I made this cardigan, leggings, and tunic/dress over the Christmas holiday, with dreams of lounging around like I lived in an alpine ski lodge.
Ohh, the optimism of early winter - it seems so fun to imagine you are curled up near a roaring fire! (By now, the joy of winter is long since gone - but winter isn’t! I reread a post yesterday from last April 15th when I was complaining that schools had just been shut down because of a massive snowstorm! That’s a month and a half more winter still to go!)
The cardigan is the Jalie Drop Pocket Cardigan. This syle of cardigan is really popular in RTW stores here this year, so I was happy that Jalie had a pattern! Basically, the front is a lined L-shape, and folds back on itself to create a big draped pocket.
It’s VERY comfortable to wear, and perfect for winter… except that it’s made from jersey, and therefore isn’t actually that warm. It gives the ILLUSION of warmth though, which is somehow enough!
Thanks to this cardigan and my Lola dresses, I’ve developed the habit of walking around school with my hands in absolutely gigantic low pockets. Hmmm, hip-height pockets? With hand balled up inside? Not exactly figure-flattering, but damn, it’s cosy and comforting! (Not a coincidence, I think, that both patterns are from Canadian designer’s winter collections!)
Round the back, the cardigan does an excellent job covering up. Here I’m actually wearing it over a tunic-lenth tee, which is why there is a wide black band… but even on it’s own, the cardigan is a nice length for wearing over skinny jeans or leggings.
As for construction… must have been pretty easy, because i don’t remember it! It uses a fair chunk of fabric, and I think works best in a a drapy knit with some body. My lining is sparkly, which makes me smile!
(BTW, this faux-knit print is on my all-time favourite Fabricland material, and I’ll by pretty much whatever they print on this fabric! It’s spongy and substantial, with lots of stretch, and it’s my favourite jersey to sew with. These dresses are made with the same substrate (Tiramax, Tiramisu), and I’ve got more in the stash waiting to be used!)
Here’s the tunic dress thing that I’m wearing underneath… I made this when Leila (Three Dresses) was visiting. It’s a Kirstin Kimono tee, lengthened. It’s some kind of poly knit, which means it hangs well and doesn’t ride up over leggings, even without a slip. That’s a win in my books!
Finally, the leggings. Betcha know what pattern this is!? Cake Espresso, of course! I got obsessed with the idea of having red leggings, and even decided to break my one-year streak of not buying RTW just so I could get them. There I was, wandering around with money in my hand, and I couldn’t find any red leggings in stores! What? I spend so much time with kids that I thought bright leggings were popular this year, but I guess they only come in kid sizes. Disappointing!
In the end, I found some red performance knit at Fabricland. The lady who cut it for me said that it wicks sweat and she used this fabric to make leotard onesies for her son and husband to wear under their hockey gear! (There must be a more manly name for that than leotards, right?) It’s poly/spandex, and feels like workout wear… but it does make good leggings! It’s got the 4-way stretch that I think is crucial. The red is a bit vibrant though, so they haven’t gotten as much wear as I hoped.
(Similarly, I long for fun patterned leggings… but then I think, “What on earth would I wear them with?” ALL my dresses are patterned, and so are most of my tops. If I thought they’d get worn, I’d make striped and polkadot leggings in a heartbeat!)
In other news….
My sewing room is cluttered with unfinished projects these days… my quilt is still half-quilted, my Archer is half-cut out, I’ve got a Lekala knit dress cut but not sewn, and a Blue Feb project that is officially late! Instead I’ve been watching a lot of TV and going to bed early. I’m trying to be easy on myself, but I’m starting to think maybe I just need a kick in the butt. UFOs get me down, and I have too many holding me back!
What do you have on the go this weekend?
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