It’s mid-way through December and the holiday season is in full swing around here. I had lofty sewing goals for December that had to be trimmed thanks to a minor, but unexpected hand surgery. Once I found out that surgery was necessary, I decided to drop all sewing plans except the Archer I posted last week. Had surgery just over a week ago and am feeling quite well. Thanks to a clear schedule (in case I wasn’t feeling well) and a nicely replenished fabric stash, I felt like sewing this week. On Monday afternoon I knocked out a bit of Christmas sewing and on Tuesday decided to sew up this Megan Nielsen Jarrah Sweater for myself. I mashed up the sleeves of View A with the curved hemline of View B to make a perfectly simple oversized sweater.
Choosing the Fabric
I usually don’t have a large fabric stash for projects sewn on a whim, but I’ve tried to add a few favorites over the last few months. This organic hemp fleece from D & H Fabrics was begging to become a cozy sweater. It’s a mid-weight sweatshirt fleece with 2-way stretch and pillowy soft backside. It’s one of those fabrics that everyone should have in their stash ready and waiting for the next cozy sweatshirt pattern to come along.
After the release of the Jarrah, I started looking for good ribbing. I usually just use a self fabric for ribbing, but have been inspired by all the matching ribbing I’ve seen lately. One night I was browsing Etsy, when I decided to search sweatshirt ribbing. I looked at several options before finding this black striped ribbing and falling in love. The black, mustard, and grey mixed with gold read as a combination that could be fun without looking childish. Although I found the ribbing on Etsy, Miekkie Fabrics also has a website (here) with a larger selection of fabrics and ribbing. I opted to purchase through Etsy since I had a gift card, but will likely purchase from their site in the future. (Just a heads up: Miekkie Fabrics is based in Poland so the ribbing took about 3 weeks to arrive in the United States. ) Once the ribbing arrived, I was pleased with it’s weight and quality. My only complaint would be that when I ordered a quantity of 3, my ribbing was sent in 3 90cm pieces instead of one continuous piece. I didn’t ask for it to be continuous, so this was likely user error. Next time I will contact them before and ask if a continuous piece is possible.
Fitting
Now, let’s take a minute to talk fit. According to the pattern sizing chart, my bust is right between that of a 2 and a 4 with my hip at a 12. After looking at the finished garment measurements, I noted that there was plenty of ease and too much grading up wouldn’t be necessary. Quickly, I settled on using a 4 at the bust and grading to a 6 at the hips. My only other adjustment was the regular length adjustment. I added 1.25″ to the sleeves and 1.5″ to the front and back pieces. Overall, I’m rather pleased with the fit although as a personal preference I could’ve added another .5″ to the sleeve length.
Construction
Besides finishing a garment, sewing one up is my favorite part and there’s nothing that satisfies the need to sew like a quick and easy sweater. My son attends Kindergarten in the afternoon and this occasionally gives me two free hours to clean, grocery shop, or sew (I usually choose sewing). On Tuesday morning I assembled the pattern and cut my fabric. After dropping my son off at school, I grabbed my favorite drink (A Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice), put a movie on Netflix, and began sewing. Construction went quickly without any major mistakes and I was able to finish the entire sweater before heading back out the door to pick up my son.
Overall, the outcome of my Tuesday afternoon sewing was successful. I satisfied the my need to sew, gained a cozy sweatshirt, and began a love affair with sweatshirt ribbing (Seriously, send me all your favorite sources for fabric with matching ribbing because I want to use it in every future sweatshirt). Next, I plan to find a good pink sweatshirt fleece to make a Jarrah in the knot front View C since I already have another striped ready for that project. What are you making for the holidays? Are you sewing for others or getting in some good selfish sewing as I did here?
Thanks for reading!
Want to see more projects I’ve made with fabrics from D&H Fabrics? Check out my Kaste Dress or Mila Shirt.
Ready for more winter sewing projects? Read about my Gemma Sweater, Clare Coat, or Toaster Sweater.