Sewing, What I wear

A circular cardigan with a vintage twist

Last spring I bought myself some delicious Karen Walker wool-blend knit in camel brown, and I immediately thought it would be perfect for a circle cardigan.

I envisioned  something with a bit of a 1950s twist, with  the fold-down of the circle mimicking a shawl collar, and the volume  of the cut evoking a late 50s swing coat, with the goal being to elevate the cardigan from ‘slouchy wear around the house wear’ to ‘looking glam while still being super comfy’ status.

A circular cardigan with a vintage twist, thedreamstress.com

A circular cardigan with a vintage twist, thedreamstress.com

Mission accomplished!

I used an altered version of the sleeves from my cardigan pattern, and then did the rest based on a few measurements and some trial and error.

A circular cardigan with a vintage twist, thedreamstress.com4

The fabric had a lovely picot edged selvedge, so I used it to form the binding – much simpler to accomplish than a full folded binding, and I love the  way it looks.

A circular cardigan with a vintage twist, thedreamstress.com

I’m wearing the cardigan with a Stella skirt, a commercial blouse that I love because the neck pleating reminds me of a lei, and one of my Grandmother’s hats.

A circular cardigan with a vintage twist, thedreamstress.com

The photos are from our  last ‘yes I’ll go to the hardware store with you if you’ll take pictures of me’ special of the year – there will be quite a few less hardware store trips now that the weather has gotten cold.

For photos we stopped at an abandoned store painted in a delicious  aqua blue, and then at a spot I’ve had my eye on for a while now – a fabulous fence made of old doors in front of  the No. 8 Building Recyclers.

A circular cardigan with a vintage twist, thedreamstress.com

As Mr D was snapping pictures, the owner finished closing up for the day and came out and complimented me on my outfit and offered to share my photos on their facebook page.

I knew there was a reason I love  that place!

A circular cardigan with a vintage twist, thedreamstress.com

Stay tuned for my next post, in which I demonstrate how very versatile this cardigan is…

29 Comments

  1. Julia Ergane says

    Inquiring people (and knitters like me) would like to know more about the pattern! I would just love to knit this in grey.

  2. Ar says

    Yes please! for a cardigan tutorial. Thank you.

  3. Laura says

    I would LOVE a tutorial on how to sew this! I have seen a few vintage patterns (mainly in old magazines) on circular cardigans but they are generally more like boleros– this would be fabulous and cosy for travelling in!

  4. Lynne says

    I love it! What a stunning garment!

    It looks fantastic with the other clothes you have chosen to wear, but I can imagine it going with almost anything.

    A cracker. And a great location!

  5. Sue Miller says

    Love the cardigan, and a pattern and tutorial would be extremely useful. I had to give up knitting, and this is a simple solution!!

  6. You must do a tutorial! This cardi is fabulous and I’l love to make one for myself. xx

  7. Jane says

    Mission accomplished indeed! It’s gorgeous!

  8. Pippi says

    I’d love to see a pattern/tutorial for the cardigan! I don’t often sew with knits but have seen some lovely ones lately that would suit this sort of style.

    Also, what a fabulous fence! It is a brilliant backdrop and the owners of the shop sound lovely too!

  9. Yes, yes, yes! Please, please, please do a tutorial on how to make this!

  10. Joyce Lyn says

    Love!! I’m not a big fan of cardigans that have a shawl look to it, but I love this! If the pattern were out, I would suggest it for my sewing swap group. I will do just that if, and when, you do publish a pattern (and I would love to be a tester for it too)!

  11. Madeleine says

    This cardigan is stunning! I would run over hot coals for a pattern/tutorial ❤️

  12. Oh this is absolutely fantastic! A tutorial/pattern would be greatly appreciated!

  13. Absolutely Tres Chic.
    Beautifully cut and wonderful movement.
    The kind of simple elegance that makes the wearer feel special.

    Yes, I’d love a tutorial

Comments are closed.