at that, you did it! I’m so excited to see your version of my #rowandorishack! Please share your makes in the Misusu FB group and tag me @pinkrabbit_nl and @misusupatterns so we don’t miss out on your makes!
Groetjes Kim

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Thank you so much Kim, for enlightening us! As if my kids don’t have enough mommy-made’s in their closets….I’m pretty sure my daughter desperately needs a Rowan Doris sweater dress just like this!

Happy sewing!

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