Cardiganise

Treatment: cut open vertically or diagonally and add trim

Problem addressed: too-tight jumper or unsuitable style

Ideal fabric type: any

 

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

First, design your new opening, including the ratio of old rows to new stitches.

Cut the fabric vertically or diagonally, securing with a line of stitching if required. Pick up stitches parallel to the cut edge and knit a trim, enclosing the cut edge in the process. Repeat on the other side, including buttonholes if desired.

Thanks to Kate Davies for her excellent instructions on creating a sandwich trim for steeked knitwear, which informed this technique.

 

WHAT COULD IT LOOK LIKE?

  • Contrasting or tonal, with the option of stripes
  • Width of placket can be varied
  • Different stitch patterns could be used within the button placket – think about whether the fabric will lay flat
  • Consider alternatives to buttons, such as a zip or poppers
  • Combine with other treatments such as insert pocket or embellish to help the revitalised garment ‘hang together’

Here are some finished projects:

    

 

HOW DO I DO IT?

Step 1: cut open

Step 2: pick up stitches through fabric

Step 3: sandwich trim

 

HOW DO I DESIGN IT?

To ensure your new trim lays flat, you need to pick up stitches at the correct ratio. See the step 2 video above for an example of the chart below being used.

 

TOP TIPS

  • Practise the techniques on scrap fabric
  • Check the position of your opening by sewing a marker thread and trying the garment on
  • Sample your trim to try out stripes, buttonhole placement and so on
  • Treat your first attempt as a sample, too – unravel and reknit if you don’t like it
  • Do the button side of the opening first – you can use that to work out the positions of the buttonholes on the second side
  • Use the same approach to add a new trim to any opening, such as a new neckline

 

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. You are free to copy, distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon any of the material on this page, for non-commercial or commercial purposes, as long as you credit Amy Twigger Holroyd/#reknitrevolution and use the same Creative Commons license for your new work. Please go forth and share!

Also, please note that these instructions are in beta mode; feedback is most welcome. Email comments to amy@keepandshare.co.uk.