Skip to main content

Style Arc Nina Cardigan

I'm not really a pattern hoarder. I'm more likely to be tempted by the potential held in a new piece of fabric than a new pattern. Also, I don't have access to the $0.99 sales here and that is a natural deterrent. But, sometimes I see a new and different pattern that I really want and I make the purchase without a definite plan for it on the horizon. So it was with the Nina Cardigan from Style Arc.

Given the currency conversion and the shipping costs, it generally isn't prudent for me to be making impulse purchases from small independent Australian businesses. This pattern was expensive. But, I do like to support the small independent businesses and I also wanted to try out their patterns since they get good reviews. Was it worth it? I think so.

Style Arc Nina Cardigan

I used a lightweight burnout jersey in a grey-blue color that I really like. The pattern suggests leaving the front  edge/neckline and hem raw or "babylocking" them. My fabric curled like crazy along any raw edge, so I wasn't excited about that and my old serger didn't have a good option for a rolled hem or anything suitably discreet. I needed an alternative and decided to attach a raw-edged band to the hem and lower front edge.

Style Arc Nina Cardigan

I thought this was a good idea, but there was a fair bit of trial and error in the execution of it. It was difficult to get the stitching neat and even. I ended up fusing the bands in place with steam-a-seam. I thought I would miter the lower front corners, but obviously didn't think about it clearly since I cut the 45-degree angle the wrong way! Argh! It was fused in placed and a done deal before I noticed. So, I trimmed off that corner and had to do the other side the same way. Now those nice points that hang down are cut off and blunt, but so be it. I can't change it.

Style Arc Nina Cardigan

I wanted the sleeve finish to be similar to the other hem, so I added the same sort of band. The sleeve ended up being too long that way, so I added a piece of elastic to the seam for some scrunch.

The pattern itself is well-drafted - nice shaping along the back seams, the sleeves fit in very well, and all the notches along the long front neckband piece line up just right. I needed to add length to the bodice pieces and the sleeves and ideally, I would have gone up a size. This one just fits, but it could be better.

Style Arc Nina Cardigan

I doubled the front neckband piece to get around the raw edge issue. If I hadn't done that I would probably have to declare this too small. With a belt, everything stays in place pretty well.

It might be awhile before I can justify purchasing another Style Arc pattern, but I'd recommend them based on my limited experience. They do a good job of producing current, but wearable styles and I always like seeing the newest releases.

Comments

  1. What a cute cardigan. I made a Simplicity cardigan like this once, but it was so voluminous it overpowered me. This one looks like it is more fitted. I may have to invest in this pattern. Your version looks great, and I love the color!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very pretty! Love Style Arc, but the shipping is pricey to the US! Enjoy your cardi.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You might consider buying two Style Arc patterns and getting the free offer for the month. That way you can justify the cost of three patterns! Your cardigan is very pretty, thanks for the review!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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

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