19 May, 2010

Karen Cardigan

Awhile back I bought the Lovely Karen Cardigan from Burda Style and some scrummy black boiled wool to do it in.  Lovely drapey stuff.  The measurements said that I should be between a 48 and a 50 (hack cough) so I figured better safe than sorry and cut out a 50.  Too big.  Cut it down to a 48. Still too big. But damn it I'm done smallifying!  I think I'd be a nice 46, but of course that's on the smaller version of the pattern :P  I'm not entirely sold on this pattern but I'll show the pictures first. I've cropped out my head because I don't know what the heck I thought I was doing in these photos but the only bit I'm going to show is my body and even then I'm managing to look vaguely cowboy-ish. 

Karen original


So the pattern has a belt that runs on the outside around the back and then passes through holes on the front to tie on the inside, leaving the front to softly drape down.  Except the holes were in totally the wrong place for me so I had to recut them, and even then I'm not thrilled with how it looks. Sure the drape is nice if you stand completely still, but disappears completely as soon as you move and when belted it moves around and bunches towards the back and the drape makes me look pneumatically busty - not a look I'm going for.  Plus the folds obscure your waist from the front.  I may just sew up the various holes and go with tying it over the front like this:

Karen tied


Having bitched about it thus far, I do have to say that the fit around the shoulders is nice (though of course a bit big) and the way the collar is constructed is really neat at the back shoulders (no photo sorry).  It's easy to sew and perhaps in a lighter fabric the draping etc. would work.  The bigger size may also be an issue in all this, not sure on that. Though having said that I'd venture to suggest that anyone over a B cup probably shouldn't be playing around with ruffles on the bust* anyways.  And no matter what issues it might have, it's way way more stylish than the old red fleece jacket I usually get around in during the winter.



*My last use of ruffles in that area was in the 80s when I was a B cup.  Some things just shouldn't be revisited for a whole variety of reasons!

10 comments:

  1. Ha! Yes I fit in the 'busty' category, and there are quite a few things on the list for 'can't ever be worn by me'. Having said that this cardi looks great!! I agree about tying it as you have in the second shot, it looks lovely that way. And I love your shoes too! *shoe envy*

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  2. It looks cool. Could you fasten it across at the top with a brooch maybe?? also I tried many times to post happy birthday on your blog the other day, but it wouldn't let me! I hope you had a great day. I'm also going to be 42 this year, but I must say you seem so young on your blog, I hadn't realised we were the same age!! I think the fact I have teenagers ages me a lot!!
    Hugs
    deb xx

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  3. I dunno... I like it the best in the top pic, not tied. I think you should remove the ties in general and just let it lie open. And I think you look great in it!

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  4. Last year, I bought a purple sweater in this style from Just Jeans. And mine looks the same on me as yours does on you. (If that makes any sense.)

    Your cropping your head and "cowboy" pose made me LOL. Not long ago, I did some "modelling" of a tee shirt for a friend's blog. I had similar issues!

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  5. Love your new cardiigan , great job !

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  6. I love it! It's very cute. From these pics, I can't tell it has sprouted a few disappointing features. You look great, and I love the red shoes!

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  7. Well I think it looks great and you look like you have lost weight?

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  8. I'm delurking to say that the sweater looks great, but holey moley I'm in love with the shoes!

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  9. The young kid fools people but really I'm what I think you could call a
    "late starter" :) When I was pregnant the midwife told me the doctors would
    treat me like a grandmother having her first child. Yah thanks for that!

    Thank you so much for the birthday wishes, I'm glad you can post comments
    again!

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  10. There's a lot of 'can't ever be worn by me' clothes around at the moment :(
    Ruffles be gone! Which is sad because I love looking at the dresses but it
    makes me feel a bit melancholy that I can't wear them. Even if I was at my
    ideal weight I still couldn't. But the benefit of being old is that I know
    in a year or so my styles will be back around :)

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