Jarrah and the Birds

 Happy Sunday folks

Sliding onto your screens today with a rather short and sweet post. In every sense of the phrase it seems.

Today is a little cropped jumper with cute hummingbirds.

This is the Megan Neilsen - Jarrah Sweater in view C. Despite my fondness for simple sweaters it's a pattern I had not tried before. I think because to me it looked very similar to patterns I already own (Toaster Sweater I'm looking at you).

Apparently Jarrah is a type of massive eucalyptus tree in Australia! Fun facts right here.

Trying to add a little jazz to my simple sweaters I liked the look of the waist tie detail and I'd heard many good things about the fit of this pattern. 

The size chart put me at 14-16-18 however the finished garment measurements suggested there was not much point in grading as the side seams are straight. I gambled on a 16 as it still had 3 inches of ease at the hips (and this version finishes at the waist in any event).

The fit is really nice, it's not as baggy as I would usually wear but I like it. My only annoyance is that it is slightly too short and I should have measured the length. I think if I were to make it again I would lengthen by an inch or so (I'm 5ft 7 for reference). 

The fabric is some great fleece back sweat shirting from Minerva. I would highly recommend this as I've used it for so many projects now (3 hoodies and joggers for the husband and this jumper) and it washes really well. Also - cosy and soft. Also - it comes in 65 colours!!!! (I'm not sponsored by this fabric I just really like it).

My brain decided to do some later night stressing out about the waist tie and how to hem it however I shouldn't have wasted the energy. It was perfectly fine. I just turned it under, snipping the curves and then coverstitched over the whole thing which worked a treat. It had been said you can't turn corners with a coverstitch. Turns out you can if you do it carefully. 

And if your insides are going to show - make them pretty! (Variegated bulky-lock thread in the lower looper)

The tie sits quite high up and is a bit bulky, not sure I'm a fan yet but I'll wear it out and see how it goes. Perhaps the extra body length would have helped that.

Of course because I can't just leave things alone, I picked out a couple of little hummingbird appliques and whipped those on too for a bit of interest. 

This sweater is one of the more 'cuter' things I've made. Different days different moods so there's a place for that. 

A great workhorse of a pattern - definitely a keeper.

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