This was a transitional make in all senses of the word. The Jamie Cardigan from Ready to Sew is a great layering piece in a light fabric, and a lovely winter warmer in a more cosy knit. But for me it’s transitional for another reason. I went for this pattern as a loose fitting, cosy winter warmer when 8 months pregnant and wanting a make that would see me through the last few weeks of pregnancy and into the post partum period.
I’d been sewing it for a little while one evening a week before my due date, and just had the sleeve cuffs to go. The slight balloon sleeve means that the cuff insertion requires gathering, and I couldn’t be bothered, so we sat down to watch some TV. Then, my waters broke. Alba arrived (glossing over a lot of detail of course). And my sewing stuff, including the cardigan, sat there for weeks, watching me from the living room table. I had no time or energy even to tidy it up.
The post natal midwife was intrigued, amused that all I needed to do to wear this cosy cardi was add the cuffs, but of course I didn’t have time. I ended up wearing it a few times without the cuffs, such a cosy layer in the middle of winter but with big gaping sleeves it looked bizarre. I eventually managed to find time to put the cuffs on, pinning them during one naptime, and sewing them up a few days later. And now it’s become one of my most worn pieces. And that’s the story of the transition, from child free to mama life, with this cardigan.
The fabric is a pretty thick but very light and bouncy acrylic knit from Like Sew Amazing in 2018. I made one of my Blackwood cardigans in the same fabric in another colourway. It’s a super cosy fabric, but I can imagine it’d be a bit scratchy directly against the skin so I think a cardigan is the perfect pattern match.
The pattern is a lovely make. I used size Large due to uncertainty about my shape post-partum, but I will definitely size down if I make another. It doesn’t really matter though as I skipped the buttons so it wears as a simple boxy cardigan. The thickness and stretch of the fabric made me think my machine wouldn’t handle buttonholes well, and I also didn’t think buttons were necessary. It’s meant it being a bit oversized has never been noticeable.
The design of the cardigan is great. It has a dropped shoulder and a slight balloon shape to the sleeve. The relaxed style means it goes with almost everything in my wardrobe. I actually don’t have many photos showing the cardigan in full, but I’m wearing it in lots of family photos as it’s such an essential piece in my everyday autumn / winter / spring wardrobe.
A fab all rounder winter layer that I’m sure I’ll be wearing for a very long time.
sew slow Sarah 
Leave a Reply