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Making
A Ritual Robe
The information on this page was first posted on the Moonshadows Forum, I've re-written parts of it and added some comments from another of our forum members. I'm not sure where the original came from but don't mind giving credit if you email me. This robe is a very basic simple style - the easiest one I know of, with very little sewing. They will fit any weight from 80 lbs. to 300 lbs. Front & back are the same- all you have to sew here is the sides and neck. You can sew the robe by hand or use a sewing machine and the robe can be decorated with beads, braid, embroidered or just left plain, in short you can make it as simple or as complicated as you like. You can also use any fabric from hessian to velvet, why not make them in a range of colours to suit all your ritual needs? Remember to choose fabrics that breathe well and work well for your climate if you conduct rituals outdoors, or live where it gets very hot in the summer make sure you use 100% cotton - with no polyester in it, to keep you cool. Instructions - You'll need a length of fabric 36 to 45 in. wide and as long as TWICE the distance from the top of your shoulder to your feet. For example, if your body is 5 feet tall, then you will need 10 feet of fabric, or 3 1/3 yards. You'll also need a reel of thread, pins, scissors, needles or sewing machine, dress makers chalk pencil and any items you want to use for decoration. Some old wallpaper to use to mark out the pattern (you could use proper dressmakers pattern paper instead).  1)
Fold the fabric into quarters: once across (width), and once the long
way (lengthwise). Make sure it's even, and that all 4 edges are together.
Pin the fabric for added stability, before you start cutting.
IMPORTANT!
1a)
If you have chosen a material with a pattern, there's an extra step
here you'll need to do. Cut across the width at midpoint, turn one half
around and with the right sides facing, seam the 2 edges together. The
seam will become the shoulder-and-sleeve seam of the finished robe,
instead of the seamless top line made by folding. Be SURE the upper
ends of the design face TOWARD this seam!
2)
In the upper left hand corner of the fabric you folded into quarters,
measure inches diagonally (kittykorner) from the edge. Make a quarter
circle with a coloured pencil on the fabric. Now cut it out, following
the curved line you just made. Congratulations! You just finished the
scoop neck of your robe, which you'll see when you unfold it later.
3) Measure 10 inches down from the outside edge (selvage), and make a mark with your coloured pencil. This is part of your sleeve. 4)
Measure 18 inches up from the bottom along the outside (selvage) edge
and make a mark with your coloured pencil. This is your waist.
5)
Measure 3 inches up from the bottom along the outside (selvage) edge
and make a mark with your coloured pencil. This is your hem.
5a)
Draw a line (essentially a sharp 45 degree angle) from the 3 inch hem
mark up to the 18 waist mark. Stop. (Trust me on this, it's much easier
this way).
6)
Now draw a wide gentle curve from the 18 inch waist out to the 10 inch
sleeve mark. Remember, this is your sleeve, so the more generous you
make this curve, the roomier your sleeve will be. You need every inch
you can allow to raise your arms above your head for rituals.
 7)
Now cut along the lines you just made. Unfold the robe. It should look
just like the one in figure 2.
Now all you have to do is sew up the sides, hem the neck and skirt hem
& add any trim or decoration if you want to.
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