Hi all- so I have been doing some sewing!

I decided for this project I wanted something that I was going to wear a lot. I know it is always nice to make that fancy top or dress- but let’s be real, I spend 94% of my time in my sweats (when I am at home). And I figured that I should make a possibly more fashionable alternative to my university hoodie. 

I instantly knew that I wanted to make a raglan sleeve pullover hoodie (because of the ultimate comfort of this shape of sleeve), I also knew that I wanted to use this grey and white striped knit. Which is a slightly lighter option to a fleece, since I get overheated easily.

I used the only raglan sleeve hooded sweater pattern I could find in my stash, which happened to be in the October 2004 issue of BWOF, clearly a good year for patterns, as I also used a 2004 BWOF to make the Orange Top. 

Then I realized that I only have a small amount of the grey and white striped fabric- so this has to be a colour blocking project…. 

I had the choice of this red polo fabric or a navy fleece- I opted for the red because it was closer to the weight of the white/grey striped stuff. I really underestimated the amount of the grey/white stripe I had, so I had to prioritize and use it only for the front, hood and front pocket- making everything else in red. 

I made quite a few adjustments to the pattern- Firstly I made it a pullover instead of a zip up (by cutting the front pattern piece on a fold instead of cutting two), then I made it a more breezy loose fit by changing the side seams- essentially angling out at the under arm.

(this is essentially how I adjusted the back pattern piece,- using the trusty eye-balling method)

I made it much longer in the back, so that it would scoop and a bit shorter in the front, kind of the high-low trend. 

Then I had to make a slit in the front to acommodate my large head, and the fact that the pattern was designed to be a zip up. I finished the edges of the slit and hood with a wide binding in the red. (I would call it bias binding, but it wasn’t cut on the bias since it is stretch, you don’t have to cut on the bias when it’s stretch right?!?) Also finishing the raw edges under a triangle of red in the front. 

Then I also finished the front pocket opening edges with the red to give it a little style :), and so that the pocket didn’t entirely disappear on the front of the sweater (because I am a bit of a stripe matching perfectionist).

This was pretty simple overall to whip-up, mostly with my serger except for the details, and I left the bottom edge raw too! Ah lazy sewing 🙂

I love the sleeve on this, it is so well shaped, so comfy– LOVE IT. 

Awkward camera-timer selfie photo shoot: 

I love how the whole thing turned out, with this colour combination it almost has a nautical feel. I really had to hold myself back from embellishing it more- I just had this crazy urge to put cat ears on the hood, or put a big red applique heart or cat face on the front pocket. – maybe for my next sweater.

I actually feel like this is cool enough that I can wear it out and look presentably chic. Although the reality is more like me on my couch browsing the internet like this:

I have to admit that I have been living in this, so it took me a while to get off my butt and actually do a post about it, and I am dreading having to give it up for a few hours to wash it.

Hope you are all being creative while simultaneously comfy!

xo erin