Free Pattern Friday: Kid's Raglan Hoodie

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one . I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. I also firmly believe that pattern designers deserve to be properly paid for their work, so if you enjoy using a pattern and can afford to do so, make sure you support that designer. Some designers' websites offer the option to make a donation, alternatively you can buy one of their paid-for products. If you can't afford to do so, you can support the designer by sharing your project via social media to help draw more attention to their work. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

This is a pattern that I've been harping on about a lot lately whilst making the Sewing and Saving mini series of podcast episode (in particular Sewing on a Budget and Sewing to Keep Warm). This pattern is a fantastic resource to have if you want to sew some cosy layers for kids. I first reviewed this pattern for the Free Pattern Friday series when my little boy was just a year old. And before that I posted about it when my daughter was equally tiny. But since then, Brindille & Twig have started producing patterns for larger kids and with that have released a larger version of this pattern for free download also. I was looking for a pattern to make for my son for his birthday, so I decided to give this new, larger version a whirl and test out its new hood option as well. Massive thanks to Melissa from Brindille & Twig for sharing her hard work for free.

 

(image source: Brindille & Twig)

Pattern type:

A classic, gender neutral, raglan sleeved, hooded sweatshirt style with front kangaroo pocket and two hood types (scuba and crossover). 

Sizing info:

The original, smaller version of this pattern (with only one style of hood) is sized between 0 months and 6 years. This version is sized between 6 and 14 years. I usually find that B&T patterns come up a bit large, so I'd really recommend going by the height measurements when selecting which size to make, particularly if you need it for immediate use. My son has just turned 6, but I knew the 6-7 years size would be too big for him. I probably could have used the largest size of the smaller version of the pattern, however I really wanted to try the new crossover hood variation. Subsequently, I printed out the size 6-7 but changed to scale to about 95% as opposed to 100%. 

Fabric info:

B&T suggest medium weight jersey, interlock or stretchy French Terry for the main fabric, but warn that using regular sweatshirt fleece may make it difficult to get over head. The hood and pocket can be lined in jersey, and and the cuff and waistbands require ribbing. 

For Frankie's birthday version, I used some stretchy towelling that was donated to me years ago after a sewing friend had a destash. I used some scraps of ribbing for the cuffs, but didn't have enough for a waistband also so left that off. The hood is lined with very lightweight slubby single jersey. It might look better if it were more opaque, but at least it doesn't weigh the hood down too much. 

Findings:

As ever, this B&T was a great pattern to use. There's a really simplicity and clarity to their patterns that make them very user, including beginner, friendly. Also, I love the layers function so you're not printing out heaps of unnecessary lines in particular. 

The instructions are pretty good. The only real flaw I found was that many of the images of garments with the crossover hood show that the hood has been lined, however, the instructions show how to make it unlined only. It's not a big deal of course, but it did throw me off a little. 

The finished garment came out just as I'd hoped. I'd left off the pocket which made construction quicker, choosing to add a Pokemon patch (Frankie's current obsession) instead. As mentioned before, I also left off the waistband and simply hemmed the bottom edge instead. The length of the body was sufficient to not need to add addition length. If I make another version in the future that includes a waistband, I'll consider shortening the body a bit. 

Customisation ideas:

There are a number of customaisation ideas shown in the images on their website, but they are not explicitly mentioned as far as I can tell. Here are their's and some of mine:

• add eyelets or button holes and thread a drawstring through the front edge of the hood
• leave the edges of the kangaroo pocket raw 
• leave off the waistband and simply hem
• lengthened the sleeves a bit, then leave off the cuffs and hem instead
• insert piping into the sleeve seams
• use contrasting fabrics for each pattern piece, or for just the sleeves
• add patches, embroidery, decals, prints or appliqué designs to the front
• insert triangles of fabric into the central hood seam, and possibly down the back, to make a dinosaur hoodie
• lengthen the whole hoodie to make a hoodie dress
• make in a lighter weight fabric and shorten the sleeves for a warmer weather version

Would I make this pattern again?

