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PRP Fall Favorites: Cardigan Week!

 




It's Project Run and Play Fall Favorites Time! It was no question, I had to do Cardigan Week. Cardigans are a year-round wardrobe staple around here. For one, it's the midwest, we could experience multiple seasons' worth of weather in a single day. It's that time of year where we don't know how to dress because it could be in the 50s and be 90 in the afternoon. And my kids say the hotter the weather, the colder it is in the school (schools are air conditioned now apparently??). 

Anyway, cardigans are the solution. They can be worn as a casual layer or over a dress for dressier events. They're just always worth the time and fabric for me because they're going to get worn until they fall apart or don't fit anymore, and I know my kids will love them. I've even made my dad and
husband cardigans. I'd make them for the dogs if they wouldn't hate me for it. 


I decided to make this cardigan as a surprise for my daughter. I chose the Blank Canvas Cardigan because I knew my eleven year old would without-a-doubt love it. It has a loose fit, dolman sleeves, and the real key to her heart: BIG pockets**.  It comes in three lengths, and I chose the longest, tunic length. I thought she would like the extra long length as a change from some of there other cardigans. She also gets very attached to clothes and doesn't like to give them up as she grows, so some extra length means that she can wear it a little bit longer. 

I wanted something extra cozy for fall. I had a big scrap of this brushed waffle fabric. I'm not always the greatest at estimating yardage from oddly shaped scraps of fabric. However, I was *just* able to Tetris the tunic length in a size 14 length out of what I had. The only change I had to make was cutting the bottom band in two pieces, so there is a seam in the back. Totally worth it for a soft cardigan in one of our favorite colors, and I got the satisfaction of using as much fabric as possible from the cut that I had. 


The pattern was easy to put together. I have made lots of cardigans and there were no surprises in the
instructions--everything went together as I'd expect. When using waffle or light sweater knit, I'd recommend putting clear elastic in the should seam to stabilize it, as much as my machine and I hate to do it. It really does help. 

I let my daughter style herself for her pictures, though I did request that she remove the dog-hair covered black leggings she was wearing and swap them for her wide-leg jeans. It's hard to find t-shirts in her middle school wardrobe that aren't bright colors, or have Stitch on them, so she picked plain white tank top (naturally, it was not a cool day when we had a chance to take pictures). She finished it off with a leather headband and some of her favorite footwear--her combat boots. Overall I think she did well, and looks cute and ready for the pumpkin patch. 







**If I ever run for office, which I won't, my platform will be Pocket Equality for Girls and Women. 

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