This is the Lemon Squeeze Cardigan from Snapdragon Studios, a lovely and versatile cardigan pattern.
The Lemon Squeeze can be made with either lightweight wovens or knits and has several different finishing options depending on your fabric choice. The buttonless cardigan has either 3/4 length straight sleeves or full length bell sleeves and a funky hem.
(By the way, Snapdragon Studios is having a sale on all of their patterns this month in honor of National Sewing Month... worth a look, as they have some very pretty and wearable designs! If you haven't already, check out my take on some of their other patterns: the Summer Jazz Dress and the Market Day Tunic)
The lace sample on the Snapdragon Studios blog is pretty amazing... imagine it in black lace? You could really channel Stevie Nicks in that.
A thin sweater knit or a jersey version would be pretty perfect for fall, too (if fall was thing here in Bangkok, I would certainly make one).
I made mine with this tropical print gauzy cotton I bought a couple years ago in Bangkok's Chinatown... I couldn't pass up those colors!
The pattern gives you the option of either finishing the cardigan with facings or a rolled edge. I went with a third option and finished everything (neckline, front edges, hem) with some vintage bias tape from my mom's stash. The green worked really well with my fabric... it was fate.
I used french seams to keep the insides nice and clean.. see photo below in which I am trying to show you the clean finished insides of my cardigan, but it appears that I am a flasher-in-training:
The only alteration I made to the pattern was to give myself just a teeny bit of extra room in the sleeve with a full arm adjustment:
The Lemon Squeeze Cardigan is super easy to put together- a very quick, one-afternoon sew! I am also pleased to say that if you are not using the facings and are making the shorter-sleeved version, the cardigan can take far less fabric than the generous requirements on the envelope indicate.
I'm really happy with how it turned out - so light and airy! I love that I get a bit of that flowy, kimono-y feel, but with more shape and without having giant, unwieldy sleeves that dip in my Cheerios.
I paired my Lemon Squeeze Cardigan with jeans, but think it would be pretty great over a fitted tank dress, too.
Disclosure: Kim and Elizabeth from Snapdragon Studios gave me the Lemon Squeeze pattern for free, but my opinions about the pattern are my own.
