We went to a Blues hockey game last week, and it was cold. I mean, you expect a hockey game to be pretty cool, since it's at a rink with ice, but you expect it to be about cotton-turtleneck-plus-sweater cool. This game was a temperature that had you yearning for the long underwear tucked in the dresser at home. And also, fleece. Lots of fleece.
So, while fantasizing about warmth during the game, I started thinking about the pattern I had for a half-zip sweatshirt . Oooh, how about trying it out in blue fleece -- I bet I could get it done in time for the next hockey game we're going to!
New Year's Eve found me at the fabric store buying half-price fleece, zipper, and thread -- total cost under $10 (the pattern is a sunk cost since I already own it). I've never made a Jalie pattern before, so had no idea how it would fit, and didn't want to spend a lot of money on this muslin.
That afternoon I traced the pattern and cut it out to size T. Size T looked like it would fit me, based on the measurements.
And sewed it up New Year's morning. I didn't use lycra binding on the cuffs and hem, since this is a quick, cheap version -- I just flipped up the fabric and made a simple hem.
It's too big through the shoulders. I ended up cutting 4 inches off of each sleeve to make up for the extra. But it does the job -- it keeps me toasty, and will fit over layers.
Thalia would fit this pattern well -- her shoulders are much broader than mine. And now that we see it made up we can discuss how to color block. For me, I think next time I'll use size S through the main body and size T in the hips. I'm also thinking about using a very thin fleece and doing a curved shirt tail hem next time. Or the time after that.
Yes, there WILL be a next time. Jalie patterns have a huge range of sizes in the package, and the entire family may well end up with these sweatshirts.
::admiring the expertise it takes to put in a zipper:::
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