Fall Cardigan ~ Burda 04/2010 #117 A

What a long week!  I was super busy with school and things and also was under the weather.  I didn't step foot in my sewing room for days!! It was weird.  Then today, I jumped right back in and whipped up this cardigan.

(I'm really not angry - I have just been very sick all week!)

I really wanted a fall cardigan I can wear over my tanks.  It keeps me warm but also extends the wear of the tank tops.  A month or so ago I was flipping through my Burda 04/2010 and saw #117, bingo!  I just had to settle on some fabric.  I ordered 2 yards of this gray knit from Fashion Fabrics Club to be on the safe side (pattern asks for 1 5/8 yd).

I normally sew a 38 in top and 42 in bottom however I didn't want this cardi to be too tight because it will be going over shirts/tanks. I traced, cut, and sewed a 40 bust and sleeve and blended out to a 42 from waist to hip.  I also did a square shoulder adjustment - which will now be my normal adjustment.

This is the sewing course pattern for this issue.  OMG it is SOOOOO hard to see and trace those red size lines within that red shade pattern! What are they thinking!  After that struggle, everything else was easy.  I read the instructions from Burda and thought "no way!"  I did my own thing.  Shoulders were sewn first and twill tape was used to stabilize them.  Next I set in sleeves and sewed sides/sleeve sides all in one.  *side note* sleeves sure do take up a ton of fabric, don't they?

Then I tried it on and thought it looked short.  I re-read the Burda instructions and realize I forgot to add hem allowance, oops! Ottobre adds this to their patterns and I only add seam allowances.

Damage control consisted of making a 6 inch wide strip of fabric, folding it in half and attaching to the bottom, thus creating a bottom band of 2.5 inches.  Bonus was that I no longer needed to hem the bottom. :-D  The sleeve hems were long enough without the hem allowance so I just flipped them up 3/4" and sewed them with a double needle.  Due to adding  the bottom band, I added 1 extra button.

Using the template I attempted to shape this neck/button band thing. Ugh.  Not easy, nor fun.  I'm sorry but a knit fabric band is not going to hold any shape.  I pinned the important parts (where the curve in the neck was and where the curve at the bust were and shaped it myself to the cardi.  I also interfaced the bottom half of the band where the buttons were going.  I can't believe Burda would not have you interface a knit band where buttons were going!  This attached just fine and I was done.

(these pics make the cardi look brown but I promise, it is gray)

inside view

I tried it on and am happy enough with it.  The only thing that is uncomfortable is the shoulder/arm area.  The shoulder comes out way to far - like it is supposed to hang out over the end of the shoulder and somewhat down your arm?  Also, the armscythe is low - lower than I'm used too so it feel like it is droopy in the armpit.  Because of both of these the shoulder raises when my arms are up as seen below.  This is my only gripe.  I like the rest of it.

Likes:
comfortable
fast to sew
not difficult to sew

Dislikes:
Shoulder too long out
Armscythe to low
The order of the directions stink!

added band and sleeve hems

cute vintage buttons!

Fabric: used 62" wide x 1.25 yards (pattern calls for 1 5/8 yd) "charcoal grey sweater knit" $4.94; buttons were from my vintage button stash. They are cute little gray fish eye ones.


~ Happy Sewing! ~ Kristin ~