Fresh off the Day and Night Dress Challenge, Coffee and Cocktails, I’m headed to Lisbon…
… the Lisbon Cardigan by Itch to Stitch, that is.
I cut out my pattern pieces and fabric with the help of Sophie!
I love this knit fabric, a “shades of grey” (and black) paisley Topaz knit, 85% polyester, 10% rayon, 5% spandex. Others seem to like it too! I have two co-workers who have RTW cardigans in variations of grey paisley knit – that’s why I knew I had to have one too!
I didn’t have a problem cutting out this PDF pattern. 23 pages turned into three large pieces and four small. I didn’t mind that. My fabric was a bit of a challenge though, as the knit wouldn’t lie flat and the layers bunched up and stuck together. After carefully cutting out this fabric for my Lisbon, I still had enough of it left over to cut out a matching top too! Bonus! 😁👍
Sewing this knit together was not difficult. I used a narrow zig zag on my sewing machine.
I do not like raw seams showing on my RTW cardigans, but there is not much I can do about that, so when I make my own cardigans, I try to make the insides neat! I bound the armscye seams in single fold bias tape.
I sewed my side and arm seams by placing one side of the sewn seam into the other folded side of the seam and zig zagging the two together again – stronger and neater – sort of like a flat felled seam without the topstitching.
When it came to sewing on the facings, I did not do them as instructed. I sewed one side of the interfaced facing to the bodice front by machine and folded and pressed the other side of the facing to the inside, handsewing it in place. I get a bit of stiffness in my right hand if I do too much hand sewing – I love sewing machines! They save my hands! – so I spread the handsewing out over a couple of nights.
Here’s my insides …
… and my outsides!
Now that I’m finished, I noticed that my shoulder seams seem a bit too long. Perhaps I could have made my Lisbon a size or two smaller? Or could it just be the stretch in this knit fabric? Next time I might try a smaller size. On this one, I could use some bias tape to reinforce the shoulder seams so they don’t stretch… I’ll see if that helps!
Notice I don’t have any buttons or button holes yet?
Apparently, I have 1 1/2 cookie tins full of buttons (mostly given to me by my Mom) and yet I cannot find 7 matching buttons for my Lisbon. So a button shopping trip is in my future!
Seriously, what do you do with 1 1/2 cookie tins full of mostly “single” buttons?
Happy Sewing!
STASH BUSTING WITH THIS PROJECT? 1.6 metres (139.9 metres remaining!)
The inside is so nicely done you could almost wear it reversed. I also like the grey/black combination.
Thanks! It’s a pretty cool fabric, isn’t it!
The Lisbon is one of my favourite patterns. Why not try a narrow shoulder adjustment? I need to do these quite often.
I really like this fabric and it has made a perfect cardigan.
I think this one will be a favourite of mine too! A narrow shoulder adjustment would probably help. If I make it a size smaller, I might not be able to wear heavier tops underneath. The red top I was wearing was quite light.
Nice cardi. As for single buttons, match them by size and approximate colour, and go crazy with deliberately mismatched ‘sets’
I also use this on multicoloured garments, using several different colour buttons to match or clash with the fabric- it can look really cool!
My favourite example of deliberate mismatching is on this Style Arc ‘Twiggy’ Dress, where I just went with the monochrome theme, and found three totally different buttons. https://i.imgur.com/fZBUUe1.jpg
Thank you! I knew someone out there would have a plan. I think there might be a requirement for some button sorting in my future so I can better see what I have in the tins!
I never have the ‘right’ buttons either! I love the detail you put in the insides, it will make you smile when you wear it
Thank you! The handsewing is a bit of extra work but I think it is worth it!
Good job! 🙂 As for the 1 1/2 cookie jars of single buttons: give the buttons to a school for craft projects and fill the jars with cookies! 😀
Excellent idea! Especially the “cookies” part!
Put 7 different grey buttons on your cardigan – why do all the buttons have to be the same? Like dementedfairy I do that from time to time when I am in the mood. If the buttons were given to you by your mum some may be from your gran’s button jar so don’t give them away – they are special even if there are never enough of the same kind.
Great cardi BTW very versatile
Great idea! I will have to go back and take another look at my button collection, I think! I would have difficulty giving them away – I’m not sure anymore which were mine, my Mom’s, or my Gramma’s!
Nice sweater! I have lots of mismatched buttons and the last time I visited Anthropologie and looked at ready to wear sweaters and tops, I noticed how many times they mix and match buttons. When they do it,it looks artsy and fabulous, so why can’t we?
Thanks! It looks like everyone is leaning towards the mix and match style! I’ll have to reconsider this! 🤔
You could spend 2 days ‘sorting’ the buttons and you’ll be surprised how many are in fact the same. I threaded them on some topstitching thread and donated them to a craft charity – having kept the ones that appealed of course!! Lovely cardi, it suits you well.
Do you ever see that nasty nylon stuff that ladies of a certain age used to knit coat hanger covers out of? Well I bought a roll and that’s what I use in the shoulder seam. It’s light as a feather, strong and almost imperceptible. Wandered down this path after a run in with clear elastic in the shoulder seam – eeeuch! x
Thank you! Not only one great idea… but two! I know the nylon stuff you’re talking about. I think my Mom crocheted ponchos for myself and my younger sister out of it. Looking back, I’m not quite sure why I loved mine so much! 😂
Luckily it seems you weren’t attracted to naked flames!!
Yes, I thought about that when I was older. They do product recalls on flammable childrens’ pajamas yet my mother wrapped me in a flammable poncho! I survived my childhood! 😂
That’s a great pattern, and the print is wonderful! I have used special looking buttons as the first button, the used plainer ones down the front, especially with a print, and with a plain cardi or blouse, you can always use the buttons as the trim. I also like using buttons as embellishment on pillows or little bags or Christmas ornaments, sometimes on a homemade card too. Maybe one of those ideas will help you think of more ways to use them.
Thank you! I do like this pattern and will be using it again. I am getting so many good ideas! I did wonder too if I had any that I could use on the next bag I am making. I am going to have to sit down and sort through them properly!
I think the majority of people who sew will sympathise with your button situation. I’m another who uses mismatched buttons occasionally on a garment. Go wild!
😂 “go wild” seems to be the popular vote!
If you asked Mom to pick some buttons for you out of the button box you’d have 7 buttons in no time. They might not match but they’d “do” (at least in her opinion). All kidding aside sometimes mismatched buttons look really cool.
I agree! She would pick 7 random buttons that didn’t match but are “good enough”! I need a little bit more symmetry in my life though!
Beautiful fabric choice for your cardi. If you come across any drop dead styles that use just one button, let me know! I have tins of interesting but lonely ones.
Thank you! I’m sure we all are looking for a home for our “one button” sets! 😂👍