Showing posts with label Cardigan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cardigan. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Two For One: Butterick 5997 and McCalls 7204

Friends, these are two projects that have been sewn for ages, but I just hadn't gotten around to photographing!

McCalls 7204 and Butterick 5997


Occasionally, I sew something that my husband just goes ga ga for.  This is one of those outfits!  When I downloaded the pictures, I realized that he had taken over 200 shots.  I can always tell how much he likes something I have sewn by the amount of photos he takes.


Butterick 5997 View B is actually quite long


As you can see here, McCalls 7204 (the cardigan) ended up being quite long.  I am five foot six inches tall.  This thing nearly drags the ground!  I did sew view B which is the longer of the two cardigans, but I was expecting mid thigh to knee, not mid shin!  I love it though.  I wish I remembered where I had purchased this Cerulean Blue knit fabric, because I would order more.  I just love it!

The tunic underneath is Butterick 5997.  This isn't the first Butterick 5997 that I have made.  I went sleeveless with this version though and it is so comfy.


Butterick 5997 Tunic in a Nani Iro Japanese Print


The fabric for this tunic is a double gauze that was purchased from a local quilt and fabric shop called Crimson Tate.  It is a Nani Iro print, and I love the combination of flowers and birds.  The color palette is just beautiful, too.  Unfortunately, it does not appear to still be available on the Crimson Tate website, but there are some other great Nani Iro prints still available.




I added three inch side slits to the shirt since I made it tunic length.  That just helps with some extra space for when you sit down.




Couldn't resist throwing in this photo taken during the golden hour!  Probably should have pressed the center line out before taking the photos, but I kind of forgot.

Would you believe that in August I cut almost 8 inches off my hair?


Yes, my Sperry's match.  The ground was much too soft for cute shoes.  In this photo you can see how the waist comes down at an angle on the cardigan.  You can also see just how long the cardigan really turned out.



One last photo for good measure!  The cardigan is so soft and lovely.  It will get plenty of use this Fall and Winter.

I won't go much in to the construction of Butterick 5997.  Aside from making the shirt sleeveless and using self binding to finish the armscye, I didn't make any changes from my previous version.  I keep saying I am going to make the pintuck version, and then I get lazy.

For McCalls 7204, I mostly followed the directions on the pattern.  I did add clear elastic to stabilize the shoulder seams and the waist seam.  I am really glad that I did this.  I think with this fabric the waist especially would have gone all wonky had I not.  I also cut the width of the front band/collar in half.  I didn't want it to fold back on itself.  I am glad that I made this change, and would continue it in to the next time I make McCalls 7204.  This was a really quick cut and sew.  Even with me hand rolling the hem (I also hand rolled the hem on Butterick 5997), the cardigan was made cut to finish in less than 3 hours.

I am really enjoying hand sewing lately.  Have any of you been doing much hand sewing?  I started my sewing career (ha) hand sewing at four years old.  I did a lot of embroidery and cross stitch back then.  I think now, I like the control that hand stitching gives me.  Sometimes I feel like my machine has a mind of it's own, and I am it's muse.

I think that I would like to next sew McCalls 7204 in a chunky sweater knit.  Let me know in the comments if you have seen any great sweater knits that I should have a look at.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Five Great Hand Sewn Gift Patterns for the Man in Your Life - Christmas 2014

Here we are less than three weeks from Christmas, and I have not sewn a single gift.  Life has been hectic to say the least, but I am trying to slow down and get my sewing and shopping under control so that I can avoid spending Christmas Eve in the Sewing Room enjoy the holidays with friends and family.

I have compiled a little list of patterns for hand sewn gifts for the man in your life.  Be it your Lovey, your Dad, your Brother or just a male friend I think there is something here for everyone.

1.  The Cooper Bag by Collette Patterns.  It makes in to a messenger bag, backpack, or satchel.  You may even decide that you want to make one for yourself.  While you are browsing at Collette, you should also check out the Albion Jacket and Negroni Shirt which would also make great gifts for your fella!

Photo from www.collettepatterns,com

2.  The Flat Cap pattern (FREE!!!) from Urbandon.  This is a basic simple newsboy cap, that would even make a great scrap busting pattern.  Make your hubby a hat to match that great wool skirt you made yourself a few months ago.  Urbandon also has more free patterns/tutorials here including fingerless mittens and a combat cap...again great scrap busters.

Photo from http://urbandon.blogspot.com/

3.  The free tutorial for a Toiletry Case at www.sew4home.com would make a great men's toiletry bag.  Just use canvas or duck in your guy's favorite color or colors instead of the girly fabric it is shown in.  If you are feeling really ambitious you could even make it out of leather or pleather.

Photo from www.sew4home.com
4.  From Allisa Jacobs, a very basic, beginner friendly Men's Wallet tutorial.  Seriously, anyone could make this.  It would even be a great pattern for a young sewist to make for Daddy or Grandpa.  Bonus goodness, she uses upcycled fabric from a favorite shirt of her man to make the wallet.

Photo from http://www.allisajacobs.com/

5.  A Men's Cardigan using McCalls M6803.  With elbow patches and a drifter collar, I especially like the masculinity of view C.  Throw on some great leather buttons, and I think this could be a really nice gift that any man would love.

Photo from http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/

These are my top 5 picks for hand sewn men's Christmas gifts this year.  There is a bit of sentimentality in the cardigan and newsboy hat.  So tell me friends, are you sewing anything for any of the men in your life?  Are there any other patterns that you would suggest?