Seamwork Milo cardigan
2024-Nov-13, Wednesday 11:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeSeamwork's Milo is a cardigan with neckband, hem band, cuff bands, and button closure. With the sudden turn to days with a high of 4°C and nights with a low of 2°C, the timing is perfect. Look at me doing something seasonal!
I'm using a straight size 18 (no separate curvy chart), slightly big, but slouchy cardigans are life (and allow extreme layering). I'm even including the patch pockets. Be proud of me.
The main fabric is a cotton jersey, in anthracite (dark grey) and white check print, 95% cotton 5% elastane, 260gsm. But I discovered the printed pattern doesn't line up with the fabric edges. I could not find any way to be able to cut it even close to grain and keep the check straight. So I let go of that aspiration, and even just let the pockets happen as they wanted to. (Which turned out to be quite askew.)
With the fabric pattern being a lot I decided on contrast bands, to calm the whole thing down. I'm using the black Brushed French Terry, 95% cotton 5% Elastane, 250gsm, left over from my v.4 Mels. Working with scraps meant I had to piece my Back Neckband, and Hem Band, so I have some extra seams, but hopefully in discrete locations.
Other materials are knit interfacing for the Back Neckband and the Front Neckband, cotton stay tape for the shoulder seams, six buttons, and black thread.
I used straight stitch for the pockets, shoulder seams, and top-stitching the hem band closed. With regular zig-zag everywhere else. I followed pattern instructions, only I skipped the twin-needles. I manually did two lines of stitching on the pockets, and only a single line of stitching to close the Hem Band.
The Hem Band is not finished well. The Fronts ended up longer than the Neckbands, and instead of trimming the Fronts (and Backs) to match, I tried to make it work by stitching a seam of about 7/8" instead of 3/8". It mostly worked, but the attachment points are badly angled, and held together with hand stitching.
Also, the top and bottom buttonholes did not want to happen, because of the thickness of the seams. I convinced the bottom buttonhole by doing it upside down and tensioning the fabric. The top buttonhole I had to cut and finish by hand. If you look closely it's quite the mess.
But otherwise it went together quite smoothly, and the end product has a strangely crisp feeling to it, visually almost like a soft jacket. The sleeves are a couple inches too long, but again, slouchy cardigans are life. I'll make more of these if I come across suitable fabrics.
I'm using a straight size 18 (no separate curvy chart), slightly big, but slouchy cardigans are life (and allow extreme layering). I'm even including the patch pockets. Be proud of me.
The main fabric is a cotton jersey, in anthracite (dark grey) and white check print, 95% cotton 5% elastane, 260gsm. But I discovered the printed pattern doesn't line up with the fabric edges. I could not find any way to be able to cut it even close to grain and keep the check straight. So I let go of that aspiration, and even just let the pockets happen as they wanted to. (Which turned out to be quite askew.)
With the fabric pattern being a lot I decided on contrast bands, to calm the whole thing down. I'm using the black Brushed French Terry, 95% cotton 5% Elastane, 250gsm, left over from my v.4 Mels. Working with scraps meant I had to piece my Back Neckband, and Hem Band, so I have some extra seams, but hopefully in discrete locations.
Other materials are knit interfacing for the Back Neckband and the Front Neckband, cotton stay tape for the shoulder seams, six buttons, and black thread.
I used straight stitch for the pockets, shoulder seams, and top-stitching the hem band closed. With regular zig-zag everywhere else. I followed pattern instructions, only I skipped the twin-needles. I manually did two lines of stitching on the pockets, and only a single line of stitching to close the Hem Band.
The Hem Band is not finished well. The Fronts ended up longer than the Neckbands, and instead of trimming the Fronts (and Backs) to match, I tried to make it work by stitching a seam of about 7/8" instead of 3/8". It mostly worked, but the attachment points are badly angled, and held together with hand stitching.
Also, the top and bottom buttonholes did not want to happen, because of the thickness of the seams. I convinced the bottom buttonhole by doing it upside down and tensioning the fabric. The top buttonhole I had to cut and finish by hand. If you look closely it's quite the mess.
But otherwise it went together quite smoothly, and the end product has a strangely crisp feeling to it, visually almost like a soft jacket. The sleeves are a couple inches too long, but again, slouchy cardigans are life. I'll make more of these if I come across suitable fabrics.
Finished Milo cardigan, back view
Photo by chebe
Finished Milo cardigan, front view
Photo by chebe
