For this month’s Minerva Crafts Blogger Network make, I decided to go against my normal choice of seasonally inappropriate clothing for something that was actually WARM!

So, I just wanted to start by saying that the fabric I’m using for this project was one that I chose by accident. (That’s what happens when you think you’re doing one thing but your fingers are doing another…). Despite not being quite what I had in mind, I wanted to make it work!

I ended up with 2 metres of a Lady McElroy wool blend fabric. It’s knitted with a smooth back side and a bumpy striped texture on the other. I got the mocha colourway which has alternating skinny stripes of brown beige and white.

It was a lot lighter and springier than I expected and it also had a surprising amount of stretch. I had anticipated making a coat or jacket out of it but after handling the fabric I’d say it’s much more suited to thick cardigans or jumpers.

And that’s what I went for! I had a cardigan pattern in my stash that I had always been meaning to try out and this seemed like the perfect occasion. I used the McCall’s 7476 cardigan pattern. It comes with 5 different styles of cardigan and I opted for view C which a shorter hip length cardi with a shawl collar. The pattern requires 25% stretch of their fabric. I tested it with the little gauge on the back of the pattern envelope and it easily reached it. 

This pattern is from one of the learn to sew ranges so I expected it to be a nice simple make.

And it was! I think start to finish (not including cutting time) was about one hour and fifteen minutes and that included me having to correct a couple of seams where I’d sewn the facing pieces back to front.

I skipped the pockets and button as I figured in this case I’d be unlikely to use them.

This has turned out to be a ridiculously warm and snuggly make! I was a little wary about the wool content as it tends to make things itchy but I think all the other fibres seem to balance things out.

It really did work well as a cardigan and I think it would be perfect for jumpers requiring some body like the Toaster sweater from Sew House Seven. It has a relatively loose weave (compared to say a wool felt) so if you’re planning to use this for outerwear, depending on what you’re making, you may want to try underlining it. I always think coats should be impermeable to the elements!

So, I’m not sure the grandad style cardigan look is for me but this is going to be a great lounging about the house item!