Sparkle Sweater Knit Cowl

Another month, another cowl! For my grandma’s birthday, I whipped up a quick cowl out of the fabric leftover from my Sparkle Sweater Knit Julia Cardigan. I used the dimensions for the single fabric cowl from the Scarves and Cowls pattern by Make It Perfect. The directions for the single fabric version were easier to understand than the ones for the two fabric version, for some reason. Interestingly enough, this fabric grew considerably while I was working with it, so that the end result was a cowl that was long enough to wrap around one’s neck three times. Now to dive back into my scrap bin to see if I can come up with any more cowls before the weather warms up.

Royal Oslo Cardigan

Boy, was I eager to check out the first issue of Seamwork Magazine. Yes, the articles are informative, but what I was really looking forward to were the patterns. Quick, cute patterns delivered via PDF every month? Sign me up! The first issue did not disappoint. I knew as soon as I saw it that I wanted to sew up the Oslo Cardigan. (I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but cardigans of kind of my thing.)

Assembling PDF patterns isn’t my favorite thing in the whole world, but with Oslo I applied a couple tricks to make it more manageable. First, I used a large paper trimmer that I had received for Christmas, which sped things up and increased my trimming accuracy. Second, I paid close attention to what I was putting together, and thus was able to assemble each pattern piece separately instead of making one giant pattern sheet. I was between sizes, so I chose the larger size. Something tells me I should have chosen the smaller one.

Perhaps Oslo is intended to be an oversized cardigan, but I’m just swimming in mine. It’s super cozy, but doesn’t look as fashionable as the model versions. I think maybe part of it is the fabric choice. I used Robert Kaufman Laguna Cotton Jersey Knit in Royal, and I think Oslo would look better in a sweater knit. I may be a bit prejudiced against this fabric though, because I think it’s a little too teal to be considered “royal.” I ordered it online and was a little bit disappointed with the color. Still, I found something else in my stash that coordinates, so I kept it. It works well enough for my first run through of this pattern.

I like the way the cuffs are attached to the sleeves. I chose option one, which leaves the seam on the outside of the sleeve. When you fold the cuff up, the seam is hidden. However, the cuff is really big and it’s a bit too bulky for my taste.

Overall, I like Oslo. When I make it again, I think I’ll sew a size smaller and try a different type of knit. I can’t wait to see what patterns show up in next month’s Seamwork!

Polka Dot Coco Top

The Coco pattern by Tilly and the Buttons is amazing. This is my first time sewing it and I can already tell that I will be making lots of these. Coco is so easy to make and comfy to wear!

The fabric for this version is more Robert Kaufman Laguna Jersey Knit, this time in Dots. I bought it from Fabric.com and found a small blemish on the wrong side of the fabric. Since it doesn’t show in the finished product, it’s not a big deal, but it does make me wonder exactly why the fabric at Fabric.com is so cheap. Other than that, I enjoyed working with the fabric even though it was a little lighter weight than what is recommended for this pattern.

I have been a long-time reader of Tilly and the Buttons. I love her aesthetic and her dedication to demystifying garment sewing for the beginner. Now that I’ve made one of her patterns, I also love the easy to use pattern pieces, the clear and detailed instructions, and the sizing. She uses her own unique numbering for sizes, so you don’t feel bad about your measurements not matching up with a standard size (or matching up with the "wrong" standard size). I was between sizes, so I sewed the larger size and graded out one size bigger in the hips. Next time, I’ll go down a size, since this shirt is plenty big and I think I can get away with it since it’s made with a knit fabric.

Even though I love this shirt, it is not my best work. The neckline in particular is a mess. When I started to sew the neckline, I was paying too much attention to the TV show I was watching and not enough attention to the directions, and neglected to use Wonder Tape. The end result was quite wavy, so I folded it over and tried again. I didn’t really like the zigzag topstitching that the directions called for, so I used my double needle. (With plenty of Wonder Tape this time, of course.) Halfway through, I realized I was sewing on the incorrect side, so the double line of stitches was on the wrong side of the fabric instead of the right. I left it that way because the black thread blends in so well that you can’t tell unless you look really, really hard at it. However, the fold-it-over-and-sew-it-again technique made the neckline so wide that it’s almost unwearable. I’m going to have to wear a scarf or cardigan over it all the time, but since I intended it to be a layering shirt to begin with, I’m okay with that.

Another problem area is the sleeves. Initially, they were way too long, so I trimmed off three inches. That was too much. When my hands are at my sides, the sleeves look fine, but I would have preferred them longer so that when I use my hands my wrists would be covered and warm. Next time, I won’t trim the sleeves so drastically, although I may narrow them a bit.

So if the neckline is awful and the sleeves need work, why do I like this shirt so much? Two reasons: the length and the shape. The last knit shirt I made was so short that I try not to lift my hands over my head in public, lest I expose my stomach. Coco is so long that my dignity is safely intact. The exaggerated A-line shape flatters my body type, which I love.

While this shirt isn’t 100% perfect, it’s sure to get a lot of wear. I’ve already ordered fabric to try the funnel neck version. Stay tuned!