If you've been following along on social media and my newsletter you will have seen that my friend (and fellow knitwear designer) Andrea Rangel and I are getting each other motivated to build our handmade wardrobes by having a casual sew along/knit along called "Make My Wardrobe". We've got a plan to examine our current wardrobes and get making the pieces that are missing! I'm so excited! Our focus will be on pieces that compliment the clothes we already have, in particularly our lovely handmade pieces like hand knit sweaters and more. We plan to try to make the same sorts of things, but not always the same patterns and not always at the same pace. 

With spring approaching, we’re going to start with some layering basics that can go with our hand knits. First up is Phinney Ridge by Straight Stitch Designs. It’s a basic buttoned cardigan with deep cuffs and a nice wide hem band. With the weather warming up I know I’m going to be getting out my favourite tanks and tees soon - but there’s still a chill in the air so a great layering cardigan is a must have in my handmade wardrobe. I’ll be styling my Phinney Ridge over simple layers with jeans, leggings and of course - my fave pair of sweat pants or pyjamas…lol.

The great thing about the Phinney Ridge is that it’s versatile! The fit is comfortable - fitted but not tight and the cuffs and bottom band are a lovely finish. It’s a great layer so it can even work under hand knit sweaters or a jacket.  I made mine out of a buttery soft muted blue 100% Merino from The Fabric Store - seriously soooo soft!

Wanna make a Phinney Ridge Cardigan too? Use code "WARDROBE20" to save 20% off the pattern!

THE MAKE MY WARDROBE PHOTOS

Each project Andrea and I make for Make My Wardrobe we will be photographing on each of our body types and sharing our fit modifications and why we chose that pattern. It was quite the experience to try to photograph ourselves together....lol...so please ignore my remote!!! I have to admit half of my pics are of me acting like a goofball but it was a learning experience in itself for us to look at the outfits we chose, what worked, what didn't and which knitwear pieces to accessorize with!

I loved how Andrea styled her outfits and how fun it is to see each of our personalities come through. You can view Andrea's looks on her blog today HERE.  

THE OUTFITS

Here's a few different outfits that I've been wearing my Phinney Ridge Cardigan with right now - a pair of jeans with a light tank, favourite jogging pants and linen pants with a comfy tee. Shown with my BRADWAY Shawl and my HUDSON shawl.

You are all welcome to join us and get making!

Simply post on social media using the tags #makemywardrobe and #makemywardrobe2017.

PATTERN NOTES

Pattern Name: Phinney Ridge by Straight Stitch Designs

Fabric: Premium Medium Weight 100% Merino from The Fabric Store

Size Made: I made a size between 12 & 14 upper with a FBA (full bust adjustment) and graded hip to size 18. 

Fit Notes: This was my first time making this style of cardigan and I really wanted to try my best to get a good fit. I did my first full bust adjustment for this pattern (with no darts). It was a great learning experience and one I'll be doing more of in the future. I have small shoulders in comparison to my bust size and my back slopes slightly so I always end up with the dreaded gaping back neckline etc. I find the FBA helps first with my full bust size but also helps me to get a way better fit for my high bust to account for the smaller size of my upper portion. 

I am pretty happy with the fit of this cardigan considering I did no muslin and just jumped in. Andrea and I both noted we had a bit of extra fabric in the bottom upper arm area so that is something we would adjust in future makings of this cardigan - cause there will be more! I've literally been wearing mine daily and so has Andrea. So comfy! 

Thoughts: This pattern was super easy and pretty quick to sew. It was my first time sewing buttonholes on stretch fabric (go me!) and I feel like we both ended up with great looking cardigans that will be worn and loved. 

The only small thing I would have liked different construction-wise is that I would have liked the front corner (or bottom portion) edges of the bottom bands to be enclosed within the button bands. As made they are left exposed with a seam allowance etc. so you can see it along the bottom of the band and if your cardi sort of flips open. But it's a small detail - nothing major and prolly mostly my personal taste. 

Overall it's been such an interesting journey starting this project and one that I've already gained so much from. I can't wait to look back at the end of the year and see what pieces we've made and what our wardrobes will look like at that point.

What have you been sewing for your wardrobe? Are there some pieces you'd like to add to your handmade wardrobe? Any great tips/articles for curating a wardrobe? I'd love to hear about it!