BurdaStyle 7184 waterfall cardi...

Well, there's nothing like just jumping in and sewing a muslin with corded velvet knit!

But it was only $1.80/yard - which makes this a $2.50 project :-)

I got the fabric from Fabric Mart two years ago, thinking of a midi-length sweater coat, something kind of boho. But I just couldn't settle on a patten. It has just been decorating my stash ever since. Rather nicely, I must say, since it doesn't wrinkle. It's been rolled, tossed, pulled out and thrown back in, and not a wrinkle in sight.

Finally, I took it out and gave it a real appraisal. I was going sew it or donate it - it was kind of bugging me that I would buy fabric and not use it.

Then I realized that it would make a great waterfall cardi - it's drapey, the color is really pretty, and it's light enough that I'll actually wear it in our winter months.



On to patterns. I made a cascade cardi from the Grainline Lark tee earlier this year, and it has a nice little funky vibe. But I wanted something with raglan sleeves, a higher start to the cascade, and very little else. Picky.

A search on the web turned up a gazillion variations on this style. It's a good thing I like to research patterns...

Finally - BurdaStyle 7184. It has clean lines:

Nice sleeves and cascade:

A clean-finish neckline and front edge:

And bonus pockets for those who can't live without them. It's also designed for knits!

I got the PDF version from SewingPatterns.com, which meant printing it from the sometimes finicky PrintSew site. But I today I found it on BurdaStyle as pattern 08/2011 #117D. Printing from the BurdaStyle site is so easy - wish I'd seen it there first!

Some sewing notes:

• I sewed size 12, View B, but only after some prodigious flat-measuring on the pattern. I could not find finished garment measurements anywhere, and I was torn between size 10 and size 12. Since I did all that work, I'll share. For reference, I'm 5'7", 36"-31"-42", and have an 11" upper arm.
  
  Finished garment measurements, in inches:                        10                       12

Width at bustline, waist, and hip from CF to CF                35 1/4                 37 1/4
Cascade width at bustline and waist, each side                 9 1/2                   9 1/2
Upper arm width                                                                13 7/8                 14 3/8
Sleeve width at hem                                                           8 1/2                    8 7/8
Back length from top of neckline with 5/8" hem                 32 3/4                  33

• I used a piece of cotton calico, cut on the bias, for the back neck facing. It adds a lot more stability than a piece of the knit fabric would have done. Also, I lowered it by 3/8" at center back, to remove a slight roll below the neckline.

• No pockets, because my fabric is just too stretchy for them. Maybe in another version...

• I used 5/8" seam allowances everywhere. This is one advantage of the PDF I used - it included seam allowances. The version available on BurdaStyle does not.

• I also used a 5/8" hem, which matches the front edges. The cardi would be a lot shorter with the suggested 1 3/8" hem allowance.

• One caution: the sleeves might be short on some people. My arms a not long, and I used a scant 1" hem. However - and this is amazing, not often seen - the sleeve has lengthen/shorten lines for both the upper/armscye area and the area below the armscye. 

My flash went off on the next pic - it's not really this shiny or this purply color! But it's the only back view I have. I love the way this lies in the back and across my shoulders, and I think a lot of credit goes to the two-piece sleeve. 

Great cardi, and worn with a new pair of Love Notions Sabrina Slims.

Ciao! Coco