I’ve had the opportunity to participate in a couple test sews as of late. While each one is a little bit different, all of them have been a really great experience! This is the first garment I tested and I’m excited to share the Juniper Cardigan from Jennifer Lauren Handmade!
The Juniper Cardigan was a perfect fit for me and has a unique design feature of saddle sleeves. I had never sewn a garment with saddle sleeves which were more complex than I expected, but Jennifer’s new sew-along will make sewing it super easy!
I sewed up the long-line version, which is a perfect length for me. The outfit pictured here is pretty much my work week uniform (as I’m typing now, I’m wearing a Silk Cami, my Blackwood Cardigan and these same RTW pants) – so the Juniper was very welcomed as another staple in my work/weekend wardrobe.
To sew up the Juniper, I used a really beautiful sweater knit from Style Maker Fabrics that I also made an Ebony Tee out of. I LOVE this fabric. I used some stash camel colored knit for the cuffs and hem bands and I like that it provided some contrast.
As this was my first time test sewing, I didn’t really know what to expect. Now that I’ve done a few, I now understand that each one – and each designer – is different! Jennifer had us submit comments and photos via email and then upon completion (just a few days ago) she sent us a final pattern and let us know the changes she’s made. One thing she decided from feedback from the test sew was to do a full sew along for the Juniper. As the construction is a little different than the standard knit cardigan, I think the sew along will be helpful for people!
The pattern does recommend stabilizing the sleeves. I stabilized one of the sleeves, and maybe I did it wrong, but this fabric didn’t love the stabilizer. Therefore, I only stabilized one sleeve. I think fabric plays a big role in that, so if you plan on making a Juniper Cardigan I would see if you fabric needs it before deciding to stabilize.
This was a great pattern to sew up and a great first experience of testing patterns! Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more details of other test sews I’ve had the opportunity to participate in.
Juniper Cardigan Summary:
Size Made: 8
View: Long Line Version
Fabric Used: Sweater Knit from Style Maker Fabrics
Notions Used: None – sewed the entire garment on my serger
Ease of Construction: It’s a little bit tricky, but make sure to check out the sew along for some more tips!
Fit: Great fit – super comfy!
Repeatable? I would make another one!
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Juniper Cardigan | Test Sew – Handmade by Lara Liz