This pattern was totally a spontaneous make. My sewing friend Tessa has just Discovered Jalie, as one does. So I have Rediscovered Jalie! I was browsing something and this pattern totally caught my eye because of the crazy pocket action. I bought it pretty much that minute, printed it within the day at the print shop, and started sewing with a piece of fabric that I had been planning to use for a tshirt.
This was a much better idea than yet another merino tshirt! The fabric is from Merino Heaven - my name for a cluster of shops in Otara in south Auckland. Merino in this little cul-de-sac goes for about 8 dollars/meter, making it worth the helldrive to Auckland.
I cut a size R based on my measurements. I am happy with this size. I am a bust 32 and waist 27, but with wide shoulders and a muscular back and upper arms.
I read through a few reviews, but there are a LOT of reviews, and most of them are the annoying type that just say they love the pattern and it's so cool and they want to make 5 more. So I didn't read too many and I didn't think too far ahead and I didn't consider shortening the pattern.
The instructions are sufficient but not wordy. Construction is ingenious. I do not recommend sewing this on a normal machine, as I did. I think too many of the seams need to stretch well, and of course I used a straight stitch. I have indeed discovered the uses of a zig zag but I still don't always feel like it's as strong. Since in the front you functionally have 4 layers of fabric, a lot of weight hangs on your stitching.
I lost the very first piece - the neck binding, and made another one from whatever was handy, and now I really like the contrast.
This took two separate sewing episodes, but mainly because on night shift I sometimes sew when I should be sleeping and I was smart enough to stop before I made any mistakes. I wore it to work right after finishing it.
What people didn't bother to mention in those reviews: this cardigan covers your back very fully. It does have slim fitted sleeves that will go well over a tank top but not a tshirt. And the front goes to about the nipple line. You could certainly pull the front more closely together, but that's not how it hangs - it's made to hang open and the pockets are quite far away from center. My instinct is that it should be lots shorter so that I can easily access and put things in the pockets. However I see that the line of the cardigan looks good long. If I made it again I'd be tempted to shorten it. As it is, I wouldn't put heavy things in the pockets because they seem far away, like the entire cardi half would then pull away from my body and things would fall out of the pockets. But they are spacious.
Everyone else really likes it on me. I have been on the fence about it. But I do like the look and I think it will go with a lot of my wardrobe.
This was a much better idea than yet another merino tshirt! The fabric is from Merino Heaven - my name for a cluster of shops in Otara in south Auckland. Merino in this little cul-de-sac goes for about 8 dollars/meter, making it worth the helldrive to Auckland.
I cut a size R based on my measurements. I am happy with this size. I am a bust 32 and waist 27, but with wide shoulders and a muscular back and upper arms.
I read through a few reviews, but there are a LOT of reviews, and most of them are the annoying type that just say they love the pattern and it's so cool and they want to make 5 more. So I didn't read too many and I didn't think too far ahead and I didn't consider shortening the pattern.
The instructions are sufficient but not wordy. Construction is ingenious. I do not recommend sewing this on a normal machine, as I did. I think too many of the seams need to stretch well, and of course I used a straight stitch. I have indeed discovered the uses of a zig zag but I still don't always feel like it's as strong. Since in the front you functionally have 4 layers of fabric, a lot of weight hangs on your stitching.
I lost the very first piece - the neck binding, and made another one from whatever was handy, and now I really like the contrast.
This took two separate sewing episodes, but mainly because on night shift I sometimes sew when I should be sleeping and I was smart enough to stop before I made any mistakes. I wore it to work right after finishing it.
What people didn't bother to mention in those reviews: this cardigan covers your back very fully. It does have slim fitted sleeves that will go well over a tank top but not a tshirt. And the front goes to about the nipple line. You could certainly pull the front more closely together, but that's not how it hangs - it's made to hang open and the pockets are quite far away from center. My instinct is that it should be lots shorter so that I can easily access and put things in the pockets. However I see that the line of the cardigan looks good long. If I made it again I'd be tempted to shorten it. As it is, I wouldn't put heavy things in the pockets because they seem far away, like the entire cardi half would then pull away from my body and things would fall out of the pockets. But they are spacious.
Everyone else really likes it on me. I have been on the fence about it. But I do like the look and I think it will go with a lot of my wardrobe.
Oh it's very nice, probably great for some cooler nights in Auckland in summer. Not sure it would hold up for me in winter, LOL. I'll keep Otara in mind when I go to Auckland next - thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteOtara is really amazing for merino! And everything else, and so cheap! But you're right this is a summerweight cardi - I was wearing it layered at work but its not enough outside, not even in Raglan :)
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