Pink Cardi – Done!

Most of my regular readers know this but for anyone who stumbles upon this post and doesn’t know me, here are two three things you need to know:

1. I get very excited about things and jump in with both feet before having a clue what I’m doing.
2. I expect everyone to do the same things I do and enjoy them as much as I do.
3. I never know what I’m doing so never trust what I say if I’m giving instructions!  🙂

Another thing you might want to know . . I bought the Brother cover stitch machine, mainly because a friend (Judy – watch her blog . . she’s going to be making cute things too because she bought the same machine). But, most every pattern (as far as I know) can be made without a cover stitch machine. A serger is most helpful or, some way to finish stretchy knit seams. So . . don’t think you have to go out and buy a cover stitch if you want to make some of the adorable things I’m going to show.

There are several places online that I’ve found that have precious patterns. The first one I found is Patterns for Pirates and really, I haven’t ventured very far past their website. This particular pattern for Addie’s cardi is Butterfly Cardi. There’s a mom (or grandma) version called Cocoon Cardi. There is a bundle with both patterns that saves a dollar or two if you want them both.

I used polar fleece because that was all I had here and couldn’t find anything else in town. I do not recommend polar fleece. It is thick and almost impossible to get through the cover stitch machine. I had hoped to have enough left over to make Nicole a cardi. I do not . . I might have enough to make a size 7 later for Addie (I made a size 5) but knowing what I know now, I may not make another one using fleece or at least, not fleece as thick as this one.

After having made one, I could make this in probably an hour . . start (cutting out) to finish! It is so easy and if Addie likes it, I think she’ll get several more.

The only change I made to the pattern was this:  When adding the band around the outer edges, I didn’t want to just serge them and have that surged edge show so I sewed the band to the rest of the top, right sides together but without the band folded. Then I went back and turned under the edge of the band under, pinned it and used a stretch stitch on the Bernina 1230 to stitch down the edges. There was no way all that bulk along the pocket seams was going to go through the cover stitch.

This is what the inside looks like along the band seam allowance.

It’s a good thing Addie and Nicole aren’t close to the same size because Nicole is going to LOVE this. She loves to snuggle in big, bulky things.