Whipping up this Cher knit sweater was so rewarding. It was quick to make (I was able to do the whole thing on my serger!) and I love the final look. Thankfully I was able to finish it while we still had a bit of cold weather.
I used the
Cher knit dress pattern from Style Arc to make this sweater, modifying the pattern slightly by changing the bottom skirt portion of the pattern to a simple waistband. To do this I stood my tape measure on its side and measured the bottom portion of the top. Using this measurement I cut two rectangles 6 inches deep, sewed them together at both short sides (right sides together), and finished the sweater by sewing this band to the bottom of the top portion of the dress (right sides out.) Style Arc's instructions and directional diagram was a breeze to use and easy to modify.
Style Arc describes this design as an "avant-garde" style and I love its architectural design. While I do love this make, it didn't end up being as close of
a replicate to Meghan Markle's white sweater as I had hoped. I plan to make it again in a white, lighter weight sweater knit and will bring up the hemline a few inches.
My biggest learning from this make was how important it is to cut pattern pieces on the grainline, ensuring that the stretch of knit garments goes around the body and not vertically, which could cause a heavy garment to pull downward. In patterns like this mis-cutting the fabric can make it very difficult your head through the small neck hole. I would know!
I get a lot of compliments wearing this sweater and always feel great wearing it. I will certainly be making more versions in the future!
Time estimate: 3 hours
Size: 8
Fabric used:
Fuzzy Gray and White Chunky Wool Knit, wool blend, 1.5 yards
Care instructions: dry-clean for best results
Cost to make:
Cher Knit Dress Pattern and Shipping: $16.50
Fuzzy Gray and White Chunky Wool Knit: 1.5 yards, $40.50
*used thread from my stash
TOTAL: $57.00
