This is my third go at a DIBY Club sweater pattern.  I’ve sewn both the Mae Poncho Sweater and the Adrianne Sweater, and both those garments are in frequent wardrobe rotation. This time I gave the Cecilia Cisscross Sweater a try.

One of the things that I really like about DIBY Club patterns is that they contain lots of information about how to best alter the pattern to suit your own measurements, including your height. Because I am 158cm tall, with a proportionately short torso, I shortened this sweater two inches through the body, theoretically following the instructions in the pattern. Unfortunately, I didn’t do this correctly on the front pattern piece – because look at what happened!

Nobody needs a great big hole in the side seam beside each boob – unless you’re breastfeeding, maybe. Oh bummer! The lovely teal viscose/lycra from Super Cheap Fabrics really didn’t deserve to be wasted, so I decided to use some of the leftovers to sew a Style Arc Evie knit top to go underneath.

So now I am a little more covered up!  And obviously, unless I raise my arms like this it’s not immediately noticeable (except anyone who reads my blog will now notice it immediately if you ever run into me wearing it).

I figure that others like to know that experienced sewers such as myself still have the ability to mightily stuff things up. Since then I have gone back to the pattern and fixed what I’d done to the front pattern piece so that the next time that I sew it those holes won’t be there, but the overall top will still be this length.

This is straightforward to sew. One pattern piece for the front, one for the back, one for the sleeves. The neckline and lower hem is turned and stitched before sewing the side seams. I chose the cuff option to finish the sleeves, but should have shortened them a couple of inches first (and will do so when I next sew this pattern).

This is a really cute design, that I really didn’t do a good job of! I’m still not certain that this muslin is wearable.  I’m looking forward to sewing this up again at some stage.  It’s the sort of style that is likely to need a camisole or tank underneath, even without those special side seam holes!  So please, don’t do what I did – when you make adjustments, walk those seamlines and check that they will still match up properly!