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.
