Part two of my endless chain happened more quickly than expected. This Jalie cardigan was really quick to sew.
This piece started with a fabric that was thinner and drapier than I thought it would be. That seems to happen a lot with knits. However it was still very nice, and I went pattern hunting to find a cardigan that would work for this fabric and be a good base for other garments I might make in the future. The Jalie line got more attention because I liked their Rose top so much that it made me want to sew another of their patterns.
Hélène (Jalie 3677) probably would have won anyway, because there are a few features that I really liked. First, the fullness in the front results from a raised neck in the back, and hangs in nice vertical folds. I like these lines on me better than the cuts that cascade in diagonals down the front. The raised neck helps actually keep one warm, too. Second, Hélène has a slightly flared lower back panel. The pattern description talks about how this gives the back a nice swing. I was more interested in how it gives me extra room.
It also has some cleverly constructed pockets on the front. I decided that my fabric didn’t have enough body to support the pockets, so I left them off. I also extended the neck and center front edge two inches for a little more drape, because my fabric was so thin. I cut one size up from Jalie’s recommendation. In future, I’ll cut the shoulder area at the correct size, and leave the rest as is.
This only took a couple of hours to sew, and most of the time was spent turning up the hem and figuring the best way to sew it. Steam-a-Seam came to my rescue. Don’t know how I would have gotten an acceptable result without it.
I’ve already worn the cardi styled like it is in the photo, with the tank top from my last post. I like it a lot and am pretty sure that I will use this pattern again next time I want a cardigan. With pockets next time.
The next item in the chain may not be sewn. I’m thinking I will go out and buy a nice pair of jeans. They will pair with the items I’ve sewn so far, and it is always good to have jeans that fit on hand.