Jalie 3900 Charlotte Cardigan

Pattern: Classic jewel neck cardigan with long sleeve, hem and wrist bands.

• Buttons at the front are optional.
• View A hits at the hips and has pockets
• View B is a cropped version.

Size: 28 sizes including girls, women, and plus sizes
I used View B, Cropped Cardigan. Size W
My measurements at the time: 38 bust, 30 waist, 43 hip



Alterations: ½” Forward shoulder adjustment (which I need for every pattern).



Fabric Used: A mystery remnant. It is a poly jersey/sweater knit type fabric. Textured on one side. It is stretchy, but stable. Cropped calls for 1 3/4 yards of fabric; I was able to cut mine out of 1 1/8 yards.




Instructions: Easy to follow.  I enjoy the pictures with each step as sometimes I get confused what a step is saying. 



Thoughts: I am super happy with the fit. It covers my chest perfectly. The arms are a great length. The shoulders fit well. I love the height of the cropped version. It is exactly what I needed in my wardrobe.

Happy Sewing!

Jalie 3677 Helene Cardigan - SWAP

Size: V at Shoulder/Bust/Waist to Y at Hip


Alterations:

• 1/2” forward shoulder

Instructions: excellent!  I love the pictures with the written instructions.  I’m such a visual person and they help me out a lot.  This cardigan was fun to sew, it was like putting together a puzzle.  The pieces are very unique.



Fabric:  2 yards Heather Slate Grey Sweater Knit, 90% Polyester 8% Rayon 2% Lycra blend. Purchased Sept 2017 from Fashion Fabrics Club for $3.94 per yard.  Total for Cardi: $7.88



Thoughts: 

• I love the design. 
• I love how the shaping is in the back. 
• It sews up super, super fast.
• I feel like the pockets are too far back to be useful (on the pattern photo she is clearly pulling the cardi forward for her hands to be that far ahead).
• I feel like the cardi needs a button on the front middle. 

I’m sure I’ll make this pattern again some time and when I do I will shift the pockets forward a bit and add a button.  It’s a great pattern!





I was so excited for this cardi to look great that I even mitered the corners, and sewed around them with my coverstitch





Spring/Summer Plan:

Spring Maxi Dress and a Failed Cardi

The other day WI hit 50-something degrees so I thought “Oh, it’s a great day for photos!” and ran outside to take some.  I was a bit too eager because the sunshine, while nice, was not in my favor for good photos plus the ground was soppy, muddy, squishy, and gross.  I’m posting them anyway.

The dress.  Boundless by Patterns for Pirates



I made a sleeved version this time, maxi, and the bodice is lined.  There are also pockets.  I started this dress sometime last fall and just couldn’t get the motivation to finish it.  I love pockets in dresses but sometimes all that extra work has me procrastinating. 



This is a modified Boundless.  I do not like the back being so low so I raised the back neck 3”. I made a 1/2” forward shoulder adjustment. I also felt restricted in my other tank boundless when I walked, so this time I used the skirt from the Made for Mermaids Chloe.  It has much more room at the ankle.

Size used: Large.



Fabric:  Originally I ordered 2 yards of this beautiful Knitpop fabric.  Then I cut the front skirt and realized I needed more fabric, it would not fit with just 2 yards.  I went and ordered another 2 yards just to be sure.  It is the Double Brushed Denim Teal Amber Floral on Poly Spandex; $8.50/yd from Knitpop.  I then had leftover fabric after I cut this dress out so I quick made up a Sweet Tee with the leftovers.  So, I would say this dress used 3 yards.



Thoughts:  It fits well.  I’m glad I added width to the bottom of the skirt, it flows better when I walk.  I love the fabric.  I like the dress a lot, but I’m not in love with it.  Sometime between fall and finishing it I just sort of fell out of love and wanted to just get it done.  Maybe as time goes on I will enjoy it more. 



I like to serge fold over elastic at the waist.  it helps the gathers retain their shape and the FOE is soft so it doesn't irritate my skin the way elastic does.

McCalls 6996 - Failed Cardi

I can’t even tell you when I made this it has been so long ago now.  It was one of those projects I was super excited for, sewed it up right away, and then hated it.  So it sat and sat and I never photographed it or blogged about it.  It lived on my dress form, Betty for many months now. 



I’m not sure if it is because of a bad fabric choice, or the pattern itself.  So many people like this pattern and it looks great on others – so I have to assume it is the fabric.



Size: Large. I made a size L because at that time my bust was 39” (it is 37.5 now); The cardi was too big then and now.  I made view C/D.  I also did a 1/2” forward shoulder adjustment.



The fit unpleasant; too long in the arms, big overall.  The fabric is thicker yoga knit (on it’s own it is so soft and amazing but apparently totally wrong for this cardi).  I’m also unsure of when I got this fabric but I put it in my database Dec 2016.  I used 2 yards “cranberry DBP Yoga blend” from knitpop.





I’ll salvage the yoga knit if I can – hack it up into something else.  I may try this cardi pattern again sometime in a much drapier fabric and in a size M.

