I have hit my afternoon slump and so it is time to take a break from sewing. The "pebble weave" knit sweater set is almost done. I have to cover the shoulder pads for the cardigan, sew them in, sew on the buttons, and make buttonholes. Buttonholes are not a good project to tackle when one’s head is nodding.
I made the cardigan a little too short. It doesn’t look bad, kind of cute actually, but I think I would like it much better about 1 to 2 inches longer. I have made a note of this on the pattern tissue. The cardigan would be nice with pleated pants now, but I am taking flat front on the trip; c’est la vie. I would have sworn I measured the pattern before cutting and decided that it was the perfect length based on the length I like my shorter handknits, but then it is quite possible I measured the pattern and forgot to include the hem allowance. I seem to recall I was feeling a little distracted when I cut the cardigan out.
The cotton top does not require very thin shoulder pads, as the wool jersey one did; perhaps this is because although it is a thin knit, it is firmer and does not hug the body as much. On all the pieces I had to shorten the sleeves by about 3 inches and the cardigan is meant to have a cuff. Amazing!! I left the cuff off and still whacked off a good bit of sleeve length. Long torso and short arms, kind of a funny looking picture don’t you think. It is not so much that I am long waisted, which I am, but only slightly for my height, but that I have these stubby little arms, who would have thunk it??
I wonder why all the RTW turtlenecks I buy are too short through the sleeves? I don’t think I have ever purchased a sewing pattern that needed lengthening through the sleeves. hmmm… Gives one pause doesn’t it?