Skip to main content

McCall's 6603 - Grey Oversized Sweater

McCall's 6603

Hooray for busting some fabric out of deep stash! This sweater knit has been with me for a few years. It survived a couple of purges, but I always had a hard time deciding what exactly it should be. At some point, I bought a piece of matching Ultrasuede. I assume I had a plan in mind then, but it never happened. When I saw McCall's 6603, this fabric came to mind.


When I actually got around to making this top, I struggled to remember what I was actually thinking when I ordered this pattern. After a quick-and-dirty muslin, I ended up combining views A and D and significantly shortening the length.

McCall's 6603

I used the Ultrasuede for a hem band and the sleeve bands. Getting the corner mitered appropriately was done without any precision or calculating - just guessing and testing. I did have to do a wee bit of trimming after the stitching was done to get the edge sharp.

McCall's 6603

The pattern for the hem band in View D is a separate piece added on to the bottom. I didn't want that much bulk or the added length, so I just stitched the band on top of the bottom edge. 

McCall's 6603

The sleeve bands, however, did require self facing so there is a little more bulk there and the armholes are a little more rigid than I'd like. I just trimmed the extra off near the stitching on the inside.

McCall's 6603

Other random notes about the pattern:
  • The cowl piece has some shaping along the back seam.
  • I sized down one size from the envelope recommendation, but with this oversized style fit isn't much of an issue.
  • Assembling the pattern is very quick and easy. I spent way more time deciding what to do with the pattern options/fabric combos and how to do it than I did actually sewing it up.


McCall's 6603

I received a few compliments the day I wore it and people seemed genuinely surprised that I made it - not something that happens all that often anymore with people who know that I sew.

McCall's 6603

I also made the black long-sleeved T in the photos. From two short-sleeved mini-dresses. Because I thought that would be simpler. It wasn't. And that's all I've got to say about that. 

Comments

  1. super cute. i wish I could find some time to sew....

    ReplyDelete
  2. The ultrasuede is a great way to finish off the sweater knit, and the colour match is perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, this is such a cool looking sweater! Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a great ending for the grey knit! See, it stayed with you for a reason! Your combo of pattern mixing and fabric is a great success.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm commenting really late b/c I've fallen far behind in google reader and starting to catch up now. I'm so glad you made this top and reviewed it. I've wanted to sew this top but found the PR didn't show me a good example. I love how yours turned out - just was I was picturing it could be. Nice job and thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. LOVE, LOVE YOUR TOP I JUST RECEIVED MY PATTERN TODAY. THANKS TO YOU MY FEAR OF THAT COLLAR AND THE HEM PHOBIC I'M READY FOR THE CHALLENGE. THANKS

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burda Skirt Again

I'm not sure what prompted it, but awhile ago I decided that I needed a green skirt. The last time I was at Fabricland I saw this green wide-wale corduroy. I wasn't really looking for the skirt to be corduroy and the color was a little different than I was hoping for, but since I had my eyes peeled for awhile and hadn't seen anything better, I thought I'd try the corduroy. After looking for a suitable pattern, I settled on the Burda 2/2010 skirt that I've already used three times . Because of the weight and bulk of the corduroy, I didn't want to try to mess with too many details. I'll use another skirt pattern soon. Really, I will. One of the things I really like about this pattern is the pockets. This time I made the pocket facings and part of the pocket bag out of a cotton woven solid to reduce bulk. Since I'll be wearing this skirt with tights I added a lining. Adding the lining was really simple except that I cut the lining exactly the sam

Grocery Bags

More gifts! These are just like the still-all-too-ubiquitous plastic grocery bags, but they're fabric.  I followed this tutorial and you actually use a plastic bag as a pattern.  The instructions are very good and include a pocket so that the bag can be folded up and is easy to keep in a purse or a car's glove box. Mostly for the sake of the gift recipients, here's how to fold up the bag.... 1.  Lay the bag pocket side down and fold it length-wise using the edges of the pocket as a guide. 2.  Fold it in half, aligning the top of the handles with the bottom of the bag. 3.  Fold in half again and then reach into pocket with your hand and turn the whole thing (pocket included) inside out. Happy shopping!

Shopping Bags

Most stores in our town charge you a nickel for a plastic bag when you check out. I love this practice and the way that it encourages people to bring their own cloth bags or reuse their plastic ones. My habit of bringing along bags to the grocery store is well established, but I used to find myself stuck at places like the drug store or farmer's market or other impromptu stops. Then I picked up a bag at an upscale kitchen goods store that rolls up quite compactly. Now I keep that in my purse, so I always have a bag with me. I like my bag so much that I wanted to replicate it for the art sale. The final result is a hybrid of the bag I purchased and these that I made last year. The bag is a little bigger than the average plastic grocery bag. The velcro tab is used to keep the bag rolled up, but also can close the top of the bag when it is full. Most of the bag is a single layer of cotton, but the handles are faced. There is a double row of top-stitching around both edges of