Everything’s Roses ~ P4P Sweetheart & Boundless with Jalie Shrug

These next 4 makes are probably my favorite things I’ve made in awhile.
(lots of pictures incoming).

Patterns For Pirates ~ Boundless Dress



Size: Straight size Large even though my hips are an XL (I was lazy that day)



Adjustments: Raised the back neck by 3”  The pattern has a low scoop back and this just isn’t my thing.


I also made a 1/2” forward shoulder adjustment.  I used the Tank, empire option, with pockets! 



Fabric: I got this luscious Double Brushed Polyester from an Auction box at Knitpop.  It worked out great!  I’m not sure if I had 2 yards or 2.5 yards or 3 yards.  Sorry, I didn’t measure I was just so excited to sew it up.



Thoughts: Love, love, love.  I wasn’t sure I would like it and didn’t by the pattern for the longest time. But I do love it!  Next time I make this I’ll sew with 1/4” Seam Allowance around the neck and arms – I feel they are just a tad too low.



I also need to make the skirt part XL to fit my hips; you can see a bit of pulling on the front toward my hips in the pictures.  Finally, I want to make the skirt wider at the bottom.  I find it just a small bit hard to walk in this skirt.  None of these changes take away from the fact that I love this dress though. 

(Me Made May 12,2017)

I made the dress in the late evening on May 6th

Black Jalie 3246 Shrug



I was looking all day for the perfect sweater/shrug for my other roses dress, below.  I wasn’t sure what I wanted until I saw this Jalie Shrug.  It was exactly what I was looking for. 



Size: Straight X



Adjustments: I made the bands around the bottom, bust, neck 1” wider.  I like this shrug just a little longer than my other one, below. 



Fabric: Black Stretch Jersey with Merino-like Wool Hacci Brush that I purchased in April 2017 from Stylish Fabrics, 1 yard for $7.90.  This fabric is so soft and fuzzy on the right side.  It has the perfect stretch and weight for this shrug.

Thoughts: Love it!  I want to make a million of these!

Patterns for Pirates ~ Sweetheart Dress



Size: straight size Large, tank version with full circle skirt



Adjustments: 1/2” forward shoulder adjustment



Fabric: 2 yards Double Brushed Polyester, Navy w/ Coral Pink Roses; I purchased this from knitpop in an auction box. It works out to $5.70 a yard this way.  so $11.40 total for the dress.



Thoughts: I love a circle skirt and soft fabric.  This dress is amazing, though difficult to wear when it’s windy.



I would change how I sewed the binding on the arms next time, maybe 1/4” SA? or add a bit to the armscythe/shoulder?  I’m not sure why but the bindings are so close to each other at the shoulder that I couldn’t topstitch them down. 

(Me Made May 16, 2017)

Red Jalie 3246 Shrug



Size: Straight Size X, no adjustments



Fabric: oh so soft red sweater knit.  I don’t know, I think I got it from knitpop? I seem to be obsessed with their amazing fabrics lately.  Let’s say I got it from knitpop.  This pattern uses only 1 yard. It’s fast to sew too!



I made sure to put a tag at the back neck so I wouldn’t be confused as to which way was up!

I’m slowly getting caught up with my makes!

Happy Sewing!
Kristin

Sewing for others ~ Jalie and Swoon

This year I wanted to make something special for my Mom for her Birthday.
She liked my Jalie scarf neck top so I made her one for  herself.  I also made her a Swoon Cardigan.

Jalie 2921



I won’t divulge my mom’s measurements on her but I will say that she is short-waisted.  This alteration was different for me because I’m rather long waisted. 



You probably recognize the fabric from my Burda shirt the other day.  When I pulled it out my daughter said “That looks like something grandma would like.”  Luckily I had enough to make both her shirt and mine.  I did sew hers first just to be safe. 



I’ve made this pattern for myself 3 times now.  I love it.  Sewing it up is a breeze. 

Swoon Cardigan



I picked this cardigan because I loved the princess seaming.  I’ve never sewn it before. I didn’t like the front with the asymmetrical peaks – so I made it straight across in front.



I didn’t like this pattern, the instructions, any of it  Piecing the pattern together was weird how there one long part of the main body that is cut off and on a different part – I don’t know. I didn’t like it and thought it was weird.  The sewing part was ok but I didn’t enjoy it.  The collar part is single fabric, I wish it was double to hide the seam.  The two seams joining at the bottom are not a good feature.  The corners at the front have to be mitered to look right.  Ugh. not my favorite.  It looks nice, and I like how it turned out. But I’ll not be sewing this again.



Fabric: initially I had this pegged to be my Jalie drop pocket cardigan for my swap. However, it looked so nice with this fabric and it is colors my mom would like.  2 yards Teal Blue Jersey Knit, 95% Rayon 5% Lycra.  It is soft and drapes well.  I purchased it in August 2016 from fashion fabrics club.

I sure hope my Mom enjoyed receiving these as her present. 

Happy Sewing!
Kristin