To my surprise, my first long cardigan has been worn a lot already, so I clearly had to make another!
My first long “coatigan” was traced from a RTW sweater that I bought – well, this one is that same traced pattern, but with an angled centre front inspired by another RTW cardigan I’d tried on at the same store. The two front pieces overlap at the neckline, but angle out to be slightly cut-away below the waist. I also cut back the neckline and added a separate collar piece. I like how it gives a whole new look with very little effort!
Last time the sleeves were a bit narrow in the upper arm, so I slashed and spread a bit more and I think it helped.
The fabric is a polyester double knit jacquard from my local Fabricland. In fact, I’m wearing head-to-toe Fabricland in these pictures – and all from the odd-n-ends remnants bolts they get in. I swear, there are hidden gems there!
The colour in this pic is awful, but I wanted to show the texture and the knit binding that I used to trim it. My inspiration coat had contrast trim, and I wanted to give this stuff a go. It’s pure poly (they have nicer wool stuff, but it’s $$$). It took 4m to trim this sucker, and I didn’t even have enough for the hem! I sewed the trim in 2 steps, like FOE or bias binding. It did stretch out the long front edges a bit, so maybe I should have pulled it tighter as I sewed? It was fun to try something new though.
Underneath is a Mission Maxi tank made with scraps from my Jalie Bella dress. Thank goodness for 4-way stretch rayon knit and a busy print – you can’t even tell the back is cut from 3 different pieces and seamed together!
While I was taking pictures, I thought I’d show you these knit jeggings I made in August. I wouldn’t normally wear them as pants, so I didn’t bother with topstitching or pockets. I used my usual Espresso leggings pattern, but added 2-3 inches width to each leg so that they’d a) look more like jeans and b) avoid the fabric looking lighter where it had to stretch more over my tush! I’m curious how they hold up – will the darker fuzzy side pill quickly, or catch on things and pull?
I actually made a Morris out of this same jegging fabric back in May, which I have never once worn. I just isn’t quite right, even after I took in the shoulders! Maybe I’ll wear it more now that it’s fall?
I took these pictures at City Hall – and thankfully it was cold enough that no kids were playing in the splash pool and fountains! (Because kids in bathing suits are not my ideal backdrop! Hello, creepy.)
I can’t believe September has gone by so quickly! (Oops, gotta write out some fresh cheques for my landlord before Oct 1st!) Work has been pretty demanding (new role, long commute, lots to learn), but I’m really enjoying making time for sewing and blogging over the weekend. I don’t know if any of us ever really manage work/life balance, but it seems important to try!
What are you balancing these days? Anything big on your horizon, sewing or otherwise?
Crafting A Rainbow 
I was thinking about you over the summer with job uncertainty. I hope the positives outweigh the negatives in your new role! September is always a bit nuts anyway. Doesn’t look like I will be sewing until Thanksgiving!
xo
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Well, on the plus side, I’m speaking French and Spanish more than I have in years, and I’m learning some Low German! It’s fun to put on my language learning hat again!
Hope things are going well for you – Thanksgiving will come soon!
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Great to hear that you’re enjoying the new job! Love this coat/cardigan. The color is great on you, and the binding really sets off the seams nicely. Fab pictures too. 🙂
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Thank you! I wore red the other day and a friend asked “When did you start wearing red?” Clearly a sign that I don’t have enough of it in my wardrobe! 😉 Darn. I’ll have to buy more fabric.
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That color is fabulous on you! The whole outfit is, really. And it’s amazing how much trim is needed for edging things, isn’t it?
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The woman selling me the trim clearly thought I was nuts as I tried to calculate how much to go up, down, and around the coat edge – I really thought 4m would be more than enough, but in the end I only have 20cm left, even though I didn’t do the hem!
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Love the coatigan. 🙂 Textured knits rock.
Ugh, balance. I haven’t been able to do that at all lately. I’ve gotten a ton more to do at work and am utterly exhausted by the time I get home. Weekends I just want to sleep! Oh well. I’ll get back on track soon. 😉 Glad you are enjoying your new role at work. 🙂
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Agh, sorry work is crazy. It’s so frustrating to be too tired to do the things that would make you relax and better to handle the pressure! Good luck!
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Thanks, hon! ❤
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I love your whole Fabricland me made outfit! That poly fabric made one cool coatigan. Froggie and I are going to give you an A+ for picture location.
