Rebecca Page Circle Cardie Mashup

I love a good cardigan. It can really be a statement piece for an outfit or it can just be a practical basic. I made a Sinclair Patterns Harper Cardigan (which is a free pattern by the way) awhile back to post on the Minerva site. 

It was fun, but I used it to experiment with some serger detailing - and while I loved the pattern and loved the fabric, I haven't really been digging the serger detailing...so I've been wanting to make another one. I also needed a more basic, neutral cardigan to add to my wardrobe - but I really like my basics to have a LITTLE flair....so if I was going to make a boring color (black - no judging those who prefer a more neutral or muted wardrobe - it's just not always MY go to) I needed to have some fun details. 

I had bought some black double brushed jersey spandex blend knit from GirlCharlee awhile back that was earmarked for my basic black cardigan - It seems they no longer have this specific one - but it's a pretty thin knit with nice drape.

After spending lots of time looking at cardigan patterns, I settled on the Rebecca Page Circle Cardie. If you look at the pictures, one of the views has a really cute ruffle across the back.

So, I paid for the pattern, printed and cut it out, and got ready to sew. As I read the instructions I realized that this doesn't have a ruffle just across the back....it has a ruffle AROUND THE ENTIRE CARDIGAN. Neck, front edges AND back. Oh dear. That wasn't the look I was going for at all. I have looked through the ENTIRE Instagram #circlecardie and I can't find ANYONE who has posted a ruffled version of this make and the only picture of this view shows the back....see my confusion?? To be COMPLETELY fair, it is not SUPER gathered - The pattern says it is gathered at about 1.25x the total length - but it is also a wider binding than the band binding. It's possible that there ARE some pictures of the gathered hem view, and I just didn't realize it because it's not very tightly gathered?? Have you made this view? How did it turn out for you? I would LOVE to see a picture...I'm probably being dramatic....it's probably amazing! But even so, I fretted for a day, trying to figure out if I had wasted my money on the Circle Cardie Pattern. Then I decided to try a mashup. So, here's what you can do:

                                            

First, measure the bottom back edge where you actually DO want the ruffle. For my size, I wanted about 31" of ruffle across the back. So, I cut my ruffle piece to about 60" so I could have 2x fullness (If you're gonna do a ruffle, you may as well really do a ruffle, am I right??).  Then I measured the length of the band for the hem band finish and subtracted 30" from it - the band is a LITTLE smaller than the cardigan you are sewing it onto - you stretch it slightly. I had already cut out all the ruffle pieces - which was way more than the 60" I needed, so I repurposed these for the band at the new width. Then I tapered the ends of the ruffle so that it would have a more gradual transition to the band edging on the sides. I also tapered the band slightly on the ends. Finally I sewed on the ruffle and then finished the rest of the cardigan with the band - starting the ends of the bands just over the edge of the ruffle.

 I absolutely LOVE the finished product and I think there are quite a few more circle cardies in my future - in a variety of views!! I've decided it's super flattering and now that I know how to get that little ruffle detail for as much or as little of it as I want - there may be no stopping me....

Button Placement for the win!

 

I bought some scroll floral embroidered chambray shirting from Style Maker Fabrics (The one I bought is no longer available, but it's similar to this one) awhile back and it was begging to be made into this Bonn blouse from Itch to Stitch. I have made this shirt one other time - I posted about it on this blog and also on Minerva.com . 

One of my favorite things about Itch to Stitch patterns are that they come in cup sizes. No more full bust adjustments!! However, as I've worn the last blouse, I have had a little trouble with gapping between the buttons. So...this time I decided to do my button placement differently. I placed a button right at the fullest part of my bust. Then I spaced buttons appropriately above and below. I also didn't worry about whether they were all equally distanced apart...and guess what? No one notices!! My buttons are spaced a little wider apart towards the bottom of the shirt and people only notice when I point it out to them. You COULD space them equally, but that would require more buttons if you want really good closure on top - and I hadn't thought of that at this point. For me, I'd rather have the closure where I need it. In the future I will probably buy extra buttons so that I have the option to make them all a little closer together - but I'm not scared of spacing them out how I need them. If you look closely in the picture below, you can see how I spaced them on this shirt.

While we are talking about buttons - let's talk about the button holes. My machine has a foot that you put the button in and then it usually makes the button hole the perfect size for the button. These buttons however are very very thin. That means that the button hole made by my machine was TOO BIG for these buttons. Always always always make a trial button hole and test your button in it!! I wound up having to find a smaller button to put in my button hole foot so that it would make the perfect sized button hole for these buttons.

Finally, I always measure my arms when I am making shirts, as that seems to be a place I wind up finding things fitting too tightly. In this case, I added an inch to the sleeve bands at the bottom of the sleeves. This means that the bottom of the sleeve is not as gathered as intended. If I make this shirt again, I will add a little more fullness to the bottom of the sleeve so I can get a little more gathering at the bottom without having too tight sleeves.

All in all, I have loved wearing this shirt! I might have to try the dress version next!!