Post a Comment On: Larissa Another Day

FIRST- THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all your sweet words and support. I heart you guys! 
SECOND- Remember today is a new voting day, so rock the vote my blogging peeps! Pass it on spread the love.
Okay it is sewing time. HUGE disclaimer first...this was my first time sewing from my own pattern AND I was in a hurry to meet my deadline...so I found some pictures missing and I might sound like a sewing ignoramus as I try to explain...but since we are blogging friends hopefully your brain will understand my brain.
The Smartigan 
[Image]
Materials:
Your Own Pattern: tutorial here1 XL mens sweater1 mens tshirt, cut into long strips, 2" widescrap of tshirt or fabric, for elbow patchescoordinating thread3 med coordinating buttons1 smart kid
Start by cutting the mens sweater apart. Cut off sleeves.
[Image]

Cut front of sweater from back of sweater up the side seams.
[Image]

Place both front pattern pieces on the front of the mens sweater, making sure to match up the bottom of your pattern with the bottom of the sweater. This will make it so that you don't have to sew up the bottom edge or learn to knit...haha. Cut out.
[Image]

*missing picture of back pattern piece on back sweater piece, so here goes my written instructions...
Fold back sweater piece. Place pattern on sweater with the fold edge of the pattern matching on the fold of the sweater. Cut out. Hopefully that made sense.
Cut open your sweater sleeves at the seam. Use pattern to cut smaller sleeves. Again, bottom of sleeves should match up with the ribbing..
[Image]

Cut several 2" wide strips of a coordinating t shirt. Leave all but two of the strips long, they will be for the cardigans front edge binding. The other two pieces need to be cut down to 15" in length.
[Image]

Pockets:
From remaining scraps of the sweater, cut 2 5x5" squares.
[Image]

Iron in sides and bottom about 1/2 an inch, maybe a little less. Fold down the top about an inch.
[Image]

Sew two lines on the top of the pocket before attaching to the cardigan front. Pin each pocket on either side about an inch from the bottom and 3 from the inside edge.
[Image]

Sew pockets on.
[Image]

Sleeves: 
Iron the two 15x2" strips in half lengthwise. Sew along the bottom edge.
[Image]

Turn out. Flatten so seam is at the back. Iron flat.
[Image]

Pick a sleeve, any sleeve. Pin the strips on. Make sure the edges will meet up when the sleeve is sewn closed. Sew strips on with a coordinating thread. I chose gray thread, it looked really good.
[Image]

Elbow Patch:
Make yourself an oval pattern. Cut out 4 from a coordinating t-shirt.
[Image]

Sew two together, leaving a hole open to turn out. Sew the next two together. Turn both out. Iron flat.
[Image]

Pin first patch on striped sleeve where the elbow would hit. I measure my little mans arm to make sure. Sew on.[Image]

Sew second patch onto the second sleeve. Then fold sleeves in half, right sides facing, and sew the sleeves closed along the bottom edge. Turn out. Now you have 2 sleeves. Woohoo.
[Image]

Time to assemble. Pin front pieces to back piece, right sides facing, at shoulder seams. Sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.
[Image]

Sewing Ignoramus enter here...
I am pretty sure this is not the most correct way to sew on sleeves, but it worked for me.
With the cardigan wrong side facing out and the sleeve ride side facing out. pin the arm hole opening to the sleeve opening (so it is like right sides of fabric are facing each other). Sew along the edge with a 1/4-1/2 inch seam allowance. Start and end at the armpit area.
[Image]

Once your sleeve is attached, pull sleeve through, now wrong side out. Starting at the sleeve side just before the armpit, stitch the armpit and the sides of the sweater closed with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.
Repeat on other side.
[Image]

Insert picture here of how the sweater looks to this point. Oh wait, that is right I don't have one. Shoot.
Binding:
Measure the cardingan's front edges from bottom of one side all the way up around the neck and back down the other side.
Take long strips of t shirt from earlier, sew several together to get match your measurements..
[Image]

Iron in half lengthwise. Iron in half again, to make a type of bias tape. Make sure to fold in and iron the small edges to make a clean edge.
[Image]

*once again picture missing of the next several steps...
Take your bias tape and sandwich the raw edge of the front of the cardigan in between the edges of the t shirt bias tape, this will make it so the new edge of the front of the cardigan will be the folded edge of the bias tape. Pin in place all the way up the one side around the neck and back down the other side.
Sew, with your seam riding along the edge opposite of the fold.
To finish it off, mark off where you want your three buttons. I hand sewed mine on. You can do button holes on the other side if you want to, or leave them off. They are more decorative then functional for this little man cardigan.
Since I didn't have pictures for the last---oh like 5 steps, I tried to pick a picture of the finished project that showed the bias taped edges and the buttons.
[Image]



Honestly this was the most fun project. I loved the end result. It was one of those jumping up and down, so excited what I just finished moments. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

ALSO...I am pretty sure with some different colors, this would also make a rockin' little girls sweater.

Linked up-

Made by You Mondays- Skip to my Lou
Market Yourself Mondays- Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Take a Look Tuesdays- Sugar Bee
Strut Your Stuff Thursdays- Somewhat Simple