Most definitely. In fact, I'm quite enamoured with some of the customisation ideas above so I might give them a try! I'm so happy that they have created this pattern in a larger size so that I can continue to make hoodies for my kids for many years to come. 

Free Pattern Friday: T-shirt and Leggings PJs for Kids

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

Happy New Year to you!! I hope that 2021 has many wonderful things in store for us all. Let's start the new year by reviewing some free sewing patterns shall we? A good a plan as any I feel.

Right, so I've made a decision. Going forwards, some of my Free Pattern road tests will feature patterns that I've posted about before. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, some free patterns are so good and so useful that I end up using them again and again. Obviously it's not always clear during the initial road test if a pattern will become a TNT, and I think it's beneficial for readers to hear which ones over time I've found to be real winners. Secondly, I don't expect that everyone that reads a post on my blog or IG will have viewed my whole back catalogue and seen all the patterns I have tested previously! Crazy, I know. And finally, it's pointless and unsustainable for me to sew up a new free sewing pattern each month just so I'll have something to post about. If there is a free pattern that interests me, I'll try it, but I'm not going to sew something for the sake of content creation if it's not what I really want to be making right now. All that to say: I've posted about the patterns in this post on this blog before. However, I hope you appreciate that I'm reusing not one but TWO free patterns, and showing a different way of using them! 

My first review of the Brindille and Twig Ringer Tee pattern from three years ago can be found here. It is easily accessed by adding it to your cart and going through the checkout on the B&T website (no payment required). The Made by Jacks Mum Lightning leggings pattern review was from earlier this year. To access this pattern, you can join the MBJM Sewing Group on Facebook, or you can get it through their site. If you do the latter and are in UK or EU, the transaction goes through Etsy so you will pay a small fee. 

Both patterns are fantastic for making everyday garments, and today I want to highlight that they can also be combined to make knit pyjama sets. As you can see, I've made one summer set with short sleeves and short legs, and one for the rest of the year with the long options. There are other free knit pyjama patterns for kids out there, but to reduce paper and printer ink use, I love that these are multi functional and include various options. Check out the individual posts for more info on each pattern, however I'm including all the most relevant details again here. Massive thanks for both designers for sharing their hard work for free. 

Pattern type:

The Ringer tee is a banded T-shirt pattern that includes both long and short sleeved options. The Lightning leggings pattern includes relaxed and slim fit options, both of which can be made in three lengths, with elasticated or band-finished waists AND hemmed or band-finished hems. Another version of the smaller sizes of both leg fits has also been drafted to accommodate reusable nappies. With all these style elements to choose from, take care to read what pages you'll need before you start so you're not printing out a bunch of unnecessary pages. 

Sizing info:

Whilst the Ringer tee pattern has been graded to include 0m-3m to 5-6T, I've found that B&T sizing runs at least one size bigger, so go by the height rather than the age when selecting which size to make. I wanted these sets to come up big as Frankie (currently aged 4 and about 103 cm tall) doesn't really need them right now, so I made the 4-5T (that I would expect to fit a 5 year old). As expected, they have come out at least one size too big, and I'm guessing he'll get two year's worth of use from the tees. 

The Lightning leggings are graded to a larger size range: from premie/small newborn, up to 12 years. I've made a stack of these leggings as this point, as well as few other MBJM patterns, and I always find the sizing to be very accurate. If your child tends towards a stockier or skinnier frame than the 'average', you can easily combine sizes as you need to to get a better fit than most shop-bought leggings. I made the size 5 relaxed fit option (one full length and one shorts length) for both these pairs for Frankie. I expect he'll only get one or one-and-a-half-year's worth of use from these, compared to a good two years from the Ringer tees.

Fabric info:

The Ringer tee pattern requires knit fabric for the body and sleeves and it suggests to use ribbing for the bands. I feel that cotton/Lycra single jersey or cotton interlock would work best for the main fabric, although I have also had success using a very stretchy, lighter-weight French terry. I must admit that I've always used the self-fabric for the bands rather than ribbing, but haven't had any problems. 

