Sometimes the stars align and a garment turns out even better than I had hoped for. This was definitely the case with this cardigan jacket, and I think the biggest credit should go the fantastic fabric that I worked with – a quilted knit with a gorgeous pattern design.
Since the fabric is such a statement in itself, I decided to pick a simple pattern. In this case a cardigan from the Dutch pattern magazine Knip Mode. It’s from the July 2016 issue, and I’ve actually sewn this pattern once before, so I already knew it would be perfect for this fabric.
I also added pockets to the cardigan, since I think they are essential as I often wear cardigans like a jacket. I’m working on a tutorial on how I add these kinds of “hidden” pockets on knit garments, so stay tuned for that one, if you want to know how I did it.
The biggest challenge was obviously the pattern matching, so I spent a lot of time on the cutting process, to make sure it all aligned, I even tried to get the sleeves to match up. If you are curious on my process to ensure good pattern matching, you can check out the video tutorial I did on how I made the cardigan (it also has lots of other tips).
Back view. Just looking at photos of the cardigan makes me appreciate how cool the pattern looks. I’m actually wearing the cardigan today since I find it works so well with many of the clothes I already have in my wardrobe.
One of the great thing about this pattern is that it has bust darts, which really improves the fit around the bust area, even on a small chested person like myself.
It also has nice folded collar, that just add that little bit of extra interest to the design.
To give the neckline a little flair, I added a velvet ribbon to cover the seam allowance. I have a super easy method for doing that, and yes I have a tutorial for how to add this neckline band too.
Close-up of the pockets. As you can see there is no visible stitching at the hem, but it’s not magic. Just good old sewing machine blind hem stitching. In this case, since the fabric is quilted and attached to the second layer of fabric inside, there are no visible stitch dots on the outside.
So yes this was such a rewarding make, and not difficult either, apart from getting the pattern to align. Plus it’s so comfortable to wear since it’s made out of a knit fabric, so this will definitely be a staple in my wardrobe for many years to come!
