Perhaps you remember? I wanted to make a shrug to match this dress…
Then my eyes fell on this cardigan. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened the pattern envelope and found out it was a circle with sleeves. I have seen these patterns on Pinterest (for free). This is going to be easy!
I cut out my two pattern pieces from some black ponte knit in my fabric stash.
I had to chase Sophie away the whole time!
This is how it looked on me.
So I put it on Dolly and chalked where I wanted the collar and the hem to end. Comparing it to my favourite sweater.
Much better!
Ok, so it’s not a shrug … but at least it’s not a vampire cape anymore!
But here’s where it got weird. I wanted to finish the edge with piping, but I did not want the wrong side of the piping to show at all, and it would since the front drapes and ruffles so much and shows the wrong side of the fabric. A solution…
When the piping was finally sewn on it looked like this… I love it! It is more than just piping.
Now for the bad news. I seem to have a shortage of piping. As a matter of fact, I needed twice as much as I had. There was NO WAY I was going to the fabric shop today to buy more. They are having a “Valentine’s Day SALE!”.
So this is why you won’t see any photos of me wearing my unfinished cardigan-that-should-have-been-a-shrug-because-then-I-would-have-had-enough-piping! 🙂 First chance I get I’m stopping by the fabric shop and buying more piping. Perhaps I will even go in the fabric shop with only $5.00 so I don’t come home with MORE fabric!
I promise, as soon as I finish, I will post photos of my shrug cardigan!
I hope you had a lovely day, whether Valentines are important to you or not, and Happy Sewing!
36 Responses to “McCall’s “Learn to Sew for Fun””
How funny! Never seen a pattern like it! I’m glad you didn’t pay much for it 😉. Hope you get some more piping soon. After your adjustments it’s going to look great!
Well, it certainly looked great on the tiny model on the envelope cover! Hopefully I will be at the fabric shop today… And come out with a a purchase of piping only (not fabric!).
Ha ha – good luck with that! 😉
What a naughty project this has turned out to be …very frustrating. Mind you, downsized it is looking good, and that piping certainly give it an edge, pardon the pun. Good luck with finding more.
Thank you! I am on the hunt for piping tomorrow. It has been a mixed up couple of months around here. I haven’t been able to sew or blog as much as I wanted. But that’s ok, things will settle down soon! Thanks for stopping by!
Vampire? I was thinking “Executioner!” LOL! I love your edits to the cardigan and the trick with the piping–clever! I also love the last photo on the bed wherein Sophie has assumed what we refer to in our house as the “loaf” pose. 🙂 (How do they always know when we’re working on something?!?)
Thank you! You must watch the same kinds of movies/games as my son. He thought I looked like some kind of assassin. Yes, Sophie likes doing that. Yesterday she fell asleep like that and her head fell forward, nose buried in the blanket. Cats are amusing!
I prefer the short version too, but the pics with the ‘cape’ were cracking. Your cats seem to be playing the role of weights on fabric, they are very cute. Looking forward to seeing it finished once you have the piping!
Sometimes taking photos is quite fun! The cats would be great weights… If they only sat still for a minute!
Oh the piping is perfect! It looks so classy! And cat approved, so that’s always a plus. Frustrating to run out so near the end….but you will prevail! (you just might be a sewing super hero….)
So much better shorter and love the piping effect too. A great rescue!
Also loving your cats’ attempts at helping, mine is just as eager to join in 😉
It must have been a bit annoying to discover that the pattern was the same as the free ones. I was sent the instructions by Ruth (Core Couture) and intend to make one soon. If I pipe it I will double check requirements before starting! Perhaps you could send a cat to help me out 😉
Yes it was a surprise to realize it was just a circle. Fortunately the pattern was on sale for $3.99. It would be a good purchase for a beginner, but I didn’t think it increased my knowledge base any. I would have loved to learn how they decided where to put the armholes, although the I know that the width of my back is an important measurement, among others, but this pattern didn’t teach me anything really. It just gave me the answers (where to put the armholes). I will not be swayed by the envelope photo on “Learn to Sew for fun” patterns in future. There are other patterns more complicated that I can learn from. But that’s a lesson learned too, I guess!
Oh yes, and the cats just LOVED helping with the piping!