Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Patrones #289 cardi

The mornings are getting cooler and my office is fridge like.  I need some warmish things but jackets demand a bit more concentration to make than I'm feeling.  Cardi time!  Cardis are such good quick gratification projects aren't they?  Good stash user-uppers too. 
You always hope that a pattern is going to be good but isn't it nice when a pattern turns out even better than you expected.  I've been meaning to make this Patrones cardi for ages.
Of course I've made 2. 
The pattern is from Patrones #289 Model 9.  The fabric for both is a modal/wool from Potters Textiles Outlet Store.  I was wondering what 'modal' was - apparently made from cellulose, as with rayon I guess.   The mix of wool and modal is wonderfully soft whatever it is. 
They do suggest 1.5 metres of 140 cm fabric but I got these out of a metre each - this is great for using up remnants.
I didn't make a muslin and when I tried on the first version discovered that the back neck was so wide it slipped straight off my shoulders and the shoulder seams were down on my collarbones.  I took 12 cm (yikes) off the length of the back neck band and eased in heaps of the fabric by gathering. 
 To make:
  • staystitch and and clip at notches.
  • Sew shoulder seams and under sleeve up to notches.  I did a french seam using wooly nylon thread in the bobbin and a stretch zigzag stitch on the sewing machine.  I so loathe trying to changing my overlocking thread I avoid it whereever possible for small projects.  
  • Sew centre back seam of bands. 
  •  Sew other band seams.
  • Sew one seam of the band to the bodice, all the way round. 
  • So it looks like this.
  • And then turn in the seam and sew around the band on the inside.  I handsewed as I was in the mood but machine stitching would be quicker I guess.
  • The sleeves were enormously long so I took quite a bit off the length.
  • The cuffs were too wide so I took in 2cm.  Sew cuff to sleeves.
And if you have this Patrones, I highly recommend this one....  a nice, quick project.

5 comments:

  1. Oh yay yay yay! These are fantastic! I traced this out right after I got the issue but never quite had the right fabric, so the 1m comment is VERY appreciated! As are the fit issues, because I'm really bad at trying on garments as I sew them... :P

    When you say you took 12cm out of the back neck - is that only from the neck edge (ie: did you take out a triangle, or did you take the 12 from the back hem as well?).

    Thanks for the order of construction, too - that's exactly how I would've done it, too!

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  2. They look perfect for throwing on over almost any outfit, fabulous. Sadly this issue is right in the middle of my Patrones dry spell - not that I need any more patterns!

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  3. Thank you so much for the instructions. what size did you cut?

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  4. Oooh, what great and interesting looking cardigans - every time you post pictures from Patrones I am tempted to subscribe...

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