I’m pretending I’m in Aspen or some other posh, snowy place in this picture. In actuality, I’m at my boyfriend’s condo in northern Mass.
But I did it! I squeaked out one more finished garment for 2012 on Sunday, just to show that it’s possible to make a sweater in one day.
Pattern: Renfrew, view C
Fabric: Wool/nylon sweater knit from Gorgeous Fabrics
Size: 4 graded to a 6 at the waist
In an effort to add more cake to my closet and create more of an Everyday Wardrobe, I reached for my trusty Sewaholic Renfrew pattern and a sweater knit I bought a few months ago from Gorgeous Fabrics. Learning from my first Renfrew, I cut out a 4 for the top and graded it out to a 6 and I like the fit much better this time around – it’s not as baggy fitting.
I was nervous about sewing with a sweater knit, a fabric I’ve never used before, and thought that my machine would chew up all the fuzziness as I sewed my seams, but it went along quite smoothly. What I’m most happy about with this sweater is that I cut it out from 1 yard of fabric. That’s right, 1 yard! The fabric is originally 68″ wide, making it easier than the usual 60″ wide fabric to cut out the pattern pieces, but at the end I needed to get a little creative with my pattern layout.
The bottom band is half the original width – I didn’t have enough fabric for the full length of the band (it’s supposed to be cut on the fold to make a long band go all the way around your hips) so I cut only half of the length, cut that in half, and had two narrow pieces to seam together at each side seam and attach to the bottom of the sweater. I ended up using a zigzag to catch the seam allowance on the inside and prevent the band from flipping out, which you can sort of see in the picture above.
I also stitched around the cowl as well. I loved the double-sided construction of the cowl and appreciated the extra warmth on a cold first day of the new year.
So, the Renfrew pattern has officially earned its spot in my sewing pattern arsenal as a TNT, or “Tried and True” pattern. The fit is great, it’s a cinch to whip up, and it allows for a lot of variations so it doesn’t look like the same ol’ pattern.
Also, what is up with my affinity for making gray colored tops lately?
Great job! Where did you get that great knit fabric?
From Gorgeous Fabrics. I included a link above where I listed what kind of fabric I used. It's still available!
Ohh that definitely looks so cozy in the knit. The Renfrew is such a great pattern. I'm already planning some winter versions (even though it's summer here!) 🙂
Oh goodness yes! When the warm weather rolls around up here, which won't be for quite some time, there will be even more Renfrews popping up in my closet
This is gorgeous! What a cozy top! I freakin' love the Renfrew… it's just so nice to have a pattern that you can make quickly, wear all the time, and plan endless variations for!
I just discovered your blog! It is wonderful, and so is your top!
Welcome, and thank you!