This, my friends, is a pattern and fabric match made in heaven! I’ve been wearing it every evening since I made it (ok, and some days, and I even slept in it once or twice!) and it’s held up beautifully. No wrinkles, no bagging, and manages to be cosy but breathable. I’m in love!
The fabric is Double Brushed Poly, which was sent to me by LA Finch after I mentioned them in my post on the virtues of polyester. I said in that post that I hadn’t tried Double Brushed Poly yet, and was a little sceptical… well, I’m so happy to be proved wrong! From everything I’d seen online (mostly tight athleisure stuff), I was assuming it was like a cotton lyrca in weight and drape. Not at all! It’s much more like a rayon, which you know I love. It drapes beautifully, has 4-way stretch, excellent recovery, and is light-to-mid weight. Josie from LA Finch described it as being like a brushed ITY, and I agree.
Up close, the texture is like a very fine micro-fleece. It’s so soft that I find myself stroking the fabric like I do with bamboo jersey or velvet. (Come on, don’t you pet your clothes sometimes?) It does tend to attract cat hairs and lint, so be warned. There are lots of great prints out there if you prefer.
I sewed this Blackwood in the same size as my first: XL at the shoulders, and 2XL at the hips. I skipped the pockets, and it all went together in an hour. A few of the seams stretched out slightly by time I’d topstitched them with the coverstitch, so next time I’d use the differential feed to gather more aggressively on the serger during construction.
Although this a very basic make, I’m loving the versatility. I wore it in photos as I have been in real life: as a dressing-gown layer over leggings and a tank. Basically, as pyjamas. With a longer top though, I’d wear this out for errands with a big scarf and sneakers… or, if I was the going-out kind of person, I could picture it over a cute top and jeans with sexy heels. Basically, it’s the sort of cardigan you could wad up in your purse or throw over your chair at work, and wear with any outfit at all! I know Helen designed this cardi with layering in mind, and I think it works perfectly!
As for the fabric, I’ll definitely be going back for more double brushed poly! I think it’s ideal for leggings, dresses, cardigans and tops, where you want the drapiness of a rayon or ITY but a cosier feel.
Have you sewn with Double Brushed Poly? Along with Liverpool knit, it seems to be the trendy new thing this year. Let me know if you have any questions about what it’s like!
Fabric provided by LA Finch fabric – opinions provided by me.
Crafting A Rainbow 
It sounds divine! Too bad I am on a fabric diet 😦
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Good luck with the fabric diet! How long have you held out?
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Great Blackwood, Gillian! I’m glad this fabric is such a winner! It looks great on you and there is nothing I like reading more than ‘I’ve been wearing it every evening since I made it’! I have also been wearing mine like public-appropriate housecoats and it is the best!!!
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“Public-appripriate housecoat” is such a great definition! I wonder if that’s a step up or down from “secret pyjamas”?
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I refuse to keep my pajamas a secret!! From now on, they are public pajamas! Haha.
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That’s how I feel about my long cardi! Although mine was traced off an existing cardi years ago. It can be both a bathrobe and an elegant outer layer! Yours looks great!
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Thank you!
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Nice!
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Thanks! It’s so cosy!
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“Basically, as pajamas.” LOVEEEEEE this! The best part about black garments is that they always make you look all chic and well put together, even if you’re just home lounging.
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Yes! I don’t generally feel like I look great in black, but when you want easy glamour, it’s the way to go!
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Great cardigan Gillian! And thank you for the double brushed poly recommendation…I’m definitely going to try some.
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You should toss a metre of brushed poly into your next Cali order!
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Super cardi, it looks great on and the fabric looks lovely, I’ve not seen it over here in the uk (mostly online shopping) but will keep my eyes peeled. I definitely stroke fabric, not just mine either I do it in fabric shops (of course) but also in rtw shops, homeware shops other people’s clothes 😀
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Brushed poly definitely seems to be most popular in America! It’s in tons of online US shops, but I haven’t seen it elsewhere.
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I don’t think I’ve ever even seen double brushed poly, but it sounds perfect for cold weather sewing! Your cardi looks great, I can see it going with practically anything. 🙂
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I think brushed poly is most popular in American stores right now… I guess they are the peak market for very cosy, very casual fabrics??? 😉
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Thanks for the review of this fabric. I had been looking at it on the LA finch website, but nervous about buying it without touching it. This was very timely. Thanks!
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I’m glad it was the right review at the right time! i was really surprised how much I like this fabric!
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Very nice! The last black cardigan I made had a lovely fabric but a terrible pattern. I’m looking for another pattern to try again. I’ll have to take a closer look at this one!
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Oh no! It’s so disappointing when a pattern lets you down!
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It sounds like a lovely fabric! I’ll have to look into that for some winter wear, since I always have trouble finding cozy things that aren’t also wooly. And yes, I definitely pet fabric!!
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It is prime mama-friendly fabrc! Soft, easy to wash, super stretchy but bounces back into place…I could see it being great for the nursing tanks you’ve been sewing up!
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Sounds like a great fabric. And it looks fabulous. I love long cardigans right now. 🙂
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I’m so glad you love this fabric! It’s so nice to work with and I agree a match made in heaven with the Blackwood. I love mine!
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