Meet my new fall jacket:

This jacket was inspired by a sweater I purchased at a store. The sweater had what appeared to be a very complicated and interesting hemline, but once I took took a closer look I realized that the body of the sweater was simply a cropped long sleeve cardigan with long, wide bands of knitted trim sewn around the back and around the neckline, meeting together at the side seams.

Hopefully these photos will help you understand what I mean. It’s much simpler to make than it is to explain!

The cardigan is cropped about 7 inches under the armpit and the trim simply consists of two long rectangles. They can be as long and as wide as you want them to be. Mine are 14 inches wide and 60 inches long. The heavier your trim fabric, the narrower you would want to make it, especially around the neckline, but I think this design particularly suits lightweight drapey fabrics.

I’m thinking that if I ever come across a couple of really pretty 60 inch long silk scarves they would make a gorgeous trim for a lightweight spring top.

I got the fabrics at MoodFabrics.com and was very pleased that the colors were accurate enough on the screen that I was able to match the two, the solid and the reptile print, so they look as good together in real life as I thought they might.

It was fantastic to use McCalls 6408, because I had already made the alterations so it fits. I just cut the front and back sections 7 inches below the armpit. sewed shoulders, sleeves & side seams as normal, sewed my band on the front, sewed my band on the back, and then did a serger rolled hem around everything.

Quick, easy and a top I love wearing!

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