TSW Ann's Cardigan

Last weekend started out with a bang--I opened my 6 year old Mac Book Pro Friday morning and the screen looked like this:

So that Saturday ended up being a day of running back and forth between the house and the Apple Store. While it was exciting and fun to buy a new computer (a Mac Book Air), I decided that my Sunday needed to be a day of creative relaxation. I had already traced off the TSW Ann's Cardigan Pattern,

...so I pulled out some knit fabric that's been aging for almost 10 years!

I think it's a cotton/poly double knit something-or-other that I originally bought for a knit suit during my business banking days. Since my current job isn't client-facing, I didn't need for that purpose,  but it's absolutely perfect for something like this. The front and back sides both look good, although distinctively different.

Here's the front:

And the back:

The cardigan went together pretty quickly. I got most of it done last Sunday, and I was able to finish it up this Saturday while watching the Whitney Houston funeral.  Here's the completed garment:

 I got it finished with time to spare before the "Meet Your New Mac" class at--yes, the Apple Store! Afterwards, I also got to wear it for a casual dinner date with DH. He even offered an unsolicited compliment on how nice it looked!

As for fit, it's good not great. Definitely not oversized, so let's put that issue to rest where Sewing Workshop is concerned. This is not loose fitting, and I would say the pattern is true to the measurements on the back of the envelope. I did my usual Small/Medium combination of sizes on this one and probably could have added a little more room at the back of the garment. The average person probably wouldn't notice, but I think the side seams are sitting a little farther back at the sides than they should be. Erhm, time for a little weight loss--just in time for Lent!

I don't think there will be a lot of these coming out of the Sewing Cave. This cardigan is pretty distinctive and it's one of my "loving hands at home" rules not to always be wearing the same recognizable style. I'm reminded of a math teacher I had in junior high school who had a jumpsuit pattern that she made several times. It had a mock turtleneck, cuffed bell sleeves, wide pant legs and a zipper up the back. She must have had 4 or 5 of them in rotation, and they all looked the same except for different fabrics. No, you have to use discretion if the garment is distinctive.  Perhaps I'll make another for the warm months, then I'll need to figure out a way to tweak the pattern into something that looks a little different. The pattern also comes with a knit tank top pattern, so I'll be playing with that when the weather gets warmer. I can always use another tank top.

My next project for Presidents' Day weekend will be another TSW Stella made from the Casual Elegance nail head rayon jersey. I cut it out this morning. It will be perfect for this time of the year, when winter's just about done but spring hasn't arrived yet. It can be worn by itself or as a layer, and it's not so distinctive that a repeat (or several) would be like my math teacher's jumpsuit wardrobe!

FYI, I was reading my iPad this morning and discovered that Anthropologie has a new "free" app designed for it. Kudos to them! It presents the merchandise in an interesting way and you can even save favorites for further examination or sharing via social media or email. I know a lot of us sewers like to peruse Anthropologie, so if you're an iPad person, do check it out.