I bought the book Beginner’s Guide to Sewing with Knitted Fabrics by Wendy Ward a little while ago.  It’s a terrific book full of basics that can be sewn in a number of variations.  I’ve already sewn the Derwent Trousers.  Now it was time to give the Kinder Cardigan a go.

Oh, it’s that wool blend knit from Clear It again! I think that I have now used up every last scrap. The patterns from the book need to be traced before use, but the Kinder Cardigan is now available as a stand alone pdf.  From the website: The Kinder Cardigan is easy to wear, easy and quick to sew and is a great “between seasons” garment. Make yourself one and it will quickly earn its place in your wardrobe as one of your go-to pieces.  You can make the cardigan in three lengths; short, which just skims the hip bone; mid-length, which comes to just below hip; or full length, which is just below knee length and looks great with more fitted styles such as skinny jeans. There is also a choice of short or long sleeves, both finished with a cuff, and for the two longer versions you can add roomy patch pockets. Once you’ve tackled some basic versions, have a go at mixing and matching fabrics with some color-blocked panel details.

As you can see, I chose to sew a long version, with long sleeves and a cuff.  I considered adding the patch pockets, but didn’t.  Maybe I was just being lazy?  All construction was on the overlocker, with topstitching in machine to secure and stabilise the seam allowances and add a touch of detail.

My one regret with this cardigan is that I didn’t have overlocker thread in a matching colour. I used grey, which seems to be a good default when you don’t have something the same but the non-closure nature of this cardigan means that it easy flaps open and the overlocker thread colour can be spotted.

It definitely meets the warm and snuggly brief. Actually, I feel a bit like I’m wearing a dressing gown…maybe it’s a garment that will do double duty? I think that next time I use this pattern I should probably sew a size smaller than I did this time (not that I can remember off hand what size that was).

This pattern can also be sewn in woven fabrics, and looks quite different depending on the fabric it’s sewn in and the choice of sleeve and body lengths. Very handy to have in your pattern arsenal.