Simplicity 2603 - That Cosy

I just completed my second version of this pattern. The first was in brown lace knit and was only a test run. I've worn it a few times, but it's a bit delicate, and I have to keep repairing the seams. Anyway, I finally got around to making a "proper" version, together with a matching top from the same pattern. I will admit to having been inspired to start this by RuthieK who has made two lovely versions this week. So I cut the pieces on Thursday and got both top and cosy sewn up on Saturday.

I am ridiculously pleased with both and will be reviewing them in due course. I thought I had already reviewed the brown one, but it appears that thinking about it was as far as I had got.

The cosy and top both took very little time to sew. I used a dark grey rayon jersey which doesn't fray at all so I left all the hems/edges raw on both the top and the cosy which cut down the sewing time a great deal. Like Ruth, I added sleeves to my top (it is designed to be sleeveless) and used the cardigan sleeves but sewed a wider seam on the sleeves of the top so that they would fit easily under the cardigan. Because the top is rather dark, I've added some beads to the neckband at the front, for a bit of extra interest. I do like the way they show in the neckline of the cosy and I always feel this kind of neckline cries out for embellishment of some sort. Mind you, the beads took longer to do than the construction of the top and made me quite cross at times, definitely not a relaxing part of the overall construction.

I had a bit of a problem with the cosy collar. I am sure I followed the instructions to the letter, and even checked at each stage with my mum (who has better spatial awareness than I do and spots things on the diagrams that I usually miss because I read what I want to read, not what is actually there). Yet I still managed to attach my elastic to gather the back collar onto the wrong side of the cosy. The instructions clearly show you attaching the elastic to the RIGHT side. Which I did. But when you put the cosy on, the elastic shows on the outside if you do that. Grrrr. Luckily my fabric is so close to being the same front and back, I was able to construct the cosy inside out without it being noticable. But I was annoyed because I'd spent ages checking and carefully pinning notes saying Right Side, to all the pieces. I even waited to construct the thing until I had good daylight so I could check I hadn't mis-labelled anything before I started to sew. Of course, I made things worse by serging the seam initially so I had no seam allowance to sew over the elastic to cover it, and I had messed up the elastic application and hadn't stitched evenly down the centre of the elastic. Double grrr.

Overall, both were quick projects. I do think the instructions tell you to buy more fabric than is needed though. I must point out that as always, I totally ignored the layout diagram which came with the pattern. One of the first lessons I was ever taught in sewing was to ignore those things. I bought four metres. The cosy is supposed to take 2.75 metres and the top takes a metre. That's without sleeves in the top. I think both of my garments came out of about 2.5 - 2.75 metres maximum. There looks to be sufficient left for two more tops with sleeves, or at the very least one with sleeves and one without. I didn't measure exactly though, it was just an impression based on the immense pile of fabric still remaining uncut at one end of the sewing room.

This afternoon, I took a rest from house cleaning (cos you know I really enjoy doing that... not) to play dress up with the cosy on Twiggy and take photos whilst the light was reasonable.

So here is the cosy and top, showing some of the ways it might be worn.