Fall is in full swing and it is my favorite season to sew for! I love all rich colors and textures autumn brings and being able to mix ‘n match or layer them up to stay cozy warm all season long. Lucky for me Sew House Seven released a brand new pattern perfect for my fall wardrobe!
Way back in July, I stumbled across a perfect pullover sweater in a soft double knit at the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale (while I pretty much stay away from purchasing RTW garments nowadays I still like to look!). I immediately thought that pullover sweater would be a great staple for the coming season in a lot of our new fall fabrics. The only problem was to find a pattern…
Enter Peggy from Sew House Seven! Last month she released a pattern, the Toaster Sweaters, for almost the exact pullover I saw in the department store. It’s all about timing, right? Her new pattern includes two great versions, one more fitted with cuffs and a waistband and the other more relaxed with a high-low hem. This past week I made fall sewing a priority and sewed up both styles!
I decided to start with Toasters Sweater #1 and sew it up in this double face quilted knit. I love the texture of the stitching and it is wonderfully warm and soft without being bulky. After reading Peggy’s blog post about the fit on both sweaters and looking at a few versions posted on Instagram knew that I needed to add a couple inches to the length. I traced out a Size Medium and lengthened the front and back pieces by 2″ at the natural waist. Based on the finished garment measurements the sleeves looked like they would be the right length so I left those pieces along. Cutting and sewing only took about an hour using only my serger! Love projects like that, especially when they turn out like this!
The fit of my Toaster Sweater is pretty much spot on for my 5′ 9″ frame. I love the style and it is so comfortable to wear. I may have even worn it 3 times this week… For another version, I might try lengthening it a bit more (maybe 2″) and possibly taper it out to the next size at the hips. The raglan sleeves ended up being the perfect length and they look great on this style pullover— plus they make construction a breeze!
As the knit that I used is a bit softer and doesn’t have a ton of structure the neck ended up being a bit more slouchy than I think the pattern was designed. I like the look, more like a small funnel neck, but you could interface the back of the piece if you wanted it to stand up a bit more. This wouldn’t be an issue with a more stable double knit, ponte knit or even a thick sweater knit.
I loved my first Toaster Sweater so much I immediately cut out Version #2! I again traced out a Size Medium and lengthened the front and back by 2″ using lengthen/shorten lines provided on the pieces. For this version I selected an extra warm wool blend in a fun argyle plaid. At first I thought I would take the time to match the plaid but that quickly went out the window. Since the pattern is so small and more of an allover texture I decided it wasn’t worth the stress!
Version #2 features the more traditional set in sleeves and a split high-low hem, it is fitted across the shoulders and nice and loose at the waist. With the added length it hits me about mid-hip. While this is great, I think I would lengthen it another 3 or 4″ on my next version. I guess it will just depend on my fabric choice and what style I’m going for.
This version also took a little bit more time and required me to break out the regular sewing machine. The directions for the split hem are very clear and I love how crisp and clean it turned out. There is also a step-by-step sewalong on Sew House Seven’s blog if you need it, always a great reference to have. I think I like the neckline on Version #1 but this structured “boat neck” is a unique look that was fun to try.
Both of these Toaster Sweaters lived up to all of my hopes for this pattern and gave me exactly what I was looking for! I will definitely be sewing up a few more versions and maybe play with the length some more and experiment with other fabric choices. I think the style of this pattern can really be dressed up or down based on the fabric— maybe try sweatshirt fleece for something more casual and athletic or a sophisticated double knit for a look suitable for a night out. Oh, the possibilities!
Happy Fall Sewing!
Michelle
Those turned out awesome!!! I can’t decide which one I like better.
These both look great! I’m planning a Version 1 first, hopefully next week, so it’s good to see a review of it as most of the reviews I’ve seen are of Version 2. I love the quilted knit you’ve used too.
Looking great in this look. The combination is superb.