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....