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I was rather proud that I didn’t mind have an audience for these pics! Some 20-something girls chatting on a bench, a man working on a laptop across the pond, and a cute South Asian family with little kids wandering by. Whatever, people, I’ve got photos to take before the sun totally sets!
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Excellent pics, really inspired!
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Thank you! I figured this sort of outfit fit better with an urban scene than me wandering around a field, which was my backup location if this one didn’t work out! 🙂
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This cardicoat is superb in red – you look stunning! Unfortunately, I had to slow down on sewing because September is such a crazy time at work, but this red marvel urges me to go back to my sewing machine next week-end!
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I hope you can carve out some sewing time soon! So good for the soul, right? Or at least go roll around in your stash… 😉
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You look so chic, so cosmopolitan in these photos. I envy anyone who looks like a pulled-together grown-up on a day-to-day basis, especially when they’re rocking me-mades. Love the whole outfit!
My husband and I have been in the process of buying our first house for two months, and now we’re two days away from closing and then the start of major renovations. Luckily work hadn’t been too demanding, because all I can think about is the house!
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Hahaha – I know my first reaction to being told I look like a grown-up shouldn’t be laughter, but it is! I swear I don’t usually look chic. More like awkwardly wearing bright clothes than any else at work. But hey, it’s a look! 😉
Buying your first house is so exciting! We’re no where near that point, but I hope we will be in 5 years or so. My fingers are crossed for you that it all goes well – just think of how awesome to have your own home, decorated the way you want it to be!
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Love this coatigan! And the red looks great on you. I’ve got one in my mind too, found the perfect sweater knit for it. But the balance between work and sewing for myself will always feel a bit off I guess 🙂 And I love your new backdrops. It seems everything you do, from hair to outfits and photography is starting to look so put together lately! Must be a good sign as to how you’re doing? X
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LOL – I think the improvement in pics and styling is more a sign of how hard I’m working to push down work stresses right now! The Better Pictures Project started as a distraction the weekend before my interview (When I should have been studying up) and now I”m extra determined to enjoy being good at something in life! 😛
How are you doing? I saw you mention a new pattern on Twitter – hope the development stage is going well! 🙂
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I could really use some sweater coats in my life right now! Yours looks great! I love the color and the texture.
p.s. your photos are looking really extra fantastic lately as well 😉
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You know, I remember reading your photography post way back and thinking, “Wow, she thinks of a story for each photo shoot and then goes somewhere to set the scene? Amazing, but I couldn’t do that.” And now, that kind of stuff is definitely starting to run through my brain! Baby steps, right? 🙂 I totally get the appeal of photography now!
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Very slick coatigan – the binding really takes it up a notch. And that great textured fabric. And extra points that you made your whole chic outfit!
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Maybe now that I put binding on this cardigan I’ll stop procrastinating binding my kind-sized quilt? Oh wait, probably not. I’ve been avoiding that for over a year!
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You loo lovely. That “coatigan” is inspired. I love it especially the cut away front. It’s very stylish. The fabric is gorgeous. Bonus points for making your whole outfit too. Glad that you are enjoying your job. It is hard to get a good balance though. I find that anyway. I only have one day a week to make things now and the going is slow. You are really winning with your photos. They are great. Xx
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Thank you! You have a new job too, right? (Or your job got moved? I’ve got a bad memory, forgive me!) I hope things slow down for you soon!
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Ooo eee! Look at you, gorgeous woman of mystery! I super duper adore this coatigan! I love the texture and the colour and the trim! So many pretties! You really are a genius at finding gems at Fabricland 🙂
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Hehe – I always think that my love for chain stores comes from growing up in a small town, where Zellers/Walmart was often the only place to get things. I like hunting for bargains more than visiting nice stores where everything is too expensive to buy in volume!
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So sweet of you to model all the stuff you made especially for me 😉 Now send it over!
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Bahaha – I’ll send it all right over! But you have to send me your adorable kittens in return!
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Ha! Now that they are bigger, they are tearing down the house 🙂 So I won’t do that to you, or Clay or Frank 😉 I guess, I’ll let you keep the outift and just copy it instead 😀
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Love it! Great pairing of fabric with your “pattern”. I remember that Morris–do you think you’d like it better if you retroactively went in and fused some knit interfacing to the insides to give the fabric more body?
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That’s a good suggestion. The problem is that i don’t even quite know why I don’t like it. Is it the shiny lighter side of the fabric? Is it the contrast lapels and cuffs? Is it the actual fit, and the fact that I think I need to make it shorter? I don’t know, man.
