Alabama Watercolour Flowers Sweater

Before you get excited this top was made from an Alabama Chanin pattern. It is not an immaculately hand embroidered garment. Although I do have that on my list of things to do.

The shape of the Alabama Sweater pattern really appealed. This merino blend sweater was my test version before I used some precious Alabama Chanin printed cotton jersey. Of course the real version hasn't happened and I am not sure it ever will (using this pattern) but I do love the "muslin" which has been worn often this winter.

The finished garment

A great sweater especially for those "fat" days - no displaying the muffin top with this pattern, particularly in a fabric with more body. My Watercolour Flowers Sweater has kept me "just right" warm this winter - not an easy thing to do these days.

Couldn't resist this template when playing in Fotojet

The fabric

This is a gorgeous merino blend purchased from The Fabric Store earlier this year. It is heavier than normal merino almost a sweatshirting weight. 

I had to take care with the iron because the wrong side of the fabric was very heat sensitive.  Luckily I discovered this on a fabric scrap so there is no melted plastic on the inside of my top!!

The pattern

The Alabama Sweater pattern can be made in tunic, top or crop top versions. It features a V-neckline and is loosely fitted through the bust with a generous flare to the hem. The Sweater pattern also includes five sleeve variations (sleeveless, cap, short, three-quarter and long-fluted sleeves). The tunic measures approximately 29", the top 28" and the crop top 23" in length. It was part of the Alabama Chanin 2016 Build a Wardrobe programme.

The PDF download includes the nested pattern and comes in sizes XS to XXL along with instructions for fabric selection, cutting, and garment construction.

Updated to add the requested link to the Alabama Sweater Pattern.

The pattern alterations

I made my usual pattern alteration for a forward shoulder but other than that left as per the original size medium cut to top length. Of note is that according to my under bust measurement I should have made a size large or an extra large from my full bust measurement.

I chose the pattern size using my TNT woven top, which ensured it fitted across the shoulders without requiring negative ease.  For me this is the equivalent of "loosely fitted", any more fabric around the upper body and it starts to give the impression of a sack.

Due to the fabric print I decided to omit the centre front and back seams which are slightly shaped, and cut the pattern on the fabric fold, which also meant I ignored the pattern grainline (not a problem in a knit). The sleeves were cut at three-quarter length.

The sewing

Easy peasy sewing on the overlocker apart from the hems which were sewn with a straight stitch on the trusty Singer Featherweight.

I did wonder about using fold over elastic to bind the neckline due to the fabric thickness but couldn't find the right shade so abandoned the idea. The neck binding was overlocked onto the neck edge then folded over and stitched in the ditch from the right side. The result is chunky but not offensively so.

Left: original undarted; Right: with fish eye darts

The darts disturb the print slightly but are not that obvious

I loved the shape from the front and the back but from the side it was a bit billowy. My answer was to insert two fish eye darts into the back which helped to control the billowing slightly, without unduly impacting the swing shape.

Outfit of the day

No outfit of the day picture for the Alabama Sweater but I did sew another version using a striped rayon knit from Marcy Tilton. This knit has much more drape than the Alabama Chanin organic cotton knits and I think it suits the design. For the inner child this is a great top to twirl in.

For design interest I used the existence of the centre seam to alternate the stripes (horizontally and vertically based on the pattern grainline) for both the front and back. This works well in real life but the camera struggled for clarity particularly with the vertical stripe. The neck is bound with black fold over elastic.