Jenna cardi

When the #cozycardichallenge came up on IG, I knew resistance was futile and actually I do need one or two cardi anyway so why not?

Fabric Galore had a sale on over the August bank holiday so I picked this fun panda fabric and also picked the Muse Jenna cardi on sale (win-win really!). The beauty of these challenges too of course is that it makes you discover new designers etc and keep the focus.

The Jenna cardi comes with lots of variations and an extra pack with collars and different sleeves so it seems very versatile. Anyway, for this first try I picked the hip length, long sleeves version.

I thought I had cut the right size for the cardigan but it felt a little tight when I tried it on so I decided to add a zip instead of buttons to gain a few inches! And this is where the problems started! I hadn't anticipated that sewing a zip on stretch fabric would be sooo difficult. With my first try I stretched the fabric so much that my zip ended far too small. So I unpicked the zip and put everything aside for a little while.... that lasted a few weeks in the end. On Tuesday, it was the last day of the challenge so I decided to give it a go again... I ironed and steamed the front band of the cardigan so it would be really flat. Then I used wonder tape to secure the zip as well as lots of pins. And instead of using the usual jersey zig zag stich I used a straight stitch. And then with a big breath and a slow foot I went for it. Now it is far from perfect but it is finished, in time for the challenge (with one hour to spare!) and I love it. I have already been wearing it!

The pattern came together easily enough and of course sewing with jersey is very nice. I will definitely make more of this pattern, possibly a different variation but I might cut the next size up next time. The only other change I had to make was to cut the sleeves 1' shorter.

That was one more OPAM for October and another one off my Q4 FAL list.

Celine