Sergerless and a Cardigan

A couple weeks ago I had planned on making some warm cardigans to wear to work (who knows what temperature it will ever be - roasting or ice cold) and at home.  I found some perfect fabric and a pattern even.  The pattern was the hardest part.  Not really vintage, which is where I am hoping to finally take my wardrobe.  But I chose the most structured long cardigan I could find.  It was a lofty task.  Everything is like this:

Seriously, can't I be comfortable without looking like a 3 ring circus?  And the last thing any woman wants is to feel bigger.  amirite?  So after much hmmming and hawing I settled on this guy:

Kwik Sew 3916

Still pretty large and roomy, but when compared to the others, way more structured.  I opted for View B on the right.  

Pattern acquired.  Next up fabric shopping!  I decided to go with some lovely novelty knits from fabric.com.  

This one washed up so nicely!  I was a little hesitant when I first felt it and considered returning it.  I'm glad I didn't.  This was the one I chose to use first.  

This is where the fun begins.  I've only sewn on wovens.  Knits always seemed to mystify me, like driving a stick shift.  Lucky me, my favourite local shop (Fabrique Fashion Fabrics pssst, they now have online ordering!) had knit classes.  Naturally I signed up and parked my pretty little butt down and took lots of notes.  All that was left was to grow a pair and actually sew the thing up.  

I made a muslin first (I buy it in bulk when I get the ever elusive 60% off coupon for Joann.).  I know, I know, different hand.  Whatever.  It paid off.  The original looked like what I had been trying to avoid, the tent effect.  

Seriously!?  And yes, those are Teresa's pj pants still on my dress form.  That was a size medium!  And now I remember high school sewing with my mum.  Medium for the bust, small for the rest of me.  I decided to just keep the size but try using the shorten/lengthen lines.  I took in in about 1" over all, and that did help.  Some.  

No shawl, but fit is certainly better.  I had to leave it at this point for a week to go to a funeral.  Where it was below freezing and I really wished I had finished sewing this up.  It's all finished now, and I really love it.  Been wearing it for over a week now.  No photos because I'm lame.  Next cardigan (because I have more fabric for this pattern!) I'm cutting to a size small (?!).

Right as I was doing my final seam finishes on my serger a needle broke.  No big.  Just replace it right?  WRONG.  When the needle broke it apparently hit my upper looper and ricocheted and bent the ever loving crap out it.  Couldn't even use the hand crank.  Luckily I have a protection agreement on it (THANKS MUM!), and she is in for repairs.   

This has given me time to clean up my sewing room.  I had been operating both my serger and my sewing machine on one table because I couldn't be fucked to clean up the one that was supposed to be my serger table.  

More than an annoyance, so I am glad that I won't have to deal with that anymore.  I also decided to take the closet doors off in my sewing room.  I have plans to go all Martha Stewart/Container Store organized on it eventually.  For now, the massive clean up has helped. I even sat down and planned my SS13 sewing projects.  Lofty man.  I don't think I'll even get to half of them.  But I have PLANS now!  

Until my serger comes back I'm going to work on muslins of things on this project list.  It's a start.