There’s (Stan)hope for me yet.
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Here are words I never expected to hear myself say: I flipping love this sweatshirt!
So much so I have made three. Admittedly the first was a test version, made from the larger 12-32 size range that I have always used in the past, and did require some modification to get a fit that I was happy with. (More about that later…)
The second was a recut of an older raglan sleeve Linden sweatshirt whose fit I never liked, and the third was cut from the same size, but from the smaller size range 0 -16, in this lovely fabric given to me my Lamazi Fabrics.
I wondered what the reasoning was for two separate size ranges and Mr Google informed me that the smaller size range is drafted from a different block entirely, and there are a few differences.
https://blog.cashmerette.com/2021/02/introduction-to-our-new-0-32-size-range.html
This answers a lot of questions for me. I am attracted to Cashmerette patterns because I always have to do a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA ) on my patterns but when I work from the original size range 12 - 32 there is still too much fabric around my upper chest and neck.
This smaller size range seems to address that issue for me, although I did lengthen the body section, when I checked the pattern for the cropped version I wanted it was 2 cms shorter than my previous ones from the 12 - 32 range.
I am fairly long waisted and I generally find these patterns are short in the body for me.
I bought the pattern as a pdf as part of the Cashmerette Club, it came with both size ranges and an expansion pack for the half zip front and stand collar, and skirt pieces to make it into a dress.
All my earlier Cashmerette patterns are paper so I would have to buy the smaller version separately. I have already done that with the Concorde t-shirt - out of curiosity - which sent me down this journey.
My first version (in yellow) from the 12 - 32 size range had too much fabric around my upper chest. I was able to deal with that by unpicking the shoulder yoke at the front and pinning out the excess, around 2cms graded to 0 at the armscye and neck edge. I then topstitched the yoke back into its new position, and bingo! It worked.
My most recent version from the 0 - 16 range fitted me straight from the packet. Goodness me! That has never happened before.
Construction variations:
Pocket lining - I used quilting cotton. I wondered if it would shrink differently when it was washed, but nothing has moved.
I cut the inside collar facing from an old single jersey t-shirt because I thought the sweatshirt fabric I had for the sleeves would make chunky seams. I interfaced the inner collar only with a lightweight tricot interfacing to preserve the stretchiness of the single jersey.
The seams on the outer collar were pressed open and I was careful to ensure that topstitching would line up with the topstitching on the body and yoke.
I used a coil zipper cut from a continuous length. This avoids having to search for specific length zips and the silver coil on a black tape looks fine with many different colours.
There are plenty YouTube videos about how to deal with attaching the zipper pull. I used this one by Sallie Tomato.
To seal the bottom edge I stitched (slowly and with the handwheel) back and forth across the zipper, trimmed the coil quite close to the stitching, then top stitched a strip of seam binding over the top of the stitching - again being cautious and using my handwheel, I have broken needles in the past by using the foot pedal, so now I always handwheel.
I actually used a small strip of the tape that Lamazi wrap their fabrics in when they are delivered.
I found the most accurate manner of zip insertion was to mark the position of the zip clearly on top of the piece of the interfacing. Do not use a Frixion pen because the markings will disappear if you press it again. Ask me how I know! I then stitched around the marked lines as an indication of where to sew.
The main difference is when you come to enclose the top of the zip, because there is no zip stopper at the top of the zip the teeth need to be trapped between the two layers of the collar and it’s facing to provide a stop point for the zip. (I made a zipped top tracksuit when I was on Series 5 of the Sewing Bee and Esme enthusiastically zipped the jacket up during the judging and the fastener flew straight off the top of the zip. I won’t be doing that again!)
I often shorten zips, but from now on I will shorten them from the bottom as this method worked well and looks pretty neat. It also will preserve the top zipper stop. You can buy the stoppers and apply them yourself, but they will always be metal and not necessarily match the colour of your zip.
It was worth while stay stitching the neck edge before attaching the collar, as in my various trying on sessions I must have initially stretched the neck edge, which didn’t make attaching the collar lining particularly easy.
When it came to stitching down the collar facing, the instructions said to bind the edge with seam tape, but I found it hard to get a good finish. In the end, I trimmed off 6mm and bound the bottom edge with bias tape, which was more in line with the stretchy nature of the fabric. I carefully pinned and basted the finished edge to just below the stitching line, then stitched in the ditch from the right side.
On my third version I simply serged the bottom edge, again trimming 6mm off, and top stitched it down. It looks just as neat.
All in all, I now have a sweatshirt that is a little more interesting than a standard raglan style and fits me very much better. By using a contrast for the sleeve and yoke it has similar lines to a raglan cut sleeve but without all the excess fabric around the underarm area that I have always disliked with a raglan sleeve.
The fabric I used was a Denim Blue Jungle sweatshirt fabric, together with Cosy Colours speckle sweatshirt fleece in Dark Navy which was generously provided for me in return for a blog post. Thank you very much, I really enjoyed working with it.
I was initially doubtful about which colour of contrast fleece to choose, but a quick message to Liana at Lamazi fabrics helped solve that issue.
Because this pattern fits me so well I am going to use it as the basis for a round neck edge to edge jacket in some boiled wool boucle for autumn that I have in my stash. I will probably make a size larger to allow for wearing something underneath. Also I think it will be my go-to pattern for standard round neck sweatshirts in future.
I will now use Cashmerette’s smaller size range exclusively, and look forward to them updating all their patterns to incorporate this extra block.
The Denim Blue Jungle fabric Janet has used is now out of stock, however we have 2 alternative prints available shown below. These cotton sweatshirting fabrics have a fleece back making it extra cosy for the winter months.
Painted Stripes Blue Fleecy Cotton Sweatshirting Fabric
Flower Stalks Denim Blue Fleecy Cotton Sweatshirting fabric
We also have a new selection of fabric bundles coming soon if you would like to recreate Janets colour blocked look. Make sure you are signed up to our newsletter to find out when these are available.
Great post. Thank you for your thoughts on the smaller range, I think it would work better for me too