Aug 17, 2010

The Smartigan: Sewing Time

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Okay it is sewing time. HUGE disclaimer first...this was my first time sewing from my own pattern AND I was in a hurry to meet my deadline...so I found some pictures missing and I might sound like a sewing ignoramus as I try to explain...but since we are blogging friends hopefully your brain will understand my brain.

The Smartigan 


Materials:

Your Own Pattern: tutorial here
1 XL mens sweater
1 mens tshirt, cut into long strips, 2" wide
scrap of tshirt or fabric, for elbow patches
coordinating thread
3 med coordinating buttons
1 smart kid

Start by cutting the mens sweater apart. Cut off sleeves.



Cut front of sweater from back of sweater up the side seams.



Place both front pattern pieces on the front of the mens sweater, making sure to match up the bottom of your pattern with the bottom of the sweater. This will make it so that you don't have to sew up the bottom edge or learn to knit...haha. Cut out.



*missing picture of back pattern piece on back sweater piece, so here goes my written instructions...

Fold back sweater piece. Place pattern on sweater with the fold edge of the pattern matching on the fold of the sweater. Cut out. Hopefully that made sense.

Cut open your sweater sleeves at the seam. Use pattern to cut smaller sleeves. Again, bottom of sleeves should match up with the ribbing..



Cut several 2" wide strips of a coordinating t shirt. Leave all but two of the strips long, they will be for the cardigans front edge binding. The other two pieces need to be cut down to 15" in length.



Pockets:

From remaining scraps of the sweater, cut 2 5x5" squares.



Iron in sides and bottom about 1/2 an inch, maybe a little less. Fold down the top about an inch.



Sew two lines on the top of the pocket before attaching to the cardigan front. Pin each pocket on either side about an inch from the bottom and 3 from the inside edge.



Sew pockets on.



Sleeves: 

Iron the two 15x2" strips in half lengthwise. Sew along the bottom edge.



Turn out. Flatten so seam is at the back. Iron flat.



Pick a sleeve, any sleeve. Pin the strips on. Make sure the edges will meet up when the sleeve is sewn closed. Sew strips on with a coordinating thread. I chose gray thread, it looked really good.



Elbow Patch:

Make yourself an oval pattern. Cut out 4 from a coordinating t-shirt.



Sew two together, leaving a hole open to turn out. Sew the next two together. Turn both out. Iron flat.



Pin first patch on striped sleeve where the elbow would hit. I measure my little mans arm to make sure. Sew on.


Sew second patch onto the second sleeve. Then fold sleeves in half, right sides facing, and sew the sleeves closed along the bottom edge. Turn out. Now you have 2 sleeves. Woohoo.



Time to assemble. Pin front pieces to back piece, right sides facing, at shoulder seams. Sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.



Sewing Ignoramus enter here...

I am pretty sure this is not the most correct way to sew on sleeves, but it worked for me.

With the cardigan wrong side facing out and the sleeve ride side facing out. pin the arm hole opening to the sleeve opening (so it is like right sides of fabric are facing each other). Sew along the edge with a 1/4-1/2 inch seam allowance. Start and end at the armpit area.



Once your sleeve is attached, pull sleeve through, now wrong side out. Starting at the sleeve side just before the armpit, stitch the armpit and the sides of the sweater closed with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Repeat on other side.



Insert picture here of how the sweater looks to this point. Oh wait, that is right I don't have one. Shoot.

Binding:

Measure the cardingan's front edges from bottom of one side all the way up around the neck and back down the other side.

Take long strips of t shirt from earlier, sew several together to get match your measurements..



Iron in half lengthwise. Iron in half again, to make a type of bias tape. Make sure to fold in and iron the small edges to make a clean edge.



*once again picture missing of the next several steps...

Take your bias tape and sandwich the raw edge of the front of the cardigan in between the edges of the t shirt bias tape, this will make it so the new edge of the front of the cardigan will be the folded edge of the bias tape. Pin in place all the way up the one side around the neck and back down the other side.

Sew, with your seam riding along the edge opposite of the fold.

To finish it off, mark off where you want your three buttons. I hand sewed mine on. You can do button holes on the other side if you want to, or leave them off. They are more decorative then functional for this little man cardigan.

Since I didn't have pictures for the last---oh like 5 steps, I tried to pick a picture of the finished project that showed the bias taped edges and the buttons.





Honestly this was the most fun project. I loved the end result. It was one of those jumping up and down, so excited what I just finished moments. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

ALSO...I am pretty sure with some different colors, this would also make a rockin' little girls sweater.

Linked up-

Made by You Mondays- Skip to my Lou
Market Yourself Mondays- Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Take a Look Tuesdays- Sugar Bee
Strut Your Stuff Thursdays- Somewhat Simple

12 comments:

Cole's Corner said...

Adorable!

Unknown said...

I love the name and the sweater turned out so cute too! Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting!

Ashley
http://cuteasafox.com

Jay said...

oh my gosh!! so cute! i am tottaly going to try to make a woman's version of this!

Millie said...

So cute, I want one for me. Love the name.

saffiertje said...

oh wow!!! this is soooo cool! Also great for girls! And a great way of recycling stuff!

Unknown said...

Visiting from UCreate...I am In. Love. with this sweater! So cute! And I love that it's a boy craft!! :)
Happy to be your newest follower.

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

Oh my. This is so, SO cute! I love it! Thanks so much, I'll be linking.

Anne said...

LOVE it!!! It's so "old-school"! I linked to your tutorial over at Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-smartigan-old-school-cardigan/2010/08/19/

--Anne

Maiden Jane said...

Really cute!

Unknown said...

this is TOTALLY genious!!!!!!!! i am dying to make a few for my girls! skinny jeans, ballet flats, drippy necklaces and THAT cardigan!!!!!! i love IT!

~selina

Justine said...

Great job!


Just Better Together

seemesew84 said...

Love it! I am featuring on my blog
seemesew.blogspot.com

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