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I love the contrast trim – it’s a subtle contrast in color and texture but it’s visually impactful. And to answer your question, I just finished up a lightweight tunic and am turning my attention back to the strange sleeve-fitting issue I’m seeing in a jacket for my husbo 🙂
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Jacket for your husband? Agh. Amazeballs. You are generous with your sewing time!
In the mean time… have you started dreaming about what gorgeous fabrics you might buy in Japan? I predict perhaps some double gauze, some gorgeous linen (they really love linen), and maybe a $15 used kimono to cut into something?
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Great photos and great outfit. i love the trim on your coatigan.
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Thank you!!!
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Oh, fun! Those remnant ends are the best and the worst, aren’t they? So much trash, but then some amazing treasures in the mix. I love the binding, I think that looks better than I thought it ever would! 😉 and the rest of the outfit looks smashing with it, too! 🙂
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LOL – the lady who cut the binding warned me it was hell to sew with, but it was alright for this project… just turns out I don’t understand how to get a neat mitred corner! You have some of this jegging fabric, don’t you? Have you sewn yours up yet?
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LMAO! I haven’t tried it myself… I have used a couple of different jegging fabrics in the past, but the whole bolt I bought for ridiculously cheap last winter remains untouched. I used the Burda envelope pattern for them, but I have had some trouble with my straight-stitch topstitching popping. When I get my new machine I will try using the triple straight stitch. I bet your coverstitch is perfect for them, though. 😉
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Gillian you look so glamorous in these photos!! I can’t believe that red fabric came from Fabricland!! I love this whole outfit – such a great combo!!
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I think finding Fabricland gems might be my superhero power. Remnant Woman to the rescue!!! ;P
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great set of photos – look at you, out on the street, with your lovely soft focus backgrounds and sharp garments – I do like the look of that double knit jacquard.
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Thank you! I was having the worst time getting my camera to focus at the start of the shoot, but lucky I somehow got it working before the sun set! Still not sure why that happens though, or exactly what fixed it. I’ve got more to learn! 🙂
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Great outfit! I’m really digging these long sweaters you are making…I think I have found a hole in my fall wardrobe. Your photos are so awesome! I love the one of you on the bench…pretty!
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Did you see Sew Wrongs pictures this morning sitting on a park bench? I’ve been fascinated lately about how to work more poses into shoots, and sitting seems like a good variation… but how to do it and still a) show of the clothes and b) not just slouch?
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Gorgeous coatigan! Love the texture of that fabric. But I love the photos more- it looks like a catalog photo shoot (in a good way)!!
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I have seen this jacket – and that top – in real life and they are FANTASTIC. I don’t think the photos do the coatigan justice (and it looks great in the photographs!). Your hair is really working.
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This is so chic! It looks really professional and really expensive! So cool! Ugh, dude… work/life balance… is it even possible to achieve? I’ve picked up a second part-time job so I’m working full-time hours now, but have some giant projects I booked when I didn’t have the other job, so lately have been spending all my nights and weekends frantically working on the commissions. It’s been such a struggle to keep up with my evening class and housework. Here’s hoping that we’re all able to settle into routines and find ways to get things done really efficiently!
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Gillian you wear this coatigan silhouette so well! And what a scrummy double knit! Would that more of those would float down from the sky into my stash! Balance is tough. My kids are starting to require more of me in the way of driving time and it’s been a struggle just trying to keep my energy up (on top of an extra bit which I wrote a note about at the bottom of my last post). I’ve been limiting myself to making my writing for UpCraftClub the best it can be and trying to get a hold of what projects should be on the horizon. Mostly, I just want to cook right now with our weather having finally just turned cooler. My oven has been neglected!
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Minutes after you posted this, your most recent post came up in Feedly – CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! How many kidlets will this be, now? Hope you have a lovely smooth pregnancy and that you have some time to hunker down, cook, relax, and nest. ❤
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Thanks Gillian. This is #4. It’s a bit surreal because this time I know is the last, so it’s been a big fat question mark knowing how to plan. Part of me would love to make a new wardrobe in my colors, but it’ll literally only last me 6 months. I’ve been kicking around the idea of more refashioning as it suits my needs for quick and easy with little $ required for such a temporary situation.
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Love the red! Pretty color on you. I love the term “coatigan”, too.
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