The Lightning leggings pattern recommends that knit fabrics with good stretch and recovery are used, for example cotton/Lycra jersey. If you're making the slim fit, I'd recommend that you check your jersey isn't too thin. My daughter has bust through a couple of her pairs because the fabric I chose was too thin and was probably better suited to T-shirts. The relaxed leg style option might also work with a lighter-weight French terry that has an elastane/Lycra/spandex content for more of a joggers style garment.

For both the pyjamas sets pictured here, I've used cotton/Lycra jersey. The grey arrow print jersey came from a friend's destash, but originally from Little Miss Sew n Sew I believe. The farm print jersey was sent to me for free from By Graziela. Both fabrics are excellent quality: soft and with excellent recovery. 

Findings:

The Ringer tee pattern is really nice to use. The layers function has been included so you can print out just the size you require, and it's easy to see which pieces you need to cut out depending on your choice of sleeve options. I do find that, as well as coming up at least one size larger than the age it's marked as, the pattern also comes up pretty long in the body. I shortened the pattern by a few centimetres for both the tees pictured here. You could easily make this tee by omitting the hem band entirely, and turning up the bottom edge and hemming instead.

For the Lightning leggings pattern, I'm literally going to copy and paste my original post's findings:

I really like how MBJM's patterns are produced. The information conveyed is very clear and user friendly, without heaps of unnecessary blurb or frou frou. This is particularly important when a designer is trying to guide you through a pattern that contains heaps of options, such as this. Literally the only thing I can think of that is missing but would have been helpful, is a clear, technical spec drawing of the garments. In fact, now I come to think of it, I don't recall seeing a spec drawing for any of MBJM's patterns. I find those can help you get to the bones of a pattern style, without fabric choice, model's pose etc. distracting you.

You might think that, what with all the style options and choices included, that the actual PDF pattern pages would be a Burda-magazine-style web of confusion. However, I am able to report that I found them very well laid out and easy to figure out, despite all the various pieces and cutting lines. In the instructions there is a handy guide to help work out which pages to print for the combo of options you're going for. Plus, both the A4 and A0 copy shop files offer the layers function; yet another way to prevent wasting precious printer paper and ink. If you think you're likely to reach for this pattern again and again as the child you sew for grows, it might be worth getting the A0 file printed at the copy shop with all the sizes (excluding the sizes that they are already too big for). Then you can trace off the size you need onto pattern paper (or wrapping paper/wall paper/whatever you've got to hand that) as and when you need it, to save on ink (and getting your printer out and finding all the relevant wires, amirite?!) further down the line. 

As for the finished garments, I'm really pleased with them. The overall fit of the slim leg option is exactly what you'd hope for in a regular leggings pattern. And the relaxed leg option is a nice, modern alternative that is suitable for any kid who may not wish to wear tight leggings (yeah, I'm trying to find a woke way of referring to 'most boys'!).

Would I make these again?

Clearly, yes!!! I imagine I'll be using both of these patterns until both my kids grow out of the size ranges for both patterns.

Crew Neck Sweatshirt Update

Like many parents, I try to keep an eye on my kids' clothing selection to avoid getting caught out when a growth spurt occurs. I think this is particularly necessary if, like me, you don't buy new clothing for your kids, because getting what they need can take a bit more time and planning. My children's wardrobes are comprised of handmade, hand-me-downs, thrifted and the odd new item given to them as a present from someone else. 

A recent sort through of Frankie's future-selection of clothes showed me that he has very few items for the next size up (aged 4/size 98+), which he is rapidly hurtling towards. I had a rummage in my clothes-to-upcycle/reuse pile and found a couple of sweatshirts, the first being a sweatshirt that has already had a number of incarnations! I made it (see below) when I worked for Traid about 8 years ago by combining a couple of red, donated sweatshirts and adding a leather anchor applique.   

Adding the navy leather shape was a gamble because I had no idea how it would wash, but actually it came out perfectly well from each wash cycle. Obviously I have no idea how much wear the original sweatshirts received, but I wore mine a lot over the years. 

