Boy, what a summer it’s been, right? Heat waves, flooding, thunderstorms, wind and cold? Not exactly the summer we were all hoping for in the United States after over a year in lockdown.
In between raindrops, we did manage to spend a few hours on the beach. Ok, sometimes we were on the beach even in the rain. I was committed to wearing my bikini at least once before July passed us by, but I needed a cover-up.
I’m very into Kaftans for their flowy comfort and efficient use of fabric, so I decided to use one as the inspiration for this beach cover.
I used about a yard and a half of two-way-stretch cotton jersey from my stash and patterned the garment myself to get the most out of as little fabric as possible. The front and back are the same shape, with the opening cut in the front after the side seams, sleeves, and neckline were already assembled. A front closure is easier to take on and off without worrying about hats, hair, and sunglasses getting in the way.
I made the tassel ties from yarn I had laying about. I thought a button closure would be too heavy on one side when open, but the yarn keeps the collar super light and evenly balanced. Now I can tie the robe closed at the neck for a little modesty.
It took a little trial and error to decide what style of hem I wanted, but I settled on a double-roll on the sewing machine because the serger was gathering this lightweight fabric. It hits a few inches above my ankles, so it’s easy to walk in, stays out of the sand, but still has an elegant long silhouette.
