Pattern Testing: A Heidi & Finn Fall Preview – Slouchy Cardigan

So I know I announced that I stopped taking custom orders so I could start building stock for my grand opening…but when Heidi and Finn e-mails you saying they chose you from their “call for testers list” you don’t say no. I’ve sewn a few of their patterns in the past for my daughter and love how fresh and modern they are and jumped at this opportunity.

Heidi and Finn will be coming out with this simple yet adorable slouchy knit cardigan sewing pattern of which I have the honor of testing. True to form, H&F takes the simplest of basics and adds just a hint of modern detail. The cuffs are tight at the wrist creating a nice termination to the fuller sleeve. But the cuffs are also elongated further enhancing the effect and also allowing the cuff to be folded over for the perfect fit (or not – for those longer armed girls).

UPDATED WITH LINKS:
Sizes 12M-5Y
Sizes 6Y-12Y
Bundle 12M-12Y

There are options for the wrap around band: different widths create a little different feel and fit. For my first try (on the striped sweater) I went with a shorter width which, according to H&F, tightens up the sweater at the neck. A wider band enhances the slouchy effect. I went with a wider band on the purple sweater.

I’m finding I like the shorter cuff that I did on the striped sweater. It’s just a little too long with the longer cuff piece even though we do fold it over on her. And to be fair my daughter is on the smaller side of the size we tested. I think maybe the arms are just a little too long but might be a fix picked up in the final draft of the pattern. But it’s simple enough to add your own flair here. The back coverage is nice. And obviously will be longer if a wider band is chosen. But I like where it falls.

The pattern is for knits which I understand not everyone is comfortable sewing with. This is such a quick sew that I think even those looking to get their feet wet with knits will appreciate the ease of construction. Of course having a serger makes sewing with knits a breeze (with its differential feed and all) but a sewing machine works just as well. Just be sure to use a zig zag or stretch stitch and a ballpoint needle. Having a walking foot helps too and I feel it is a worthy investment. But as always H&F incorporates basic knit techniques into their patterns and I even picked up a new trick.

I went with a french terry for the striped sweater. I’m proficient with knits but this was the first time I worked with french terry. I had some hiccups that probably had more to do with trying to perfect lining up the stripes. But I would be hesitant to suggest french terry for a beginner. The purple sweater is microfleece. It’s soft, warm and easy to sew with. If you’re a beginner to knits, I would suggest a nice quality interlock. It won’t curl on you and it doesn’t have so much stretch that you start pulling your hair out. I saw some lovely decorative sweater knits at my local fabric shop that I think would be fun and perfect for this.

The blue tank is also by H&F: Criss Cross Top. I used store bought bias tape (no judging!) as I needed to sew fast to get it done in time for photos. And fast it was considering it was also my first time pintucking. Love the (wow factor:time involved) ratio for both of these patterns!

The slouchy cardigan is a breeze to sew up and love that I can sit down at at one machine and not have to go back and forth between my sewing machine and serger. The pattern will come in 2 size bundles. We did the 12m-5T bundle as my daughter is modeling the 4T but is on the smaller side of the size.

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