I used the Brindille & Twig crew neck sweatshirt pattern for these upcycles, as I already had it in my stash and have enjoyed using it previously. I had to make seams at the shoulder for Frankie's version, just as I had to when making my adult-version. I like the additional detail that it brings. 

The second sweatshirt started out as a plain, turquoise, Damart sweatshirt that I picked up in a charity shop for 50p a few years ago. I really liked the colour but it was too small for me so it had been hanging around waiting for a purpose.  

I took the opportunity to finally bust out my Bobbinhood screen printing kit that I had got for my 40th birthday last October. I'd wanted one of these kits ever since I got to have a play with my friend Emily's last summer. But as soon as I got one of my own, all my print ideas seem to evaporate! 

Just to finally give my kit a go, I decided to use someone else's design as a starting point. I found this awesome Octopus design in one of my kids' copies of DOT magazine (which I highly recommend, BTW). I obtained permission from the designer (@annalisedunn) via Instagram, explaining that I was only going to use the design for my son's sweatshirt, and got going. Cutting the stencil out of the special plastic-y paper was the trickiest and most time-consuming part. The actual printing took literally 10min, including prepping the screen! The Bobbinhood kits are designed for stencils, so there's no exposing the screen or anything like that required.

Thoughts:

I love how both these sweatshirts came out! The journey the red sweatshirt has been on reminds me how good quality fabric can have many incarnations. Hopefully I can pass this on to someone else when Frankie eventually grows out of it. And I'm thrilled to have been able to have found an opportunity to break the seal on my awesome printing kit! I can't wait to get some new inks (I currently only have black) to give me more options for customising my clothing projects. 

All The Quilted Mustard Cardigans

Recently, here in the UK, the weather has turned a bit shitty. Therefore, it doesn't feel at all out of season to be sharing these recent makes. I'm trying to be more mindful about what fabric I buy to make additions to my wardrobe with, and I must confess straight away that I already own two mustard coloured cardigans (this one and this one). However, neither provide much warmth, so I justified making this one because a cosier mustard cardigan would be serving a slightly different purpose to my other two. I know I said in my Me-Made-May 2019 Lessons to Learn post that I was going to start branching out of my limited colour palette, however I'd already bought this gorgeous fabric before I'd come to that realisation, plus it only came in mustard and navy anyhow! 

Fabric:

Throughout the recent autumn/winter/spring, I massively over-relied on my black quilted ponte Kinder cardigan. By that I mean that I wore it so much/often that A) it's starting to look pretty bobbly, B) I panicked over what I was going to wear when it was in the wash, and C) I felt slightly embarrassed (which I know is stupid) at how often I was being seen in the same garment. When I saw this quilted mustard jersey at Fabric Godmother, I knew it would be great for making a similarly-cosy alternative to the black Kinder. Plus, it appealed to me because it's 80% cotton (the black quilted ponte was 100% polyester), and I'm trying to keep purchases of synthetic fibres to a minimum. Admittedly this mustard quilted jersey is also 20% polyester, but I felt this was a step in the right direction. As well as being warm, it has a lovely, soft feel, and I really enjoy the feeling of it on my bare arms. 

(image source: Ready to Sew)

Pattern:

Umm, yeah so you made have noticed that the sample pictured above appears to be made from the same fabric as I have chosen. Well, at least I knew that my quilted jersey was going to work well for my selected pattern! It's the Jamie cardigan pattern by French pattern company, Ready to Sew, and it's been firmly stuck to my 'Sewing Patterns I Want' Pinterest board for months. The volume and poufy-ness of this boy-friend style cardigan appealed to me, and feels like a mild deviation from my current usual style, which excited me. 

I made the straight size 40 which related closest to my measurements, and the fit through the body seems to be fine. I deviated from the construction method to add clear elastic to the shoulder seams to prevent them from stretching out. I always do this anyway with knit garment projects, however I think it is especially important when the sleeves are as full, and therefore heavy, as these. I also added some fusible interfacing to the lower sections of the neckband which was not asked for in the instructions, to strengthen the area for buttons/buttonholes. As you may have noticed, I have yet to add buttons. I didn't have anything suitable in my stash, and I'll probably add some eventually, but that's not stopping me wearing it in the meantime. 

