Sometimes you need a big, oversized fluffy cardigan to keep you warm and cozy. That time is now for me. Cardigans and sweaters have obviously been on my mind. Because I want them on my body.
This is the Oslo cardigan, one of the first patterns from Seamwork Magazine. All the versions I'd seen made up made the pattern look so snuggly and perfectly grandpa-esque.
I opted for the size large. My bust measurements were on the high end of large, and my hips fell into the low end of the XL. If I had wanted to close it at the hip, I might have graded to an XL, but I was lazy and didn't.
The fabric is a 100% wool sweater knit from Fabric Mart, which is no longer in stock because I bought the end of the bolt during a wool sale they had a couple months back. It's thin, but warm and not very stretchy at all. A little bit itchy and pill-y, if I'm being honest. It's mostly black with light blue throughout, which makes it appear navy.
The only construction changes I made were to topstitch the seam allowance between the collar and bodice so make sure it would lay flat and turn up the hem after attaching the collar, rather than before, so it would wrap over the seam allowance neatly and create a smooth transition.
It's pretty great! It fills a "layer over anything when feeling cold" spot in my wardrobe. The sleeves are big enough that you can fit two or three layers underneath as needed (and it's needed here in Burlington!). They're a little bit long, but not objectionably so.
I like that you can wear it with the collar folded over or laying flat... it works pretty well over a buttondown as well as over long sleeved t-shirt, like I'm wearing it here!
I'd be curious about how this pattern works in a fabric with more drape. I'm also curious to see what happens to this fabric, drape-wise, if I wash it. The instructions from Fabric Mart say dry clean only, but dry cleaning is not my style... do you think I can hand wash this cardigan?
