Finished projects

A Cozy Striped Blackwood Cardigan

RED

Well the temps are not in the 90’s anymore, so that means it’s time to bust out some cool weather clothes! (It’s actually in the high 80’s… Sad, I know – desert living for ya!)

I found the perfect cardigan pattern when Helen of Helen’s Closet released the Blackwood Cardigan. I made one earlier this year and I wear it almost every day at work. It’s a lifesaver when it comes to the stupidly cold office and goes with pretty much everything I have. It was only a matter of time before I made another one.

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I went for the long version with pockets this time and I love it! It feels like a warm, happy hug.

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I made a straight size L and it’s perfect! Last time, I graded from a M on top to L on bottom and there’s a weird bubble at the hips because the pattern already accounts for curves. The only tweak I made to the pattern is shortening the sleeves by maybe 1/2 inch.

The Blackwood is great because it’s so fast to sew! I cut the fabric one day then assembled it in another afternoon. Maybe 2 hours max and I’m a slow sewer!

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The fabric is from GirlCharlee.com and is a double-sided medium-weight knit. One side is striped and the other is solid. I played with mixing up the stripes and solid for this cardigan and love how it turned out!

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I didn’t want the pockets to blend in, so I cut them with the stripes going vertically. The next photo is in the direct sunlight, so it looks a little washed out but you get the idea. P.S. The Tucson sun is INTENSE! It doesn’t play around…

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The only downside is it looks like the fabric may not look that great after a few washes. It’s not the greatest quality even though it feels great. I wish it could last forever because I love this cardigan so much!

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What’s your favorite cardigan pattern or layering piece? Is there one thing you reach for all the time?

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Happy (real) fall, everyone!

-RED

20 thoughts on “A Cozy Striped Blackwood Cardigan”

    1. Thanks! I used to get most of my fabric from GC but realized recently there’s better quality elsewhere. Just trying to sew through the rest of my GC stash now. 😉

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  2. I love the way you used this fabric! (I do NOT love that it isn’t wearing very well, that’s such a bummer.) It’s such a cool use of stripes–I feel like you don’t see many striped cardigans, you know? The Blackwood cardigan has a great silhouette, and I’m glad that it’s been such a good fit for your wardrobe!

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    1. Thanks, Mads! I’m trying my hardest not to sweat too much in it or get it dirty so I can go longer without washing it. I also will probably hang dry so keeping my fingers crossed it stays in decent shape for a long time!

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  5. I’ve totally had a similar experience with GC which makes me really sad. They have such cute prints, and there should be more double sided jerseys like this in the world! Hey, I’ll love my crazy print pjs anyhow however long they may or may not last. I love the play of the stripes.

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    1. Yeah it’s a little hit or miss with GC. Like right now I’m wearing one of my Monetas from GC fabrics and this poor thing gets worn about every week and it’s still going strong!

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      1. I’ve seen that. They must have a couple of different substrates. I have a couple of cotton spandexes from them that are thicker and sewed up so beautifully, and there’s some thinner stuff that’s just awful. I think I’ll swatch from them before I buy in the future.

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