When it was still 90 degrees outside, Jamie and I picked a theme for our posts for October. That theme was “Cozy Sewing”. I decided to set out a bit of a challenge for myself to sew a sweatshirt that looks “upscale”. I spend most of the winter in sweatshirt fleece because it is so warm. But, it does look like something that should be worn at the gym. I guess that 2.5 years of pandemic attire I’m ready to look a little more dressed up.
I chose the Marlo Cardigan pattern by True Bias. This is a great-looking sweater and a pretty fast sew. I made both the long and cropped versions last year so it’s a Tried-and-True (TNT) pattern for me. The thing that’s really unique about this pattern is that it is designed so that the main body of the sweater can be made with either a knit or a woven fabric! The bottom band and the binding must be made out of a stretchy knit, but the body can be made out of non-stretch wool or a cozy sweater knit.
Marlo Cardigan or “Sweatigan” Class
This is important in the design of my “sweatigan” because sweatshirt fleece has very little stretch. Particularly fleece that is more densely woven and, hence, warmer. I used a 14oz Champion Sweatshirt Fleece (from Nick of Time Textiles nickoftimefabric.com) that I purchased last winter. It’s a lovely fleece but it’s not very stretchy.
I wanted to use a stretchier fabric for the cuffs and front binding and I also wanted to upgrade the look of the garment so it didn’t just look like another sweatshirt. So I selected a heavy-weight jersey in a houndstooth print from Vogue Fabrics (VF225-16). Please note: a heavyweight jersey is different than a single jersey. It is much more densely woven with lots more structure. A lightweight jersey would have been unsuitable for the garment as it would be too lightweight to withstand the weight of the sweatshirt fleece. Other options are double jersey (NOT double brushed jersey) or ribbing or possibly scuba if it has enough stretch.
I also decided that adding the pockets which are meant for the longer version to my cropped cardigan. I’m so glad I did. Placing the buttons on the pockets also help tie the contrast band to the solid colored cardi.
As I was sewing I was worried that the heavyweight jersey would be too lightweight but it turned out great. I love wearing my “sweatigan” and feel a little bit dressed up in it. I used some vintage buttons I had in my stash. I believe they are the cherry on top of this delightful dessert of a sweater.
I can’t say enough about the Marlo Cardigan pattern from True Bias. If you’ve thought of jumping into sewing with sweater knits, this pattern is for you! And I teach a class that uses this pattern as one of the options. I hope to see you in class during the chilly months ahead!