HACK || Stereo Cardigan

January 21, 2021 2 Comments

No sweater pattern shall be left un-hacked! In the past month I've already written up a blogpost on how to hack the Flex Sweater into a zipped cardigan. But the Stereo sweater was also high on my to-hack list! With its high incorporated collar, the Stereo Sweater has all the potential to become a great zipped sports cardigan, great for layering or as an in-between spring jacket.

I just needed a bit of a spark to kickstart this project. When the artist Eva Mouton came out with her new fabric collection, Iinstantly fell in love with this zebra print and the idea of this zipped Stereo Cardigan came to live! Let me show you what I did!

 

SUPPLIES & PREP

 

Step 1 - Collecting your supplies - Additional to the materials listed in the Stereo Sweater pattern, you obviously also need a zipper! You can read more about how to shorten a zipper and the materials needed in this blog post. Next to the zipper, I collected some contrast jersey fabric to finish the inside of the zipper and collar.

 

Step 2 - Prepping your pattern pieces - I decided on making a cropped Stereo Cardigan with the V-shaped front collar and sleeve option 2. So first order of business is to add seam allowance to all pattern pieces that become part of the new mid front. In this case, it meant adding seam allowance to the front bodice and V-shaped front collar. I added a notch to the V collar indicating the top of the collar, where the zipper should end.

 

POCKET

 

Step 3 - Style lines - What is a cardigan without some generous pockets? I kept things simple by creating a partition seam that would serve to fasten the top part of the pocket. Draw the style line perpendicular to the diagonal line of the V-shaped front collar. Cut along that line and add seam allowance to both parts. On the lower part, draw the pocket insert line.

 

Step 4 - Next, draw a line 2,5cm (1") below the pocket insert - this will be your pocket facing. Take a piece of pattern paper and trace the pocket including the seam allowances.

 

Step 5 - Flip the pocket pattern piece up towards the other side and line up both pocket insert lines. Finish your pocket pattern piece by adding the pocket facing.

 

Step 6 - The front bodice now exist of 3 pattern pieces - the upper front, lower front and the pocket. At this point you can cut all your pattern pieces from your desired fabrics. In the sweater version, the front collar should be cut from a rib knit fabric to ensure easy head access. But since I'm going to add a zipper, I decided to use the main (french terry) fabric for the front collar as well. Next to the collar facing, I also decided to interface the front collar to give it some structure.

 

ASSEMBLING THE FRONT BODICE

 

Step 1 - Finish the raw edge of the pocket facing and press it towards the wrong side of the pocket. Topstitch the pocket insert with a knit stitch or with a twin needle. Align the pocket with the lower front bodice and stay stitch the pocket 5mm (1/4") from the raw edge.

 

Step 2 - Line up the upper front bodice with the lower front bodice and stitch/serge together.

 

Step 3 - I decided to finish the top of the front collar - the part that flips towards the inside - with a binding. I also did this with the bottom seam of the collar facing. Line up the front collar with the bodice and stitch/serge together. Press the collar seam upwards.

Now you can continue to sew your Stereo Cardigan by following the steps in the tutorial until step 5D.

 

THE COLLAR

Step 1 - The biggest difference between the Stereo Sweater tutorial and this hack, is the construction of the collar. Instead of the collar facing folding over the front collar( see step 6F), I folded the front collar over the back collar/collar facing. First, fold the collar facing towards the inside of the cardigan. Stay stitch the sides of the collar facing in place.

 

Step 2 - On the wrong side of your front collar, draw 1cm (3/8") guidelines. Cut a notch towards the corner - the notch will create the space needed to fold the front collar tightly over towards the other side. Line up the front bodice with the front sleeve and pin in place. Make sure to match the notch precisely with the top part of the collar.

 

Step 3 - Fold the front collar over towards the wrong side of the cardigan and pin in place. Make sure the guide line at the top - here marked with the top pin - is folded over tightly! Stitch/serge the seam and fold the front collar with the right side facing out. 

 

Step 4 - Repeat for the other side. Your collar is now beautifully finished! Ready to tackle that zipper!

 

ZIPPER

Step 1 - To determine the amount you need to shorten your zipper, place your zipper with the right side on the cardigan. Line up the bottom of the zipper with the cardigan. Mark all important matching points on the wrong side of your zipper tape, here highlighted in pink. Transfer these markings to the other side of the zipper as well. These markings will help lining everything nicely! You can find more detailed info on how to shorten your zipper here. 

 

Step 2 - With the right sides together, line up the zipper with your cardigan, matching the markings with the seams & top/bottom of the cardigan. Pin the zipper in place. Make sure not to pin through both layers of the front collar. 

 

Step 3 - Attach the zipper to the cardigan with a zipper foot. Fold the top of the zipper tape down in a slight angle away from the zipper teeth and stitch in place. Now, fold the inside of the front collar over towards the right side of the front collar over the zipper. Pin in place.

 

Step 4 - Stitch the inside front collar in place. Tip: when you turn your cardigan with the wrong side up,  you can use the stitches of attaching the zipper as a guideline. Optional zipper binding - cut contrast jersey lycra strips: 4cm (1,5") width x length of the zipper measured from the bottom of the front collar to the bottom of the cardigan + 3cm (1,25") extra. Fold the strip in half. At the top, overlap the binding with the bottom of the inside front collar. At the bottom, fold the binding up towards the binding by 1,5 cm (5/8").

 

Step 5 - Pin everything in place and stitch the zipper binding onto the zipper. When you turn the cardigan with the wrong side up, you can again use the stitches of attaching the zipper as a guidline!

 

Step 6 - Trim the seam allowances and press the binding towards the inside of the cardigan and pin in place. Topstitch the binding close to the edge. 

 

And here it is - one psychedelic funky Stereo Cardigan! I hope you enjoyed this hack and if you make your own version, make sure to tag us @misusupatterns!

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