McCall's 5632 & Butterick 5187

Pattern: McCall's 5632 (view C) & Butterick 5187 (view A)






























Size: I used the size 8 for both patterns.

Fabric:
For the capris: stretch denim from Fabric Mart.
For the cardigan: papaya linen from Timmel Fabrics (sadly defunct now).

Project Photos & Comments:
Capris ~ I wanted a pair of denim capris as the pair I have now are becoming increasingly thread bare. M5632 appealed to me the first time I saw it, although I don't normally like pants with pleats. This pattern is well drafted and went together smoothly from start to finish. Unfortunately, I am not in love with the pleats, the cuffs or the extremely wide bottom leg circumference on these capris - they all add up to making me look a tad stumpy. If I attempt these capris again, I will be narrowing the leg, forgoing the cuffs and making them in a fabric with more drape and flow - I think that will remedy the "stumpiness" issues.


Cardigan ~ This is just the cutest cardi! I love all the views and hope to make each of them. I decided to start with view A because it spoke the loudest to me. I had some leftover papaya linen from a sundress project a couple of years ago and the weight of it was perfect for this project. I was so pleased when all the pattern pieces just barely squeezed onto my fabric remnant. However, when I cut out the pattern pieces, I must have been daydreaming because I forgot to cut doubles of a few key pieces - namely the inside front and back yokes. I had to use some ecru linen (the only linen I had at the time that was in a compatible colour) to cut these missing pieces. The inside back yoke wasn't a major concern because it isn't visible when the cardigan is being worn. The inside front yoke was a different story, as it also backs the ties at the neck, which are clearly visible when worn.

What to do? What to do? How do I make this screw up look intentional? Well, after putting together the jacket, I top stitched (with a decorative asterisk stitch pre-programmed into my sewing machine) various sections of the papaya regions of the cardigan in a thread that matched the ecru linen. Also, the ecru ties were likewise top stitched with papaya thread. As you can see in the photo to the left, my bonehead mistake now looks like a "design feature" or at least that's what I have been telling myself (so, don't burst my bubble). In the end, I really like this cardigan - it gives off a vintage (1940s?), nautical feel to me.

Conclusion: I am still on the fence as to whether I'll make the capris again, but I will certainly be making all the views of the cardigan. The cardi is a perfect summer cover up for a cool evening or for the daytime when my shoulders are getting roasted in the sun.