Recreating my Robe from 2014

Said in a calm, soft spoken New England accent, “If you’d like to make a Gap-inspired robe like mine, I’d like to reassure you that a measured pattern and materials list will be made available—and I’ll go into more detail about that a little later. But before we begin, let’s take a moment to talk about sewing safety. Be sure to read, understand, and follow all the safety guidelines that come with your sewing machine, rotary cutters, and other tools. Knowing how to use your tools properly will help reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this, there’s no more important safety rule than to wear these—safety glasses.”

Since my closet is filled with almost exclusively handmade clothes, if I do have any ready-to-wear clothes in my closet, you know they are extra, super-duper special. Case in point: my Gap Sherpa Robe. I still remember the exact moment I bought it, back in the Holiday season of 2014, at the University Place Mall in Orem, UT. Ryan and I were both unemployed at the time, living with my parents, and trying to figure out our next steps after realizing the whole Ph.D. thing wasn’t working out for either of us. It was a tough, uncertain time, and money was tight. I spent way too long debating whether to buy the robe—originally $69.95, but marked down to $34.97—but ultimately, it felt like a small luxury I couldn’t pass up. Do I remember—or still own—the brushed cotton shirt dresses I bought around that time? Nope! Those have been lost to time and memory. But my Sherpa robe? That’s a keepsake.

I was only just learning to sew in 2014 and for the last 10 years, I’ve wanted to recreate my beloved robe. The problem is, I’ve never been able to find similar fabric until now.

Original Robe

My Robe Through the Years

Fabric

For the longest time, I didn’t know what to call this fabric. It’s made of two layers bonded together: a stretch cotton jersey knit on the outside and a soft polyester fleece on the inside. Turns out, the fabric is called “Alpine Fleece” or “Sweatshirt Alpine Fleece.” Now that I know its name, I can find it everywhere!

I bought my fabric from L’oiseau fabrics, but the manufacturer is Swafing. The specific fabric is called MILA ALPS-FLEECE, and it’s 300 gsm, 147 cm wide, and made of 55% cotton, 40% polyester, and 5% elastane. I’m a huge fan of Swafing fabrics, so it’s no surprise I love this fabric.

Pattern

I’m way too attached to my original robe to even think about cutting it up to make a pattern. Instead, I did my best to create a pattern from measurements alone. I definitely felt like Norm from The New Yankee Workshop, trying to reverse-engineer a measured drawing from an original antique! Click the button below, which will open a tab to Gumroad where you can download the pattern and instructions:

My Recreation

No reason to change how I look for these photos. I just got back from a tough physical therapy session—my hair’s a mess, but I’m so happy to be back in my warm, comfy clothes.