We hope you're loving our Pearl wrap cardigan sewing pattern as much as Team Buttons have been! It's Abi here with your latest dose of sewing inspiration and with all of us making a variety of versions over the past month, we've got loads of Pearl inspo and fabric picks for you - yay!
MEET THE PEARL CARDIGAN!
The choice of fabric really informs the silhouette, so you can have a lot of fun here! If you want to show off the balloon sleeves, a knit with slightly more structure such as French Terry, interlock or jacquard knit will do the job nicely, whereas a drapier fabric will result in a softer look.
Pearl is perfect for medium-weight, drapey knit fabrics with at least 20% stretch. Look out for Hacci knit, sweater knit, jacquard knit, stretch velvet, ponte, interlock, lighter weight French terry.
ORDER PEARL HERE
If you want to pick a chunkier fabric for Pearl (like some of the heavier knits in this blog post), you may want to select a stretchier material such as ribbing for the neckband, hem band and cuffs. It's a good idea to pick a fabric with good recovery for the neckband, hem band and cuffs, in other words, a fabric that pings back down to size easily after stretching, to avoid these pieces getting stretched out during sewing or becoming loose with wear.
Now let's get some inspiration!
Super Soft
Ideal for your softest and most snuggly fabrics, lean into the ballet cardigan vibes with cashmere or fluffy knit fabric. You'll be stroking your arms all day with one of these options!
Ribbed Styles
These ribbed jersey wrap tops are so easy to wear and are great for transitional seasons and layering for Spring. Opt to make your cardi slinky and form-fitting, or equally ribbed jersey knits have great drape for looser sizing and for more relaxed styling.
Patterns & Prints
Make a statement with an eye-catch jersey print. There are endless patterned jersey fabrics out there, go classic with a black & white polka dot or go bold with a floral! Have fun playing with stripes like our Product Manager Frances who made THIS gorgeous black & white striped Pearl cardigan.
Crazy for Cables
I've been lusting after faux cable knit sorta fabric for a long while now, ever since making my mum a snuggly Nora cardigan in one, I've been meaning to order some for myself. Perfect for Pearl, these cable knit fabrics are destined to be a wrap cardigan. Try pairing with a coordinating ribbing fabric for the wrist cuffs for a dreamy but practical contrast.
No Need for Knitting
No one will you believe you made your Pearl cardigan yourself if you opt for a statement chunky knit fabric. There's no need to take up knitting with one of these, and you can whip one up in a couple of hours! Bear in mind when using a fabric like this which is a bit thicker and susceptible to stretching out, you may want to opt for something with better recovery (i.e. which will ping back to size after stretching) like a ribbing for your neckband, hem band and cuffs.
Luxe Looks
Let's get glam! Pearl lends itself to such a wide range of stretch fabrics and that includes these delicious luxury looks, perfect for special occasions or for when your outfit needs a pick-me-up.
Lovely & Lightweight
Wear your wrap cardigan all summer long by sewing in a lightweight knit. Pointelle is an ideal choice for layering over a simple t-shirt or vest and pairing with a summer dress.
Ruffle Hack!
If there's a way to add a ruffle to it, here at Tilly and the Buttons, one of us will find a way to make it happen! When we stumbled across these RTW cardigans, our minds started buzzing with ruffle hack ideas.
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I hope this blog post has inspired you to sew a Pearl cardigan or three!
As always, we always love seeing your makes and progress shots so don't forget to tag us on Instagram @TillyButtons using the hashtag #SewingPearl so we can see what you've made. Make sure to have a peek at the hashtag as there's loads of gorgeous sewing inspiration from the sewing community popping up too.
ORDER PEARL HERE
Author: Abi Dyson
