Am I showing my age if I sing along to The Cardigans while I write a post about sewing cardigans? I think I’m too old to care… Thanks to Tibeca for hosting and inviting me along for this tour!

I have a bunch of patterns by Itch to Stitch (6 to be exact), and I’ve read such great reviews of her precision in patterning, details in construction, and overall fit and style. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to make my first, but I’m definitely happy that I started off with the Lisbon Cardigan! I wear cardigans almost every day to work. I naturally run cold, and that extra layer is a must for me. However, in the last few months, I have blown out the elbows in almost all of my RTW cardis, including my favorite red, grey, and mulberry colored ones. I wear each of them once a week or so, and I have been a little lost without them. The Canyon Cardigans I made during testing have helped to fill the gap, but I really needed some classic twinset-style cardis to work with most of my work wardrobe. Enter the Lisbon!

Pattern Details:

Link to pattern	Lisbon Cardigan (affiliate link)
Layers?	Yes
No-trim pages?	Yes; although I had some alignment problems, it may have been my printer
Measurements for bands?	No, pattern pieces provided
Print Chart?	N/A all pages required
Sizes	00-20 (31”/25 3/8”W/ 33 ¼”H – 46”/40 ½”/ 48”)
Variations	Sleeve length (3/4 vs long); bodice length (regular or cropped)
Finishing	Optional Hong Kong finish for fully enclosed seams; front bands require some hand-tacking
Pattern Details	Instructions for lengthening/ shortening provided. This is a great base pattern if you have some hacks in mind
Fabrics	Primary fabric should be a light-weight knit with at least 50% stretch; crochet lace works for the front panels. Details on my fabrics are further down.

I started off with this amazing Metro Park Plaid by Piccadilly. I only had a fat half (30″ x 36″) and I needed a pattern that would really feature the design, so this cardigan was perfect. I paired it with a solid black French terry from Purple Seamstress and it’s super cozy. This is the cropped length and 3/4 sleeves. I opted not to do my usual 1 1/2″ short torso adjustment, so it doesn’t actually look very cropped on me. I love it and it’s already a staple in my fall wardrobe! I also opted to not do buttons on this one, but I may add them in later.

I also knew that I needed to directly replace some of my worn out RTW cardis. I scooped up a little bit of this very cozy light grey French terry on a summertime visit to The Loft. It was easily 90+ degrees in the shop, but I knew I would regret it forever if I didn’t bring it home with me. My initial plan was to use it for a super cozy raglan sweatshirt, but it’s actually perfect for this cardigan! I went with the full length/ long sleeves this time and used it for the main pieces and bands.

If, by chance, you’re admiring my super-sharp turned corners – I’ve got a mini-tutorial for you!

1. As you approach the corner that is going to be turned, narrow your seam allowance by just a smidge. Like by the length of just a couple of stitches. You can backstitch or just run your stitches off the edge and tie the off – doesn’t matter.
2. Trim your corner with a longer, shallow trim rather than a straight 45-degree trim you usually see.
3. Turn and press and admire your sharp corners!

I learned this technique in a pillow-making book- I love applying these sorts of tips to all my sewing projects!

Make sure you follow along with all of the other fabulous seamstresses this week!

Cardigan Blog Tour September 26-30