8.
That is how many Swoon Patterns scarf-neck cardigans I have made. Granted, one of those wasn't for me, but still. I may have a problem.
This is TNT month for the Sewcialists (which handily goes hand-in-hand with One Week, One Pattern starting on Sunday) and although I've had this post in draft form since May, it seemed fitting to finally push it out this month.
The first four have been previously documented: short beige, short glam, long blue, short blue lace. You'd think that would be enough, but hell no. I made two more over a year ago and finished another two in May. Since I've sorted out the pattern meeting at the bottom issue, the construction has been fairly straightforward. I can pretty much do this in my sleep now.
If that's not the definition of a TNT, I don't know what is.
The red one was a gift for my SIL two Christmases ago. I found this super cuddly red fleece-like acrylic in one of those below-level stores on Queen and got enough for F's sweater plus a Bronte, a So Zo' tank. and Mary knickers for me.
They're so cozy, but I'm conflicted about them now that I know that fleece is even worse for the hydrosphere than microbeads.
Anyway, that one totally doesn't count.
I would have been done with this pattern but the thing is I really needed a long black cardigan since I donated my cheapo RTW version. Two summers ago I came across some gorgeous mohair-wool blend at Textiles on King and made the cardigan a mere six months later. I've worn this more or less constantly ever since, barring the hottest months and the horrible time last December when I left it in the school library after a workshop and thought it was a goner. I missed it so much I was thinking I'd have to lift my fabric ban just this once, but fortunately I happened to glance in the lost and found at the beginning of January, and there it was!
More pictures attempting to show the texture, even though it`s black and (say it with me now) black is impossible to photograph...
I should have been done at this point, but disaster sort of struck my lovely long blue cardi. I wore it a lot -- it's a great colour, it draped beautifully, it felt like a hug, and I was really careful when laundering it to air dry it. Except this one time? I wasn't paying attention and tossed it in the dryer? Now it's got pills from other fabric stuck all over? And I can't get them off? What's worse, it... sticks to itself. Not via static, but like the inside has little velcro hooks. So much for the drape.
Not that I would ever give it up -- it still feels like a hug -- but it's now firmly in the "emergency sweater" (or home slouching sweater) category. So I acquired some teal merino knit (now there's something to swoon about). Finally, my quest tocopy pay hommage to Macinac's teal waterfall version is complete.
I cut it out on the lab benches last December, along with some taupe rib-knit acquired in a swap (from Andie, I think). Of course, I didn't get around to sewing either of them until late May (when I really should have been marking, as usual). The teal is a regular length, no frills sew. It was supposed to be French-seamed, but I messed up the initial seam by putting the right sides together. No way was I going to unpick that thing, so it's all normal seams finished with a zigzag stitch.
I must admit I was somewhat pleased with the chilly temperatures this spring because it gave me a chance to wear this sweater without suffocating.
(Sadly, an encounter with the razors at the end of Cassie's velvety paws has resulted in several tears that will need to be darned. Why can't I have nice things?)
The one I've saved for last is the aforementioned greyish-purplish taupe sweater knit. There was just shy of 1 yard of it, which is not quite enough to make this pattern. Nevertheless, I persisted. I used my cropped version and further modified the front panels to essentially lose the scarf. I used the 3/4 sleeve because Andie assured me the fabric would stretch out (it does); even so, I had to piece together one of the sleeves to make a complete garment.
I was thinking of making the sleeves a design feature (as in deliberately cutting up the left sleeve to match), but this knit fought me pretty much every step of the way, so I'm glad I didn't have any extra seams to deal with.
The insides are a mishmash of finishes, because I started out trying bind the edges with Hug Snug. That went pear-shaped fairly quickly, and I should have given up on it much earlier than I did. The knit also wanted nothing to do with my go-to basic zigzag and overcast stitches. I was stymied until I hit on the solution.
Blanket stitch. Obvious in hindsight.
I put this sweater on pretty much as soon as I get home and change out of my work clothes. It's deliciously warm. I did manage to take it off long enough to wash it, and the edges have gone delightfully ruffly.
Because I had just enough scrap knit left over, I added pockets to the front because that is the one thing this sweater is lacking; this knit is substantial enough for patch pockets, but I think I'll try inseam pockets in any future versions. Because there will probably be future versions. Because I definitely have a problem.
I have a few posts from stuff I made in October and pics from the Guillermo del Toro exhibit at the AGO, but they may take a while to put together.
