Dreaming of Dresses: Juniper Cardi Pattern Review

On this icy cold and snowy "spring" day, I bring you what I think will become a wardrobe workhorse once the weather gets a bit milder. Let me introduce: the Juniper Cardi by Jennifer Lauren Handmade.

My summer and winter wardrobes are far from identical. In the summer period, I wear 50's style summer dresses whenever I can, with the occasional tunics and leggings for more practical wear. In the autumn, winter and most of the spring, however, I almost exclusively wear skirts in 40's, 60's and 70's styles with different sweaters and blouses.

By this point, I am sick of all my skirt options. Pants are non-negotiable. I LOOOONG to wear my pretty, pretty dresses, and that means cardis. Lots and lots of cardis. In the spring and autumn, they provide warmth and in the height of summer, they provide protection from the sun.

The Juniper Cardi is a classic cardi but with a fun saddle back shoulder detail. It comes in both a cropped and a longline version and with several sleeve options.

For my first go, I made the cropped version with 3/4 length sleeves, as this is my favourite length to wear with my dresses. I am between a size 10 and 12 in the size chart, but went down to a straight size 10, and could perhaps have gone even further down or sewn the side seams with a slightly bigger seam allowance for a more fitted look.

I sewed the cardigan in a beautiful "Ritual" jersey from John Kaldor via Minerva Crafts. It is a poly/spandex blend and has a good drape. Almost too good, actually, as it is a bit thin and flimsy to work with. This stuff is not for beginners!

The construction is very simple, but still interesting due to the saddle shoulder. With a bit of careful pinning, going slow on the overlocker and some clever nothes on the pattern it, went together beautifully ;)

I did have problems with my buttonholes, so I took it as a sign to try out some press studs instead. These are from Stof&Stil.

All in all, this will be a great little layering cardi. I would change the fabric type for next time to beef it up a bit, but in this weight it will be perfect for summer here in Denmark.However, the length is perfect for my full dresses and skirts and I love all the little details. I might sew up an entire rainbow of these :)
I have also seen some cute colorblocked cardis with a similar sleeve in Hogwarts House colors that would be fun to recreate! Should I go with Rawenclaw or Gryffindoor?

Disclaimer: I did receive this pattern for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review: Hand Made Petticoats

It is no secret that I love a nice petticoat/crinoline to wear with my 50's style dresses and skirts. And I'm happy to say that I've found the perfect tried-and-tested source for these petticoats. Today, I will share my source with you, dear reader!

Let me introduce: Hand Made Petticoats (on Etsy).

First off, this is NOT a sponsored post, I just really like these petticoats/crinolines and want to pass the word on and support a fellow sewist in her business adventure #girlboss.

The company is owned by Maria, and each petticoat is handmade by her in her home in Wales, UK, and sold via her shop on Etsy.

The petticoats are made with tiers of sparkling "snow" organza on a waistband of a nice, smooth polyester satin and have a narrow elastic at the waist.

The petticoats come in 4 standard sizes (S-XL), 6 standard lengths (19, 22, 24, 25, 26 and 27 inches), a different number of layers (2-4) and a total of 19 colors:
Black, White, Red, Baby Pink, Fuschia, Ivory, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Turquoise, Emerald Green, Forest Green, Hunter Green, Yellow, Gold, Copper, Silver, Purple, Lilac, and Plum.

For an extra luxury, Maria also offers satin bias binding on the hem in matching or contrasting color. 

Besides the standard sizes, lengths, and number of layers, you can also build your own combination or have a petticoat custom made to a specific waist measurement, length or design.

I first found HandMadePetticoats on eBay back in 2014, when my grandmother gifted me money for petticoats for Christmas and I specifically wanted organza instead of tulle or netting. Back then, the options weren't as many. Luckily, I found HandMadePetticoats and got my first two petticoats. I've since added a third petticoat to my collection, this time ordering from the shop on Etsy.

I've worn these petticoats SO much, for parties, dances, costumes and more, and have always gotten compliments on them.

Next on my wish list is a few 1-layer petticoats for daily wear with my full-skirted cotton dresses.

What I love most about these petticoats are the material and the finish. The "snow" organza is very light, crisp and has a subtle glitter in it. I am always amazed at how much volume only 2 layers of this stuff can create.
The petticoat is made so that the seam allowance of the tiers is hidden between the layers, making them completely non-scratchy.

Even the price is good! At 20 USD/15 GBP/130 DKK for a 2-layer petticoat, I want to eventually have one in every color!

As an extra bonus, Maria has offered a 10% discount for you, my reader, with the code ANGEL10 [valid from midnight GMT on November 16th to midnight GMT on November 30th 2017].

I hope this post has been helpful for those of you in search of petticoats. Do you wear petticoats and where do you buy them?