Drawstring Cardigan
Drawstring Cardigan - Urban Jungle
Travel Trio Two #331 Hoodie without the Hood
by Jan Raley
This reversible sweater started life as the Hoodie from Travel Trio Two #331. The fabrics used are Urban Jungle – Detroit (904), Urban Jungle-Chicago (905) and Soft Black (939). The hood was eliminated and 5 1/2” was added to the length using the slash and spread method. The top shown with this sweater is the Funnel Neck Top from Travel Trio Two #331 sewn without any modifications. The fabric is Soft Black (939).
The neckline of the sweater took a little bit of experimenting to achieve the desired look. I wanted a ¾” wide casing/band along the edge, but wasn’t sure how low I wanted the neckline. The best way to determine this was to simply try it out. In my first attempt, I reduced the entire neckline by the same amount all around. I then tried out that neckline on a partial test garment cut just below the armholes so that I could try it on.
This neckline still seemed too high, so I drew a new line right onto the test garment. I adjusted the pattern again and made a second test garment.
The second attempt worked for me. The back neckline is cut 7/8” lower than the pattern for the entire back neck. The front center is 1 7/8” lower than the pattern. Use a French curve to connect that point with the new back neckline at the shoulder. The photo shows the difference between the original pattern and the pattern with the new neckline.
Cut one set of jacket pieces from Urban Jungle-Detroit and another set from Urban Jungle-Chicago. This fabric has a lot of stretch and needed some stabilizing in the neckline. Cut a ¾” strip of knit interfacing just a little off-grain from the vertical grainline and edge serge it to the neckline of one of the jackets at a one-to one ratio, no stretching.
The width of the solid black band is cut 2 ¾” wide to result in a ¾” finished band/casing. Cut the length a few inches longer than the distance around the neckline.
Construct both jackets – shoulder, sleeves and side/sleeve seams – following the pattern instructions. Be sure to leave an opening in one of the sleeve seams.
The band/casing is folded in half and stitched to the neckline. Slightly stretch the band as it is basted to the neckline at the 5/8” seamline. This took me a couple of tries before I got the band to lay smoothly.
Cut the excess band even with the edges of the front pieces. Unstitch the band for about 2” in order to turn under the raw edge of the band 5/8” and single needle stitch ¼” from the folded edge. Trim the seam allowance and refold the band in half. Align the folded edge with the center front seamline and baste in place.
Serge the jackets RS together at the neckline, sandwiching the band/casing in between. Serge together along the center front seams, being careful not to catch the band/casing.
Determine the finished length of the sleeves. Cut the sleeves 1/8” shorter than the hemline. Cut a band 2 ¾” wide and the same length as the bottom of the sleeve and include seam allowances. Sew the short ends of the band together, fold in half and baste to the right side of one of the sleeves. Repeat for other sleeve.
Serge the sleeve hems together following the pattern instructions.
erge the jacket hems together and turn right side out. Hand stitch the opening in the sleeve closed.
For the drawstring, cut a strip of black knit 1 ½” wide the entire width of the fabric. Fold RS together and serge with the folded edge even with the left side of the serger presser foot. Turn right side out and thread through the neckline casing. Ready to go!
