https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/play-your-cardies-right • Posted by Charley H.
Cut your coat according to your cloth, as my mum likes to say. I still like to spoil myself now and again – on something sensible. I already own an obscene amount of clothes, most of them summer weight, dating back to my days as a fashion student when I spent 12 hours a day, for 9 months of the year in a studio resembling dante’s inferno, never to emerge until the summer months. I need a staple, stylish winter item in which I can really wrap up warm for the season – a wardrobe essential, if you will. Looking to Vogue for inspiration, I found this feminine, frippery-free flight of fancy, by Paul & Joe. It’s warm, it goes with everything and it will only set you back… (sigh) £285!
Cut your coat according to your cloth, as my mum likes to say. I still like to spoil myself now and again – on something sensible. I already own an obscene amount of clothes, most of them summer weight, dating back to my days as a fashion student when I spent 12 hours a day, for 9 months of the year in a studio resembling dante’s inferno, never to emerge until the summer months. I need a staple, stylish winter item in which I can really wrap up warm for the season – a wardrobe essential, if you will. Looking to Vogue for inspiration, I found this feminine, frippery-free flight of fancy, by Paul & Joe. It’s warm, it goes with everything and it will only set you back… (sigh) £285!
Fasten your cardigan and lay it flat, face down on your papaer and pin it in place.
Trace around the top edge of your cardigan and in a line like the one where the lace ends in the original, with pinpricks.
Unpin your cardigan and trace around your line of pinholes with a pen. Cut your new shape out. This will be your back panel. Cut one of these out of lace.
Fold your new back panel pattern piece in half and trace around it. This will be your front panel and you need to cut two of these in your lace.
Use your compass to draw a semicircle about 11cm in diameter. Cut it out, fold it and cut it in half. Stick a diamond shape about 12cm long in the middle, between the two pieces. This will be your sleeve pattern piece. Cut two of these out of your lace
With your sleeve pieces, put some long, loose stitches along the top, pull your thread tight so that it ruches and knot it so that it stays in place. This will help your sleeves to billow out to capture the authentic romance of Victoriana.
Before you attach your lace pieces to the cardigan would be a good time to apply your fray check to the bottom edges, if you wish. Ensure that you follow instructions carefully.
Pin your lace to your cardigan. I find it helps to tack stitch them in place and to take the pins out before machine stitching them on, otherwise it’s almost impossible to stitch your pieces on neatly, especially if you’re working on a ribbed cardigan. When your pieces are stitched on, slip stitch the bias binding together at the seams to get rid of any nasty white gaps. …And that should leave you with a reason to be looking fabulous this winter, which should look something like this