Thoughts:

When I first put my finished cardigan on, I found that the sleeves felt uncomfortably short. I unpicked the cuffs and recut them from some scraps so that the finished length was 3cm longer (I added 6cm to the depth to the pattern piece, which gets folded in half). In the future, I'd probably add the 3cm by extending the sleeve piece itself, then add an additional 1.5cm or 2cm to the finished length of original cuffs as well. I also think the waistband would benefit from being a bit deeper. 

Aside from those tweaks, I'm super happy with this garment. It is definitely fills a spot in my wardrobe when I want extra warmth, and I've loved wearing it with my Heyday dungarees and basic, white, Agnes top. I'll keep my eyes peeled in the future for different, interesting knits to make another.   

The Jamie cardigan pattern required 1.5m of fabric, so I bought 2m thinking I could use the extra to make Frankie some joggers. But then Dolores had a massive growth spurt which left her low on warm tops. I didn't have anything else suitable in my stash, so the leftovers became a cardigan for her instead. 

(image source: Brindille & Twig)

Pattern:

I reached for the Retro cardigan pattern by Brindille & Twig, which I've used many times (you can see the previous versions here and here). You can't accuse me of not getting my money's worth from this pattern! I already had this, the largest size (sniff), printed out including the tweaks already done from when I made her the black quilted ponte version (another mini-me cardi using scraps from my own cardigan project). If memory serves, those tweaks included making the curve of the front section where it joins the neckband smoother and not so angled, so that it sits flatter after the neckband has been applied. I also made the waistband and cuffs deeper. The original pattern has the same widths for the waistband and cuffs across the size range, from preemie to 5-6 years, which looks odd to me in the larger sizes. It's possible I also made the neckband a little wider, but I can't be sure at this moment in time. 

Thoughts:

Dolores is tentatively leaving her pink phase, and has embraced this cardigan surprisingly well. I thought it was going to be a grower, but she's worn is a few times in the couple of weeks since its completion, including on her non-school uniform day. I wonder if she likes the colour, enjoys the soft feel of the fabric, or because I have a near-identical one. I can't even deal with how grown-up she looks in the photo below. I may use this pattern again once or twice for Dolores, now that I have the pieces prepped. I will continue to use it for Frankie as well for several years to come. I still have a limited amount of scraps of this quilted jersey left, and I may combine it with some other leftovers further down the road to make a coloured blocked cardigan or sweatshirt for Frankie also. 

Free Pattern Friday: Kids' Bummies

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes a women's one. I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those of you who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

Dolores has been the main beneficiary of my selfless sewing lately, especially for these 'Free Pattern Friday' makes, so when Brindille & Twig recently released their new free Bummies pattern, I knew I could finally redress the balance a bit in Frankie's favour. This pattern release coincided, fortuitously, with a heatwave here in the UK that lasted for a couple of months, and is probably now set to return for a while after two days of (very welcome) rain. Frankie does NOT appear to enjoy heat. Yet, when he's too hot and we take his clothes off, he also thinks his nappy needs to come off too. These bummies so far, somehow, have managed to fool him into not taking his nappy off whilst he's otherwise nudey. Thanks heaps to Brindille & Twig for sharing their hard work for free, AND for aiding us in this useful deception. 

(image source: Brindille & Twig)

Pattern type:

I would describe this pattern as an updated, modernised version of a traditional nappy/diaper cover, designed for knit fabrics. The waist is elasticated with an optional drawstring, and the pattern includes two variations for finishing the leg holes: elasticated or banded.

Sizing info:

This pattern has been graded between preemie and 2-3T (heights 44cm to 96cm). However, I'd really recommend choosing your size, for this and all B&T patterns, based on the child's height rather the age (or I just tend to pick a size down from their actual age) if you want the garment to be worn straight away. For example, although Frankie is a substantial 22 month-old, I picked the 12-18 month (84cm) pieces and the fit is perfect.  

