We are head over heels for Lanecardate’s Lana Cotta Canberra felted wool! It is so soft and so luscious we just want to be close to it all the time: sewing with it, wearing it, draping ourselves in it. We are constantly brainstorming ways to get Lana Cotta into our lives!

Luckily, I didn’t have to stretch far to find a way to get it into mine. My Sewn Raglan Shirt, Tunic + Dress Pattern proves to be wonderful inspiration for this beautiful fabric. The simple shaping and unfussy styling of these garments really allow the understated elegance of Lana Cotta Canberra to take center stage, which is exactly where it belongs!

To accommodate some of the unique characteristics of this extraordinary fabric (namely, its cozy knit and no-fray edges) I’ve made some easy adjustments to the original pattern. I’ve also added optional pockets to the Dress! You’ll still need the Sewn Raglan Shirt, Tunic + Dress Pattern booklet and pattern pieces for the full instructions, but all of the pattern updates are available here.

Bring some Lana Cotta Canberra into your life. It definitely makes getting dressed better! -Corinne

P.S. Curious how these garments look in lovely woven cottons? Be sure to also check out our original Sewn Raglan Shirt, Tunic and Dress!

Materials

For the Shirt, we used . . .

• Main Fabric: Lanecardate’s Lana Cotta Canberra in Grigio 3 (Medium Grey)

For the Dress, we used . . .

• Main Fabric: Lanecardate’s Lana Cotta Canberra in Grigio 4 (Dark Grey)

For the Tunic, we used . . .

• Main Fabric: Lanecardate’s Lana Cotta Canberra in Grigio 0 (Light Grey)
• Contrast Fabric: Lanecardate’s Lana Cotta Canberra in Volga (Oatmeal)

(For specific yardage information see the Fabric Requirements chart, below.)

You will also need . . .

• 1 yard of ¼-inch elastic for the neck
• Optional: An additional 1 yard of ¼-inch elastic for the cuffs
• At least 4 inches of ¼-inch ribbon for the button loop. We used Carta Inc.’s Fettuccia Ribbon in Iron for the Shirt, Gravel for the Dress, and Ice for the Tunic.
• One ½-inch button. We used Purl Soho’s Medium Button (size 19) in Black for the Shirt, Grey for the Dress, and Pastel Grey for the Tunic.
• Cotton Thread to match the fabric. We used Gutermann’s 100% cotton thread in color 9800 for the Shirt, 9500 for the Dress, and 9090 for the Tunic.
• A Bodkin or safety pin
• Please Note: The Sewn Raglan Shirt + Tunic Pattern is no longer available for purchase. For assistance, please contact us at customerservice@purlsoho.com.

Recommended Tools . . .

• Quilting ruler
• Rotary cutter
• Self-healing cutting mat

Fabric Requirements (yards)

NOTE: This yardage information applies to the Lana Cotta Canberra only. Sizing information is in the next section.

Sizes

Pattern

Follow the pattern as written in the Sewn Raglan Shirt, Tunic + Dress Pattern, with the following exceptions . . .

Right + Wrong Sides

The Lana Cotta fabric has no clear right or wrong side, though the two sides are slightly different. Before starting, choose which side you prefer and use this as the “right side” throughout the pattern.

Cut

Do not cut the Binding piece from the fabric. Instead, from the Main Fabric, cut a 1/2-inch by 32 (34, 36, 38, 40)-inch rectangle. The short end of the rectangle should run along the grainline of the fabric (parallel to the selvage). This is now the Neck Binding.

Add Pockets (Optional)

If you are making the Dress and would like to add Lana Cotta Canberra pockets, you will want to add them sometime before the Attach the Sleeves section of the Pattern. I’m just throwing that moment out there, but it seems that once the back and front are attached, adding pockets becomes a little trickier, so you decide on the best time.

Cut

Cut two 5 ½ by 7 ½ (5 ½ by 7 ½, 5 ½ by 7 ½, 6 by 8, 6 by 8)-inch squares.

With the right side facing up, lay one of the squares out flat so that its short edges run along the top and bottom.

Make a small mark at the top edge 3 ¾ (3 ¾, 3 ¾, 4, 4) inches in from the top left corner. This is point A.

Make a second mark on the left edge 4 (4, 4, 4 ¼, 4 ¼) inches from the top left corner. This is point B.

Cut a straight line from mark A to mark B. Mark A is the top of the Pocket.

Lay out the second Pocket piece with the wrong side up and repeat.

Place the Pockets

Lay the Dress Front out flat with the right side facing up.

With its right side facing up, place one Pocket top-side up and so that mark B (as established in the previous section) is 3 (3 1/8, 3 ¼, 3 3/8, 3 ¼, 3 5/8) inches in from the side edge, and 14 (14 ¼, 14 ½, 14 ¾, 15) inches down from the underarm edge.

Pin the Pocket in place along all its edges, except the diagonal one.

Sew the Pocket in place with an edgestitch along the pinned sides. When you reach the corners, insert the needle and pivot so that you have one continuous seamline along all four sides. Backstitch at the beginning and end of the seam.

Repeat with the second Pocket piece.

Prepare the Binding

Skip this section of the Pattern.

Piece the Back

After you have sewn the two Back pieces together, trim the seam allowance down to 3/8 inch, including the edge that is along the top unsewn section.

Press the seam open but do not fold the raw edges of the seam allowance under. Instead, sew the edges down with an edgestitch.

Attach the Sleeves

After you have sewn the Sleeve pieces to the Front and Back, do not sew along the seam allowance with a zigzag stitch. Instead, press the seams open.

Attach the Neck Binding

Do not follow the instructions as given. Instead, working on the wrong side of the garment and starting at one side of the back slit, pin the Neck Binding to the neck edge so that one short edge is flush with the fold of the Back Slit and the top long edge lines up with the raw edge of the neck.

Continue to pin until you reach the other side of the Back Slit. Trim the Neck Binding so that its short edge is flush with the fold of the Back Slit.

Sew the top edge of the Neck Binding to the neck edge of the garment with a scant 1/8-inch seam allowance.

Now, sew the bottom raw edge of the Neck Binding down with an edgestitch.

This is the Neck Channel.

Sew The Side Seams

Shirt Only

Trim the seam allowance to 1/4 inch and press the seam open. Continue on to the Hem the Bottom section, on page 9.

Tunic and Dress only

After you have sewn along the side and Sleeve edges (stopping at the marked spot), do not trim the seam allowance as described. Instead, simply trim the entire seam allowance, from the Sleeve edge to the bottom hem, down to 3/8 inch.

Do not finish with a zigzag stitch.

Hem the Bottom

Do not follow the instructions as given (although the NOTE still applies). Instead, use a rotary cutter and quilting ruler on a self-healing cutting mat to trim 1 ¼ inch off the bottom edge(s). There is no need to sew a hem with the Lana Cotta fabric.

Sew the Side Slit

Tunic + Dress Only

Do not follow the instructions as given. Instead, press the seam allowance open along the side and Sleeve seams. Following the line of the side seam, press open the two flaps of the Side Slit so that their wrong sides face the wrong side of the Tunic or Dress.

Sew the flaps of the Side Slit down with an edgestitch.

Hem the Sleeves

Without Elastic

Do not follow the instructions as given. Instead, use a rotary cutter and quilting ruler on a self-healing cutting mat to trim 1 ¼ inch off the raw edges of the Sleeves.

With Elastic

Do not fold the raw edges of the Sleeves as described. Instead, fold the raw edges in ½ inch towards the wrong side. Press and pin.  Sew the hem down and insert the elastic as described in the Pattern.