Cosy Cardi

It's lovely and warm and cosy and, in that, it seems to be all I'm after in an item of clothing these days!  I brought this fabric at the local markets from a lady that sells (obviously) pieces of second hand fabrics, haberdashery bits and bobs as well as a rather good selection of second hand books.  I think this set me back $4.50 for a meter and a half of boiled wool type jersey.  One side looks just like boiled wool, the other like jersey.   Not sure which side is meant to be the right one but I went for the bobbly side.  It stretches like astable jersey.

Cosy and content

I spent a bit of time prowling the interwebs for a suitable pattern but didn't find anything I really liked.  Then I stumbled on a few tutiorials and looked at cardi I already had.  In the end I decided it would be easiest to draft a pattern from a top I already had.   I used the long sleeved black T shirt that I'm wearing underneath.  Infact it was very easy and I wonder why I didn't think of this earlier.

On the front I just curved the neckline down from the shoulder to the centre front at the bottom.  Then I cut two 30cm wide pieces (each the length of half the front) sewed them together and attached them as the collar.  The width was decided by a small hole in the fabric meaning 30cm was all I could fit in.  I think it works pretty well.  If I was to do it again I think I might curve the centre back seam of the collar so that it rolls over more softly, although it works ok as it is.  The collar and front are really nice to wrap around you and snuggle in.

I did the shoulder seams inside out and sewed the seam allowances down with a zigzag stitch.  Other seams were the normal way out but also sewn down on either side with a zigzag.  I feel like the zigzags add a bit more structure and make it look a little more jacket like.  I left the hem and neck unhemmed.  My husband keeps asking when I'm going to finish it but I think its fine. 

My hair looks a bit crazy but as I said I'm warm.  I've worn it lots.  I like the colour, infact I seems to have sewn a few things in different colours (for me) but which all go toghether really well. 

I like the shawl/scarf like collar.  I was considering a more waterfall one which seems to consist of curtting a big rectangle extra on each front piece.  In the end I didn't think it would be so warm for this cardi but I do have some thickish white jersey that I might try one from. 

One thing I did learn from Me Made May (final post sometime soon) was that I mainly wear jeans in winter and I was lacking many warm things to go with them.  Here's solution number one!

Liberty Top

This tank was made from a pattern I drafted from a top my step daughter brought.  Hers had a fancy collar a bit reminiscent of my Roxanne top but it was the simple shape and good fit that made me want to make it.  This was the second version, made with a piece of Liberty fabric that my parents brought for me for Christmas.  It was probably only about 80cm but it was perfect for this.

My 1st version of this had disintegrated (made out of an old skirt, itself made out of a patchwork ofrecycled indonesian fabrics, I had already replaced some of the patches but went a big tear opened up right on my left boob (what do you call them on blogs?) I gave up but knew I had to make another as I wore it a lot.

It fits pretty well but I don't think I copied it perfectly as the pattern isn't quite how it should be, front not as wide as the back etc. The original was not brilliantly made but even so think I have a bit to learn.  BUT still it works and I wore this one today...which got me to write the post.  I shortened the front a bit to have a bit of a curve rather than be straight across.  And I promise last of the beach photos!

I love the colours and the print.  In fact I think its really reminiscent of the landscape round here.  I put in the picture of the jetty and scrub, taken at the same place (just by Canal Rocks) as I think they compliment it so well.