Fabric info:

The fabric suggestion states 'knit fabric - most types will work'. For both my versions, I used a single jersey of cotton with elastane/lycra/spandex, which seems to have worked well as they are a suitably light weight for the hot weather, but also great for moving about. Although I don't think the stretchy content is absolutely necessary for the main part of these garments, I do think it'd be the better choice for the leg hole bands if you're making that version. Thin loop-back French terry and interlock would probably also be great options for the main parts/elasticated leg hole version, but you'd want to avoid anything thicker (like a ponte perhaps) that would be too bulky for the waistband.

Plus, one of the best bit about making this pattern is that you can bust the hell out of your scraps bin! The 'monsters and snacks' fabric version came from the improbably small leftovers from this project, and the blue and white striped fabric was harvested from this top that had got too worn and ratty in its former incarnation. I'd love to see some made from refashioned/upcycled old logo T-shirts as well. 

Findings:

I'd say that this pattern is very typical of the six or so other B&T patterns I've now tried. The PDF pattern and instructions are bright, very clear and user friendly. I'd say this pattern would hold no significant issues for a beginner sewer (or beginner to knit-sewing), just be aware that the seam allowance is a scant 6mm. However, you could add a bit to all the edges and make the seam allowance larger before cutting out your pattern pieces, if you so wished.

When making the bummies, I had a concern that the measurements included for the length of the waist and leg hole elastic might be too tight for my marginal-chubster (I'm not sure that term is very PC, now I've written it...). So I added an extra 2cm to the waist elastic, but ended up removing it again. I'd been basing my assumptions on the measurement of elastic I usually cut when making him trousers and shorts, but I'd not figured out that these bummies need to fit more snuggly for them to perform their nappy-enclosing duties.

I did find that the length suggested for the optional waist tie/drawstring was a bit short. Also, I didn't like how the instructions recommend to just snip holes into the knit to thread them through rather than making button holes or adding eyelets, or even just adding a little square of interfacing to the back of that area. I know that button holes and eyelets would make this a less speedy and beginner friendly make, and that usually knit fabric doesn't fray, but on my version the holes started to look a bit tatty and stretched out pretty quickly. In the end, Frankie couldn't deal with having a drawstring anyhow and seeing as it was clearly annoying him, I removed it. 

The fit of these bummies is really cute. They are kind of a bit pouchy, and I wasn't sure Frankie would deal with the volume (he's quite opinionated about his clothes for someone who can't really speak yet), but he's been fine in these. I do think that the leg hole elastic could do with being slighter looser for his thighs. Obviously all kids are different shapes and sizes, but I'd recommend you keep an eye out for that if you make the elasticated leg hole version.

Customisation ideas:

I'm not feeling very creative right now, so all I can suggest is playing around with your fabric scraps and old/unwanted knit garment, perhaps using different fabric for the front and back pieces, as well as for the leg hole bands if you choose that version. And of course adding appliques, patches, motifs etc. etc. I'd love to hear any more suggestions... Oh, and I'd DEFINITELY recommend adding a ribbon loop or label of some kind to the back, as at a glance, is can be difficult to distinguish which is the front and back if you haven't included the drawstring.

Would I make it again?

Because of the slight trickiness of getting the leg hole elastic the correct length (or my laziness in re-doing it if it's not right), I'd say that the banded version is my preferred one, and I definitely plan to make Frankie a small stack of banded bummies for next summer. He *may* be potty training next summer, and I was thinking that these *might* make a good garment to help with that process, as a kind of bridge between big-boy underwear and acceptable-as-outdoor-wear shorts, so that there's only one layer to yank down when heading to the loo. Those who have experience in potty training boys might be able to advise me if I'm on to something here or not...

I warn you: making these could be addictive! Two or three pairs of these bummies would make a fun and impressive, but really pretty simple, gift for a baby or toddler. And it could be a useful pattern to have on hand for surprise-hot-weather or last-minute-pre-holiday sewing if additions to a child's wardrobe is required!

