You’ve probably noticed by now that I have a problem with deadlines especially self-imposed ones. Real-Real deadlines I usually manage to make at the very last absolutely possible minute. Self-imposed deadlines not so much.
I mean what is going to happen if I fail? The sun will rise, the snow will melt, and my road will turn into a river like it does every Break Up season.
But, now that I have created these self-imposed deadlines concerning sweaters, I’ve got a small problem. Each month there is woman who has committed to working with me on creating a new sweater design in exchange for a sweater. If I fail, they don’t get their sweater, and that just isn’t very fair or nice.
After I finished making my spring frock, I got down to the serious business of completing Ms. February’s sweater. You can read about Ms. February aka Mereidi Liebner in the post I wrote about her back in February.
Yes, she has been waiting very patiently for way to long.
Here is the palette I selected.
Mereidi knit this hat and she wanted the sweater to be inspired by the yarn. This was a great idea.
Here are the wools I selected. The brown actually didn’t make the final cut. All of these are lambswool which is thick but not too think–a perfect weight for someone who is outdoors a lot like Mereidi is.
Kato liked the palette as well.
Then I started stitching. Everything was going great. I had adjusted my dress form to Mereidi’s measurements, and I was constantly checking my work on the dress form. Mereidi is quiet slender, and I was afraid I would get the proportions wrong. So I was trying to be super sensitive to measurements.
I finished the sweater, put it on the dress form and was pretty darn pleased. I then once again checked Mereidi’s measurements. the best way to express how I felt at this moment might be to let loose a row of cartoon expletives. While I had done an excellent job of referencing not the bust and waist measurements but I was a complete failure concerning the shoulders measurement. Mereidi has very athletic shoulders, and this aspect of my dress form cannot be modified.
The only thing to do was to sleep on it. I was so upset with myself that I forgot to take pictures of the finished sweater.
The next day, I had a plan. I really hoped it would work. If it didn’t, it would mean that I would have to start over with a new palette, and I really did not want to do that.
Here is what happened.
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- I cut the sleeves off of the sweater.
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- I removed the seams and top stitching.
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- So, at this point, I’ve actually made the sweater about an inch smaller on both the front and the back.
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- The bodice now looked like this from the front.
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- And this is what the back look liked.
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- I drafted a pattern piece to expand the bodice. And then stitched this expansion onto both the front and the back of the sweater.
It worked. Now the only thing left to do was to consider the neckline. Mereidi likes interesting necklines, and I was aiming to please.
I really wanted to try something like this, but I did not have the right about of felted wool in each color.
I also like this idea too.
In the end I decided to go with one color for the neck mainly because I did not want to get myself into another construction pickle.
The next day Mereidii visited my studio to try on her new sweater.
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- Here is she is. Ms. February!
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- A side view
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- A back view
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- A sitting down view
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- Thank you Mereidi for being the most patient sweater model ever!
That was so much fun I think I will do it again.
It’s Friday so that means there are lots of fun posts on Nina-Marie’s blog about what other artist have been doing this week. Check it out.
ohhh – did you hear me say – wow – I love the colorblocking and boy would I look good in this – LOL! (albeit in smaller proportions) – I really do need to get a great knit cap like that for next winter – just lovely
Thank you folks. It has been good to expore this new territory. I am finding that my quilting skills are really improving my garment sewing skills. Color blocking is patchwork!
Great rescue of your sweater. It turned out wonderful. I love the colorblocking. It will be truly appreciated, I’m sure.
I hadn’t thought about it that way, but yes, colour blocking is patchwork too! Very creative!
Great save! I know what you go through on the pattern drafting and measurements and will or won’t it fit and concentrating on the bits you remember, but forgetting another part entirely until you need to do some creative thinking!
If I were still teaching C+G fashion, I would definitely show bits of your blog to inspire the students!
Sandy in the UK
Thank you Sandy for your good words. Now that I have gotten over my fear of failure (at least for now) I am having great fun trying out my ideas. And fixing my mistakes!