Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Wool/bamboo jersey knit cardigan

Helen's Closet Blackwood cardigan in wool/bamboo jersey knit

Hi everybody, it's Virginie from Jazz Couture and I'm excited to be part of the great Fabricistas team!

Here in eastern Canada, so far spring has brought us a cocktail of cold, wind and rain and it's not time yet for skirts and dresses. What I need now is transitional pieces, so for my first make as a Fabricista I opted for a cardigan and tried Helen's Closet Blackwood cardigan. Many sewists have made it since its release in spring 2017, and they definitely wetted my appetite for this pattern as there are many lovely versions of it on the internet!

Fabric:

The fabric I selected for this cardi is a wonderful wool/bamboo/lycra jersey, it's a lightweight, fine gauge knit that was just perfect for what I had in mind, i.e. a layering spring piece that is not too heavy but provides a little extra warmth on chilly days (and boy did we have a lot of those lately!).

The colour is called 'Stormy Seas' and it's still available here! It's a kind of gray with sage green undertones, a soft, flattering colour that goes with just about anything! Fabric Mart also has black and some grays available. That jersey knit is very refined and drapes beautifully. It's also very comfortable and not scratchy at all.


The colour of this wool jersey is called 'Stormy Seas'


Sizing and modifications:

This was my first time using a Helen's Closet pattern, and I selected a size small based on my measurements.  The fit is slim and it's just what I expected/wanted.

I elongated the bottom by 1 6/8''; it's not much but I think it makes the difference. As is, the proportions would have been sort of in between for my silhouette. I didn't use the cuffs for this version and instead turned a 1'' hem and finished the sleeve on the coverstitch. The sleeves are still plenty long and go beyond my wrist. I might use the cuff another time for a wintery version.


I turned a 1'' hem on the sleeve and finished it on the coverstitch


I rectified the shoulder seam as the angle was a bit weird (too forward next to the neck, and too backward at the shoulder tip).

I didn't do the pocket in two pieces as per the pattern and drafted my own pocket piece. Since I own a coverstitch, I turned a 1 1/2'' hem and finished it on the coverstitch for a RTW look.

Tip:

Which brings me to a tip I want to share with you. Patch pockets can be tricky with jersey knit material, as if you don't do anything the seams will often (if not always) come out wavy.

That tip is something I've come up with after some experiments to solve the wavy seams problem, and you might want to try it. Personally I don't fear patch pockets anymore in jersey knits, even with the most lightweight ones!

What I do is I make strips of featherweight interfacing, roughly the size of the seam allowances of the pocket (in this case 1 cm - 3/8''). I position them on the inside of the pocket and make sure to cover the seam allowance plus a little bit more.



Then I simply press the seams and topstitch on the sewing machine, preferably with a short stitch and fine matching thread if the fabric is lightweight. In this case what I had on hand is just regular serging thread, but still the result is perfectly fine. Look, no wavy seams!

A patch pocket on the Blackwood cardigan

I would also recommend that you make a test of a seam going across the grainline on fabric scraps and play with the differential feed on your serger, prior to assemble the bottom band to the bodice of the cardi. Often the fabric reacts differently when you sew it across the grain (than on the grain). I slightly decreased the differential feed on my serger to sew that seam and got a pretty even horizontal seam. Also, don't stretch the fabric when you feed it thru the serger!


Back view of the Blackwood cardigan


I think the wind made the two layers of the bottom band shift - usually I don't see those ripples!

I love my Blackwood cardigan; it's a casual layering piece and I know I'll be wearing it a lot this spring! The combination of wool and bamboo makes this jersey knit very soft and a pleasure to sew and wear.

I'll be seeing you again for another post in June - hopefully with a summery make! :-) Bye for now, and let me know if my little tip was useful to you!


Virginie

Comments

  1. Great tip re knit pockets! Thank you! I was just curious about why you wouldn't interface the whole pocket? Is it because it would make it too heavy? I often use a fusible knit tape by pellon to tape all the seams if the fabric is very drapey (like bamboo can be!) but especially across the shoulder seams. Love your blackwood and that fabric from FabricMart is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kathleen, I don't think interfacing the whole pocket would make it too heavy, but it would certainly stiffen it and I prefer the look of a soft pocket. Interfacing only the seam allowance does the job, plus the interfacing doesn't show on the outside. Yes, that fabric is gorgeous and I highly recommend it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love your cardigan. Thanks for your tips also.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A very well made cardy!
    Lee.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is really beautiful and so well made. That sweater could be in an upscale boutique. I'm envious!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you Nancy! You could easily replicate it: Blackwood cardigan pattern + Stormy Seas wool/bamboo knit = your own cardi! :-) ...and it's an easy pattern to sew.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a beautiful pocket and such an elegant cardigan!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Workwear Ready

I'm excited for my first post in 2023! At the beginning of the year, I recently went back to working in person so now I am looking to make and wear pieces that I can wear to work.  The goal is to be functional but also very fashionable since I am a fashion design professor. I saw this blue denim fabric and knew I wanted to make some pants; I just wasn’t sure what kind.  I decided to make Mimi G x Simplicity S8985 View B pants.  I liked the oversized flare look, I just made one slight modification to them by adding a pintuck along the front.  This was easy to add since the waistline was called to be slightly gathered to fit.  The fabric had a hand closer to linen and was very lightweight which was great and very satisfying to sew.  I lengthened the pants by 3” and finished with a 2” hem. The top I used Simplicity S9707.  It’s an oversized partial button down top.  I decided to create a high low hem by combining two different views.   I loved the print of the fabric but honestly as s

Made By A Fabricista: New Year, Same Me

Happy 2023 all! It’s a new year & I am back with a new Fabric Mart make. If you’re new here I am Macy & I love to make dresses (they’re my specialty). I enjoy sewing a variety of fabrics & shopping for them even more, but floral fabrics truly have my heart in a chokehold. If you’re returning visitor, thank you for coming! Today, I am sharing my brand new Simplicity 9642 make. I absolutely love this dress; I love the feel & movement of it, as well as the fabric. Fabric Mart had the most beautiful royal blue floral velour/velvet fabric & it paired perfectly with this pattern. The fabric has such beautiful flowers in the actual fabric that are: red, yellow, tans, & emerald green for the leaves. The fabric was remarkably easy to cut & sew with.  The 9642 Simplicity pattern has a fitted bodice & flared skirt. They have a variety of sleeves & lengths to choose from, but I chose View C. The sleeves have a series of pleats, which creates a “poof” like look. 

Made By A Fabricista: Spring into 2023 with Liberty of London!

Hi Fabricista Fans! I'm excited to be back with my first FabricMart project of 2023 and my second with Liberty of London Tana Lawn ! This fabric is so luxurious and wonderful to work with, I just can't pass it up whenever I see it come on sale! With such a high thread count, Liberty of London doesn't easily crush, and although it's 100% cotton, it's so flowy that it's perfect for billowy dresses, blouses, and skirts. With my $50 budget this month, I purchased 2 yards of Tana Lawn and made a Peony Patterns Rosemary Dress with inseam pockets for my youngest daughter. This is a gorgeous button down dress with long and short puff sleeve options. After cutting it out, I realized I had plenty leftover for a skirt for my eldest, so I whipped up the FREE Peony Patterns Apple Berry Skirt for her. Since she needed a top to go with it, I raided my stash for some additional fabric, and found a lovely eggshell Fabric Mart Rayon Lycra hidden away. (Don't worry, I still ha