I took a poll over on Instagram and asked what my first make of the New Year should be and the Talvikki Sweater from Named Patterns was the winner.
I used this lovely goldenrod wool knit from Mood fabrics that I picked up last August on my fabric buying trip into New York, but was never able to get to it last fall! My wool only has 20% stretch and the pattern calls for 30% stretch. The only potential problem with this is making sure you can get the sweater over your head! I double checked this as I went along and didn't have any problem.
I spent a cold day in January in my sewing room and the result is a lovely new sweater for my wardrobe. I just love the darts that form the special details on this sweater.
As many have commented on reviews of this pattern, it can be too oversized. According to the size chart, I am a size 4-6 US and that is the size I made. I fall into the larger end of the size range and I was happy with the sizing of the sweater. I wouldn't want it smaller across the neck and shoulders. However, I was unhappy with the width of the sleeve. As I documented in my instagram stories as I was making the sweater, when both the body and the sleeve are oversized, I feel the sweater just looks baggy. To address this, I raised the armhole by 2 inches and graded back out to the body and down to the sleeve, meeting the sleeve seam 17 inches from where the armhole and body connect (from the pin in the picture below).
Here is a photo of the raised and finished armhole.
Other changes I made to the sweater include shortening the sleeve by 1 inch, and cutting the bottom back of the sweater to match the front. The slit is also very deep on this pattern and so I shortened the vent to 3 inches once hemmed. I wore my Talvikki sweater the next day and I friend who knows I sew immediately asked me if I had made it. I responded yes and she said "I thought you did because that looks like nothing you could buy in the store!" I am sure there is a store somewhere in New York where I could get a sweater made out of a wonderful wool with this level of detail, but I guarantee it is beyond my price budget - that's just one of the many reasons I love to sew!
(Necklace is by Dear Mushka and was a Christmas gift!)
A cold January Saturday in my sewing room and I have a beautiful new sweater!