The Sewing Place

November Cardigan Sewalong

dyedinthewool

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #30 on: October 22, 2020, 19:21:48 PM »
Oh this is apposite! I've been without a sewing machine for 6 weeks (long story, don't ask) so this might be the ideal thing for me to get back in to the swing of things!

SewRuthieSews

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #31 on: October 22, 2020, 22:59:09 PM »
Couldn't sleep, so went in the sewing room and rooted through the cupboard looking for sweater knits.
Finally settled on a soft variegated sweater knit, its 3m long and made up of taupe, white and burgundy threads.

A question to those in the know. If a sweater knit has obvious little V shapes when I look closely, which way is up?

Now to decide if I want the long cardigan since I have enough fabric, or whether that will look too much like wearing my dressing gown during the day. (My legs would be warm though)

Lilian

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #32 on: October 23, 2020, 09:29:16 AM »
@SewRuthieSews the 'V' is pointing downwards on knitted garments, that is how stocking stitch looks to me  :)
Willing but not always able :)

Vezelay

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #33 on: October 23, 2020, 11:01:26 AM »
Just realised this is for next month and we'll be in lockdown over here so really no excuse not to join in. All I've to do is pick likely contenders from my pattern and fabric stashes - what could possibly go wrong? :rolleyes:

I already have the Harper - French Terry would be nice except I doubt I have any. Only thing that puts me off for a winter cardi is that there's no fastening. (I was wearing my similar Blackwood cardi yesterday and kept wanting to pull it closed, although the Harper's looks more generous.)

@SewRuthieSews re your fabric quantities post, could be worth mentioning that a lot of jersey fabric is 150cm width rather than 130cm which means less fabric needed.

@Kenora - your Harper looks great - one of my favourite colours. And clever you changed the sleeves to raglan. I'd love to know how to do that - could you share your method please?
« Last Edit: October 23, 2020, 11:07:32 AM by Vezelay »

Ohsewsimple

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #34 on: October 23, 2020, 12:22:48 PM »
I made the Harper but found the band too wide for me at the neck.  I ran a row of gathering stitches at the middle of it and makes it much comfier for me. 
Like you @Vezelay I like a cardigan that does up.  Those without are usually just edge to edge measurements anyway. 

Sewingsue

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #35 on: October 23, 2020, 13:16:19 PM »

@SewRuthieSews re your fabric quantities post, could be worth mentioning that a lot of jersey fabric is 150cm width rather than 130cm which means less fabric needed.

I noticed that difference when I was looking at some of the links posted. It also occurred to me that if you were going for a cable knit, which I really like, then you would have to place your pattern pieces to fit the knit pattern rather than the most economical.

Mind you I have so many 'projects in waiting' that I have no idea why I am even thinking about this, far less contributing to the thread.
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.

Kenora

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #36 on: October 23, 2020, 14:00:06 PM »
@Sewingsue - most of the cable knits (not all of them) have the design running lengthways so it's quite easy to be economical with the fabric when placing the pattern pieces. :)

@Vezelay - I already had a raglan t-shirt pattern which I placed under the individual Harper pattern pieces - front, back and sleeves. I lined up the patterns just where the sleeve begins, under the arm on each piece. I then stuck extra paper onto the Harper pieces, placed my raglan pieces on top and drew around them. Hope that makes sense. ><
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

Vezelay

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #37 on: October 23, 2020, 15:28:10 PM »
@Kenora, that sounds manageable (until I try it), thank you! I've made a couple of raglan sweatshirts and a raglan bomber so I've enough patterns all right. The sleeves are so simple to insert and so comfortable that I'd love to have a go at altering one or two of my standard patterns to a raglan. I'm not a free style sewist, I like my instructions so now I have yours :).

@Ohsewsimple thanks, I'll watch that with the Harper when I do eventually make it. I like a high back collar though so it might just suit me.

Kenora

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #38 on: October 23, 2020, 17:30:40 PM »
@Vezelay - glad to hear it made some sense! As long as you keep the straight of grain lined up on both patterns you should be fine, but if you get stuck I can always take photos of my altered patterns so you see what I've done. :)
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

SewRuthieSews

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #39 on: October 23, 2020, 17:41:43 PM »
re the fabric quantities post, yes I just supplied what it says on the pattern, where they specify 130cm wide fabric.
The cutting layout shows the front cut twice on the folded 130cm fabric, and then the fabric refolded so the back is cut on the fold, but the two sleeves are single layer on the rest of the fabric.

The front piece is wider and longer than the back as the frontband/neckband is cut on to the front, and also at an angle to the grain.
So I wouldn't like to hazard a guess at whether you could make it with less than 2m of fabric if it was wider.

Given the shape of the front it might not be great for a cable as it is drafted.

Goth Gardiner

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #40 on: October 24, 2020, 12:47:06 PM »
re the fabric quantities post, yes I just supplied what it says on the pattern, where they specify 130cm wide fabric.
The cutting layout shows the front cut twice on the folded 130cm fabric, and then the fabric refolded so the back is cut on the fold, but the two sleeves are single layer on the rest of the fabric.

The front piece is wider and longer than the back as the frontband/neckband is cut on to the front, and also at an angle to the grain.
So I wouldn't like to hazard a guess at whether you could make it with less than 2m of fabric if it was wider.


I'm guessing that I could order either 2 or 2.5 metres of 1.5m wide fabric, and "just" adjust the length of the front and back to fit onto the fabric to give me the longest length I can.

Bet you're regretting starting this! 

Does anyone know how long it takes for the patterns to be delivered?
There's no workman, whatsoever he be, That may both work well and hastily

SewRuthieSews

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #41 on: October 24, 2020, 18:29:24 PM »
Quote
Bet you're regretting starting this!
 
More happy that its something that is interesting to others too. I'm guessing the cosiness of a cardigan fits the weather and at home mood.

Quote
Does anyone know how long it takes for the patterns to be delivered?
No sorry! I have no idea, as I've never ordered one as have always got mine via being a subscriber.


Goth Gardiner

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #42 on: October 30, 2020, 10:59:28 AM »
I have been playing with layouts for the Prima pattern. The fabric requirements given are overly generous for cutting out a smaller size as for sizes 10 or 12 it is possible to put the two main pattern pieces next to each other for 140cm wide fabric (it's possible for a size 14 but it is very tight).  Also, for me, the sleeves are going to reach way over the ends of my fingers, so by putting two pieces side by side and reducing the length of the sleeves I can reduce considerably the amount of fabric needed.

I've bought fabric based on a side-by-side pattern layout for a size 14.  But, please, don't base your fabric shopping on my opinion; try it yourself before buying!
« Last Edit: October 30, 2020, 12:35:57 PM by Goth Gardiner »
There's no workman, whatsoever he be, That may both work well and hastily

WildAtlanticWay

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #43 on: October 30, 2020, 13:36:37 PM »
I’m still waiting for my pattern to arrive and the fabric so I hope I can get started next week sometime.  :)

SewRuthieSews

Re: November Cardigan Sewalong
« Reply #44 on: October 31, 2020, 10:07:16 AM »
November 1st tomorrow so in theory the start of the sewalong. I don't think we will be too strict about it though so join in when suits.

I'm still doing navy based things so might be a few days yet.