Do you have a favourite season? Mine are spring and summer. I find I slow down once temperatures start to drop and days get shorter. My solution to get on top of winter blues are soft fabrics and colour. And chocolate.
I have been dreaming of making the Gemma sweater by Named clothing for a very long time. Every time I saw someone post their version of this pattern I asked myself how come I haven't made it yet. Well, now I have!
This is such a clever pattern. It is practically an open invitation to have a go at colour blocking and creative play with colour and texture. In my imagination I always made a Gemma sweater with that unmistakable reversed V in a contrasting colour. I chose this gorgeous maroon French terry from Maaike's shop for the body of the sweater. It is currently sold out, however there are a few other colours available. I chose light grey French terry for the reversed V detail.
I find French terry very easy to work with. If you are intimidated by sewing knits (by the way, please don't be, it is not as scary as some people think), this is a great starting point. This fabric is not very thick, which makes it perfect for Spring and Autumn. Personally I would layer garments made with it for winter, but I am such a cold blooded creature I shiver from May until September! This fabric is perfect for school uniforms too.
The construction was surprisingly easy. I sewed the most of my sweater on the overlocker. I highly recommend machine basting seams for steps 8 and 9 first. My overlocker doesn't cope very well sewing over multiple layers. Unfortunately it dragged the points where that little grey triangle connects with the corresponding panels. I unpicked one seam and sewed it again, but my overlocker still refused to cooperate, so I didn't push my luck any further. It bothers me that the lines don't match up perfectly, but I don't know how to solve this issue. I will appreciate any tips.
I was not too convinced about the collar to start with and got some matching ribbing thinking I might want to replace the collar with a regular neckband, but it is growing on me. The only time I deviated from the instructions was when I used elastic at the bottom of the sweater instead of a drawstring.
I finally made myself a Gemma sweater! A perfect solution to chilly days. Thank you Maaike for this opportunity.
Please feel free to visit me on Instagram @jenyathommo where we can chat all things fabric, patterns and chocolate!
