This is my second Trish Newbery pattern and once again I am completely impressed! The design of the Talia Sweater itself is what drew me to the pattern. I was quite taken by the layered front and curved hemline. One of my sewing goals for this fall/winter season is to create more cozy items that I can wear to work... it can sometimes be difficult for me to balance professional dress and comfort. Comfort and classic work style don't always go hand in hand, but they definitely do with this pattern. Look no further because the Talia Wrap Sweater defines this balance perfectly.
Most of the directions are written and have no accompanying pictures as the construction is straight forward for experienced sewists. When it is needed, Trish has included photos to help to illustrate the steps to create the thumbhole cuff. For those who need visual instruction there is a sew-a-long video that you can find here.
I was pleasantly surprised by the minimalist design of the pattern. There are two front pieces, a back piece and two sleeves- yup that's it . They are bigger pieces so you will need to make sure that you have wide enough fabric but there is nothing complicated about the pattern or cutting lay out at all. The sweater has front cross over layers with a drop shoulder. There are both scoop neck and hooded options for easy winter layering. The sleeve comes in a full length with a cuff or thumbhole cuff options. If you are making the thumbhole option make sure to use thinner ribbing to prevent it from being too thick and bulky. The thumbhole construction is very creative and the accompanying pictures help you to figure out how the final construction works.
I made a size large for across my shoulders and graded the rest of the pattern down to a medium based on the finished garment measurements. It fits perfectly. There is just enough ease through the shoulders and across the bust line for comfort but it looks tailored. I didn't add anything to the length of this sweater but when I make the sweater knit version that I will wear more as a coat I will add 5-6' in length so the front cross over offers a bit more coverage.
I love to wear sweaters with a high neck but I am better off with a scoop neck and scarf so I can use it both inside and out. For this particular sweater I had enough fabric left over to make a matching infinity scarf. Wearing the scarf gives the sweater additional design interest and its wonderful to have that extra bit of warmth for going outside. By making a matching scarf it blends seamlessly into the sweater design and looks like it is part of the sweater. It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced sewist or a beginner enthusiast making an infinity scarf is very simple and you’ll have it finished in less than 15 minutes.
To make the scarf I cut a rectangular piece of fabric 60" X 20". Make sure to cut the fabric with the stretch of the knit going along the length of the rectangular piece so it stretches comfortably to wrap around your head. Fold the fabric with right sides together and serge along the long edge using a 3/8' seam allowance. Now you have a long fabric tube.
Pull the scarf half way through the tube to the right side. Stop when the inner raw edge is even with the outer raw edge. Line your side edges up, pin together and sew the seam shut leaving a 2 inch gap. Make sure your fabric is not twisted in the tube and is laying nice and flat before you sew. Sew the seam, leaving the 2” gap open, using the same seam allowance. Pull the rest of the scarf right side out through the opening in the seam. Once the scarf is right side out, slip stitch the remaining opening closed. There you have it, a matching infinity scarf that adds a layer of cozy as well as a fashion detail to your Talia Wrap Sweater.
If you need a video reference Hello Sewing offers a great video tutorial here.
The fabric I used for this sweater is a textured stretch knit fabric gifted to me as a Minerva Brand Ambassador. It is an acrylic, polyester, lycra double knit with 30% stretch in both directions. It is a wide fabric at 170 cm so it worked perfectly for the larger pattern pieces needed of the Talia. I love the larger ribbed texture of this knit. The texture is wonderful and adds subtle interest to the overall garment. It is very comfortable and the medium weight offers enough structure to hold its shape but still have a more elegant drape to it. It is the kind of fabric that feels like you are sewing through butter which also makes it wonderful to work with.
I love my Talia Wrap Sweater and have received so many compliments on it already. It is versatile, stylish and completely meets all of my fall sewing goals. Style, comfort, and cozy all rolled into one. I have some wonderful thicker sweater knit fabric that is also from Minerva that I plan to make the hooded version with.
After all.... There is Sew Much To Design.
Happy Sweater Sewing,
Lou Sheffer
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