Tuesday, June 22, 2010

cardigans from a pullover pattern

Hello!

I decided to sew cardigans for myself. You might remember that I can't live without them. Though I used to avoid sewing jerseys, I've been happily playing with my serger for some time and now I feel that finally it's the time for my essential, Cardigans. I'd love to own my handmade half- or shorter-sleeved cardigans in different colors. I also hope them simple, clean-cut, compact, and very&rightly fitted.

So, last weekend, I examined if I could adopt one of pullover patterns which I already had, for making fitted cardigans.
I could buy any cardigan pattern for my project, but luckily I remembered that Miho once mentioned that it could be more than easy to use a pullover pattern for making close fitted cardigans. Although sizing has to be considered carefully, it should be basically achieved by just adding front opening.

I used a pattern named Fujiko (one of Japanese female names) from TAMANEGI-KOBO and sewed two almost identical compact cardigans.

100621Fujiko1
Fujiko2_4v1
Fujiko2_1v1

I cut the sleeves and bodice to make them shorter, and made front plackets for the buttons.
You see? That's all what I did. Actually I took a wee bit care of necklines and plackets to make them look cleaner, but it was kinda easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy ;)

The white cardigan has an wider neckline and 6/10 sleeves. The ice-blue one has shorter sleeves and shorter bodice with narrower neckline. Both were sewed in size M, which was my usual pullover size, and they nicely fit me. I put grosgrain ribbons on the back of front plackets to make them sturdy. I also inserted supporting tape around the neckline by overlocking, for the same reason with placket ribbon. They are all working brilliant.

Fujiko1
Fujiko1
Fujiko1

I think I had a good start!
If I find some lacy breezy summery light fabric that would make a pretty cardi next time, I don't think I can leave without buying it...someone living in my head is always shouting at me that I shouldn't buy any more of fabrics, though!


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JUST A NOTE: Pattern Fujiko has an unusual sleeve/shoulder construction. The garment looks like having a pair of set-in sleeves from the front, but actually it looks like a raglan sleeved from the back. We call this style "split sleeve" in Japanese, but I don't think you do the same in English...I couldn't find the corresponding word in my dictionaries. Anyways, I recommend you to refer the technical drawing and some photographs if you don't get it with my description on the sleeves.

pattern: TAMANEGI-KOBO, Fujiko pullover
fabric: ecru white (cotton/Nylon gauze jersey, sheer stripes, very soft and light but not so stretchy)
ice-blue (linen jersey, shiny and lacy stripes, least stretchy but hangs very well)
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Much love,
yoshimi

16 comments:

  1. well, yoshimi, now you are UNSTOPPABLE. i mean, seriously, there's nothing in your wardrobe you don't sew more beautifully than ready-to-wear!

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  2. I've never seen that kind of sleeve before - it is really pretty! Seriously, I am a knitter and I usually prefer handknit sweaters, but your sewn ones are beautiful!

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  3. Super cute! I love cardigans and yours are great! Do you have a picture of the supporting tape you added to the neckline? I made a cardigan once and the facing (blah!) kept flipping out!

    Thanks!

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  4. Perfectly made, Yoshimi! And so cute on you! I have a question. I have seen this sort of thing before - with set in sleeve on the front and raglan on the back - though I think it was a Burda or Knipmode design. Can you tell me, what is the advantage? Does it fit better or give more range of motion? The only real "advantage" I can see is the lack of a shoulder seam. I wonder what I might be missing. :) Thanks!!

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  5. Actually, I just realized it will have a shoulder seam, except the front shoulder is sewn to the back sleeve, instead of the back of the garment. I am really curious about the advantage of this design. :)

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  6. Your cardigans came out beautifully. I really like the fabric on the striped one. I would love to try one of these too!

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  7. So lovely! They look so delicate, and I've never seen that split sleeve before- how interesting. Beautiful work as always :)

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  8. Perfect and elegant. Well done as always!

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  9. I love it - I can't live without my cashmere cardis!!

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  10. Gorgeous.

    Trudy
    www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com

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  11. These are really amazing! I need to make myself some.

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  12. Great cardigans!! They look so perfect for summer!

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  13. Your cardigans are really beautiful! Beautifully constructed. I love the turquoise buttons on the paler cardigan, looks so pretty.

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  14. I am so in love with your blog! thank you! I am a cardigan fanatic and they are getting expensive. I just thought maybe I can take some pullover shirts and make them into cardigans! I have the cutest buttons right now...

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  15. The sleeve is really interesting on this cardigan - thanks for pointing it out. Your cardis are lovely and you will get lots of wear from them.

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Thank you for your comments!!