I’ve finally made my first Knip Mode pattern, an open collar cardigan from the July issue of 2016 and what a great pattern it is! I’ve been digging myself into a lot holes lately, trying to make quite time consuming garments with a lot of detailing. So this quick and easy pattern was a breath of fresh air.
Apart from how easy it was to sew, I also like how well drafted the pattern was. Unlike a lot of open cardigans that can be quite bulky, this one is somewhat fitted. First of all it has bust darts, which is a feature on knits that I love, make such a huge difference on how the cardigan sits over the bust, even on small busted people like me. No bust wrinkles and stuff with darts. Also it is tapered in the waist, which is what I prefer for my body type.
To be honest it felt like I almost spent more time on aligning the pattern of the fabric than I did sewing this cardigan. The trick is to use notches cut and to each piece as a single layer, never do double layers when working with tricky fabric designs! That is a lesson I learned the hard way!
The collar is just two long rectangular pieces that are sewn together in the back.
The fabric is a cotton knit from a Danish company that my local fabric seller got her hands on. I was almost fighting for the last piece with another women 🙂 but in the end we both ended with enough fabric for one cardigan each!
I added pockets which is not included in the pattern. They just consist of a rectangular piece that I attach in the side and collar seam. If you wonder how I make my hem invisible, I’ve done both a blog tutorial about my method for invisible hemming on knits and a video tutorial on the same subject.
So there it is, a great first attempt at making a Knip Mode magazine pattern. You can also check out my review of the pattern over at Pattern Review for more info and even step by step instructions on how to sew the cardigan for those of us that can’t read Dutch or German (it’s called Fashion Style in Germany).
Also, if you haven’t already you can check out my big list of round neck cardigan sewing patterns and my video about my me-made cardigan collection.
10 Comments
Faye Lewis
July 4, 2017 at 3:40 pmIt is a lovely cardigan Johanna. Makes me want one even though we are have 90 degree plus heat right now. You did a marvelous job of matching the fabric patter. I’m very interested in knowing how the pocket was installed.
Johanna
July 5, 2017 at 9:28 amI cut a rectangle as wide as the space between the side seam and collar seam. The I folded the upper edge and topstitched it. I attached the pocket by placing it on the bodice and then I just sew the side seams and collar seam. Last step was to fold the hem and then I hemmed the cardigan with a blind stitch , so the pocket was just an extra layer, which made it so easy to make!
PsychicSewerKathleen
July 4, 2017 at 6:33 pmThat fabric WAS worth wrestling for! Beautiful – thick, luscious and a great design. I think you’re right too that when you have such a beautiful design it is better to cut single layer. A bit of extra work but it really pays off – I’m finding that I do that more and more often. It just takes a bit more time but even to make sure the grain is right its worth it.
Johanna
July 5, 2017 at 9:29 amTotally! I made the mistake of not cutting single layer on sheer silk last year, never again will I do that! It was mess
Hannah
July 12, 2017 at 4:43 pmJohanna, superb design. You have done a great job. I have seen your work, you have done really really a good job…I am going to feature you on list of best sewers of 2017 on my site.
Johanna
July 13, 2017 at 12:02 pmWow, what an honor! Thank you for considering me 🙂
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