Knipmode Black Spotty Winter Cardigan.

Back to sensible sewing again and you can't get more sensible than this . A black wool mix cardigan in winter to replace another black cardigan that is just about as old as my youngest daughter who can now legally drive and vote and drink. I was getting thoroughly sick of it apart from some emerging holes , runs and droopiness.
I was going to sew another Style Arc Abbey cardigan but after seeing the pictures of my current one from MeMadeMay I decided I was tired of the waterfall front as well . I have a couple of other well used cardigan patterns from Kwik Sew and Butterick but they didn't feel right . I considered buying a McCalls pattern as there are a couple of cardigan patterns which are really popular and look good but this would involve a couple of hours driving there and back to buy what could be a $20 pattern . I revisited my sewing magazines and found a Knipmode one .

This is `vest ` 21 from October 2010 Knipmode , a long sleeved cardigan with slightly gathered  below bust lower fronts and backs with a wide foldover front facing .  I had never considered this pattern before because in the magazine it is very long , just above the knees and to be honest looked like a dressing gown . Then while I was helping my daughter shop for her Year 12 formal dress ( forgive me all ye sewing zealots for not sewing one ) I saw a woman wearing a shorter version and then later at lunch with my niece and her adorable twin baby boys she was wearing a similar style . So that was it !
I shorted the pattern by about 30 cms at least ( I only traced the pattern out 3 weeks ago but I can't remember what I did- getting old ? ! ) and eliminated the pockets and the front tie . I only had 2 metres of this fabric so it was necessary to shorten the cardigan anyway. Ahhh , the fabric is lovely . It is an Alannah Hill wool mix with tiny small dots from Clear It . It was really easy to sew with except the small gathers at the waist are more like pleats.

I was very careful sewing this - using iron-on interfacing at  the back and front neckline and some silk selvage at the shoulders to prevent stretching . I pressed the garment with low heat using a silk organza pressing cloth . The cardgan came together so well and easily , I sewed the sleeves in the round and they fitted perfectly.

For some reason I always get a lot of pleasure from  making a bonus pattern from my sewing magazines that I hadn't considered before and I really love this one . Also this is the last of my Clear It purchases apart from a few buttons so thinking it is time to go back ( no Janine you must keep on stashing busting , keep strong ) .

Simplicity 2501 -Silly Unseasonal Sewing .

I have a good excuse this time to be sewing a summer top in winter .
I have used this fabric previously to sew this skirt

and then last month the  bottom of this skirt .

I had a largish piece left over with a wide short piece,a longer narrower section and a couple of small scraps.

Rather than put it away in the cupboard where it had already lived for probably over 10 years I was determine to make a top which made sense anyway to match my new skirt . I pulled out a few patterns but it wasn't until the third one that I managed to fit all the pattern pieces on . The secret being that this has lots of smaller pieces rather than fewer larger ones.

This is the third time I have made this now and I realise that each time I have used fabrics where there is not much yardage. So I highly recommend this pattern in general but especially if you have limited fabric . Of course this pattern is OOP and I was shocked to realise that it was released back in 2009. It has a vintage vibe but I really like the gentle peplum . I never got onto the peplum bandwagon a few years back because I don't think they suit me but with this pattern the peplum does not stick out too much .

The front has small pleats in the bodice while the back has darts . The peplum is finished with a narrow hem but I did not follow Simplicity's instructions for this . I use a technique described in threads where you turn up the fabric and sew  a very narrow hem , trim the excess fabric and then fold this up and sew again which encloses the raw edge . Easier and accurate if you sew slowly. I used bias binding to finish the back neck and front facings but ironically I had to buy more thread to do the last couple of buttonholes as result . Should have just overlocked the facings ! I did not use the supplied facings for the armholes ( not enough fabric ) but more bias binding . I love this fabric , linen being a material I have rarely had the pleasure of using but it is all gone now . I think I will ` retire ` this Simplicity pattern now too as even though all three versions are different , they all still reside in the wardrobe and I don't want to get bored of them. 

Happy Sewing Janine.