That is how many Swoon Patterns scarf-neck cardigans I have made. Granted, one of those wasn't for me, but still. I may have a problem.
This is TNT month for the Sewcialists (which handily goes hand-in-hand with One Week, One Pattern starting on Sunday) and although I've had this post in draft form since May, it seemed fitting to finally push it out this month.
The first four have been previously documented: short beige, short glam, long blue, short blue lace. You'd think that would be enough, but hell no. I made two more over a year ago and finished another two in May. Since I've sorted out the pattern meeting at the bottom issue, the construction has been fairly straightforward. I can pretty much do this in my sleep now.
If that's not the definition of a TNT, I don't know what is.
The red one was a gift for my SIL two Christmases ago. I found this super cuddly red fleece-like acrylic in one of those below-level stores on Queen and got enough for F's sweater plus a Bronte, a So Zo' tank. and Mary knickers for me.
They're so cozy, but I'm conflicted about them now that I know that fleece is even worse for the hydrosphere than microbeads.
Anyway, that one totally doesn't count.
I would have been done with this pattern but the thing is I really needed a long black cardigan since I donated my cheapo RTW version. Two summers ago I came across some gorgeous mohair-wool blend at Textiles on King and made the cardigan a mere six months later. I've worn this more or less constantly ever since, barring the hottest months and the horrible time last December when I left it in the school library after a workshop and thought it was a goner. I missed it so much I was thinking I'd have to lift my fabric ban just this once, but fortunately I happened to glance in the lost and found at the beginning of January, and there it was!
More pictures attempting to show the texture, even though it`s black and (say it with me now) black is impossible to photograph...
I should have been done at this point, but disaster sort of struck my lovely long blue cardi. I wore it a lot -- it's a great colour, it draped beautifully, it felt like a hug, and I was really careful when laundering it to air dry it. Except this one time? I wasn't paying attention and tossed it in the dryer? Now it's got pills from other fabric stuck all over? And I can't get them off? What's worse, it... sticks to itself. Not via static, but like the inside has little velcro hooks. So much for the drape.
Not that I would ever give it up -- it still feels like a hug -- but it's now firmly in the "emergency sweater" (or home slouching sweater) category. So I acquired some teal merino knit (now there's something to swoon about). Finally, my quest to
I cut it out on the lab benches last December, along with some taupe rib-knit acquired in a swap (from Andie, I think). Of course, I didn't get around to sewing either of them until late May (when I really should have been marking, as usual). The teal is a regular length, no frills sew. It was supposed to be French-seamed, but I messed up the initial seam by putting the right sides together. No way was I going to unpick that thing, so it's all normal seams finished with a zigzag stitch.
I must admit I was somewhat pleased with the chilly temperatures this spring because it gave me a chance to wear this sweater without suffocating.
(Sadly, an encounter with the razors at the end of Cassie's velvety paws has resulted in several tears that will need to be darned. Why can't I have nice things?)
The one I've saved for last is the aforementioned greyish-purplish taupe sweater knit. There was just shy of 1 yard of it, which is not quite enough to make this pattern. Nevertheless, I persisted. I used my cropped version and further modified the front panels to essentially lose the scarf. I used the 3/4 sleeve because Andie assured me the fabric would stretch out (it does); even so, I had to piece together one of the sleeves to make a complete garment.
I was thinking of making the sleeves a design feature (as in deliberately cutting up the left sleeve to match), but this knit fought me pretty much every step of the way, so I'm glad I didn't have any extra seams to deal with.
The insides are a mishmash of finishes, because I started out trying bind the edges with Hug Snug. That went pear-shaped fairly quickly, and I should have given up on it much earlier than I did. The knit also wanted nothing to do with my go-to basic zigzag and overcast stitches. I was stymied until I hit on the solution.
Blanket stitch. Obvious in hindsight.
I put this sweater on pretty much as soon as I get home and change out of my work clothes. It's deliciously warm. I did manage to take it off long enough to wash it, and the edges have gone delightfully ruffly.
Because I had just enough scrap knit left over, I added pockets to the front because that is the one thing this sweater is lacking; this knit is substantial enough for patch pockets, but I think I'll try inseam pockets in any future versions. Because there will probably be future versions. Because I definitely have a problem.
I have a few posts from stuff I made in October and pics from the Guillermo del Toro exhibit at the AGO, but they may take a while to put together.
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