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....

TNT Pattern Numero Uno!

Rochester, Minnesota - a place that holds a special place in my heart!

Guess what?? (Forgive me for a second....I feel like I'm announcing the birth of a child....) I've been sewing long enough to find a TNT pattern! Okay, well, maybe I've only made it twice now. But....since I have not been garment sewing for myself until recently I have made a variety of patterns, but only one other more than once. I hear people talk about TNT (Tried aNd True for those less obsessed) patterns on social media, and I have just not been sewing long enough (again anyway - if you missed my sewing journey story, you can find it here) to be able to relate to this.

Recently I was gifted some fabric from Minerva and I made it into a Lotus Blossom Blouse by Love Notions. That will not post on the Minerva Crafts Blog until Feb 2020, but you'll see it there eventually! I LOVED THIS BLOUSE SO MUCH!

The pattern also has the option to add a contrasting back piece. I did this on the first blouse - but I did not include a contrast piece on the purple version.

Split Point along The Great Ocean Road - South Coast of Australia

I had some awesome crinkle knit that I had picked up earlier this year when I was in Sacramento. I make a habit of wandering into any local fabric shop I can find when I travel. So, Hi-Fashion Fabrics wasn't too far from where I was staying. Loved that place!! If you live in Sacramento, you are lucky! But I digress....I KNEW this fabric would be perfect for the Lotus Blossom Blouse! This pattern is designed for knits that are the same on both sides - read solids and stripes. There IS a work-around - so although the Minerva Crafts fabric had a definite wrong side, I was able to cut the front in half and re-sew it together. That way when it gets twisted the correct side of the fabric shows on both the right and left of the blouse! The purple fabric didn't have this problem.

Manley Beach, Sydney, Australia

I was reading posts on Instagram and saw someone complaining about how knit hems are the worst. I understand this. It might be one of the reasons I quit sewing clothing 20+ years ago. I would hem something and the hem would come out all wavy. So frustrating!! Let me share the trick it took me a bit to find. H E M  T A P E. This is a fusible interfacing type strip that stabilizes the fabric and also holds your hem closed. Here is a picture of it lined up and ready to iron into the hem. It must be completely enclosed in the hem or it will stick to the iron.

It makes it so easy to do a hem and then I also love to stitch it down with a double needle. Let me know in the comments if you need more info on this method. I could do a post about it. After I get home anyway...since I don't have all the pictures needed to write the post now. ;-)

At any rate, I really like the way they both turned out. We are currently spending about a month in Australia - and you can see they are getting lots of wear!!