Retro Cardigans Revisted

When I'm reading blogs or catching up on my Instagram feed, I'm fascinated to see which patterns sewers return to and make multiple times. Some people may feel reluctant to post projects made with TNT patterns, instead of some completely fresh new pattern/project perhaps, maybe thinking that their readers don't want to see a repeat, or not knowing what fresh thing to say about it. As a reader/follower/viewer though, I feel the opposite; I really want to see which garments clearly got so much use IRL that more versions were called for, and therefore which patterns other sewers have found to be excellent value for money.

Pattern:

Having recently posted (again!) about the Made by Rae Geranium dress pattern, today I'm going to share another kids' pattern that I've posted about previously that had another outing on to my sewing table. So, tell me, who doesn't love a cardigan?! They're a useful layer all year round; they give extra warmth when it's cold and are a jacket substitute in the summer. The Retro cardigan pattern by Brindille & Twig is such an easy project and can be made in a variety of fabrics. I went on this particular cardigan making binge in the spring to hoover up some fabric scraps that were floating around in my stash, and turned them into useful garments for both Frankie and Dolores.

As I've mentioned before, I've found that B&T patterns come up large if you use the age to pick a size. If you use their height guidelines instead, or just pick a size/age smaller, I personally find you get a more successful fit (e.g. in the picture at the top of the post Frankie is 18 months old but wearing the size 12-18 months).

As for alterations to the pattern, after the first four I made (the three from the previous post and Dolores's anchor cardigan in this post), I decided to make the cuffs and waistband deeper. Whilst making the last of this batch of four (Frankie's anchor cardigan pictured above), I decided to make the curve of the front piece where it joins the neckband less exaggerated, and the result is a neckband that sits much flatter than the others (check out Dolores's anchor cardigan above that one for a comparison). I'll definitely make this small alteration a permanent one going forwards.

Fabrics:

As I say, these cardigans can be made in a variety of knits to create garments with different degrees of warmth. The fleece backed sweatshirt fabric version I previously made Frankie was great for winter, and the lighter interlock (like a thick jersey) provided a great layer for milder weather. Ponte de Roma hits the spot in between. When I 'accidentally' ended up with both the navy and white colour ways of the anchor ponte that I used to make this Cabernet cardigan, these joggers and this Freya top, the leftovers were screaming out to be combined into one garment. I pieced together Dolores's cardigan (the version with the white sleeves) and used some gold buttons from my stash. Shortly after, I realised I could squeeze another Frankie-sized one out of the remains-of-the-remains if I used some solid navy ponte (also from my scraps tub) for the sleeves and back piece. I love that these two garments are similar but not exactly the same. Much like the kids themselves!

I made the black version pictured above (apols for the blurry image) using the size 5-6 (proving my point about this pattern's age-based sizing coming up large!) for Dolores to wear in a year or two's time. It's made from the leftovers of my quilted/embossed ponte Kinder cardigan, which I've found to be very snuggly and soft. I hate buying buttons for projects when I have such a large button stash already. I picked out this set of red fabric-covered buttons, but I may change them in the future if something better shows up.  

And the final version I have to share with you started life as this mint green, faux-wrap, loop-back French terry top I bought in a charity shop for 50p (pictured above). The colour IRL looks in between the above pic and the finished cardigan pictured below. I bought this top because the fabric felt incredibly soft, and had excellent stretch and recovery. I wished I'd smoothed off the curve of the front piece (as described above) on this version, because, as you can see, the neckband doesn't sit very flat when it's buttoned up. I had to cut-n-shut the sleeves together because of the restricted fabric I could harvest from the original garment. However, I like the additional seams on the sleeves. I think it gives the garment a sportier vibe, although I never would have thought to add the extra seams unless I was creating a colour blocking effect. It may not surprise you to learn that Dolores helped pick out the buttons and the unicorn patch from my stash. 

Thoughts:

These projects have made me so happy because A) they were almost free in terms of financial cost, B) they used up some leftover fabric that I might have otherwise have chucked in the textile recycling bin (better to reuse than recycle), and C) they have already seen a lot of wear, keeping my babies warm without restricting their movement at all. 

What are your favourite patterns for kids that you have made multiple times? Have you discovered any that are also useful scrap busters, either woven or knits? Spill the beans...