A fancy new cardigan marks the first week of Refash 2015

I guess that anyone who was reading my blog lately figured I have something going on for cardigans. And it is the true. They are my favourite pieces of wardrobe. I try to have as many as I can, in every style there is, every colour I can find.

This time I have refashioned quite a peculiar piece of clothing in a new cardigan. It was probably meant to be a sweater. Only it wasn't. Or a tunic? But it wasn't that either. Nevertheless, here is the garment and I'll let you judge it yourself.

See? It is a very long sweater with a super big opening at the front. When worn it looks even funnier.

I am sorry for the crappy mirror picture, but I couldn't get anyone to take snap of me wearing this weir garment.  However, you can get the general notion. Neckline hoes as deep as the bottom of the tummy. Why? I never really understood.

Naturally, this sweater was doomed to become a cardigan! Once I have unpicked the seams I noticed that I needed to remove the trim, as there were tiny holes left along the trim as I was unpicking the flaps.

Unpicked and trimmed the newly established cardigan was a lot like the previous sweater - lacking the front. And a lot of it! So, it needed something to be added to it. From my on-hand stash I have retrieved one of pieces of the pieces of a nice stretchy plush. 

This fabric is a leftover from an excessive buy from like fifteen years ago. I always keep fabric, at any cost. You literally never know what might you need it for. So, I have measured the length of the sweater fronts (from the center of the neck to the end of the front). To take the measurement, fold along the centre of the back and obtain the measurement (shown as a red line).

Basically, you will need two stripes of fabric 30 cm wide double the measured length + several centimeters for seam allowance. When you are done cutting these strips, attach them to form a single long strip of fabric. The seam will be positioned exactly at the back of the neck. Match the centre of the fabric with the middle of the neck opening and pin them right sides together. Continue pinning to the shoulder seams, and then along the edge of the front panels (basically, along the red line shown at the above picture) to the end. If you have some excess material (previously planned seam allowance), leave it as it is for now. Baste if you prefer, and then machine stitch as pinned.

Next up, go back to where you have started off. Turn the added material right side out and inwards, try it on and check how it looks. As the plush I was using was falling rather nicely I decided to pin the inner side of the plush from the centre of the neck to the shoulder seams, which I then stitched. After trying it on, I decided I liked how it looked.

Since I have previously removed knit trim due to unpicking accident, I hemmed the bottom of the cardigan. Prior hemming it (to avoid excessive stretching I have pressed on the heat adhesive tape on the wrong side and then hemmed it. I felt like it was necessary as the sweater knit was very soft and stretchy.

I tried it on again, seeing that there is enough plush length to make the cardigan front ends slightly pointy. I pinned it and decided to go for it. Instead of making the 90 degree angle, I made something more like 60 degree angle to achieve a more elongated look. I suggest if you have any extra length left, I suggest to make a similar sharp angle cut as it adds to the sleek look of the finished garment.

Depending on the fabric you are using and its quality (fraying potential) you might want to make a tiny hem along the front, or just skip it entirely. Check for any stray pins, cut off the extra thread and your sweater is ready to be worn!