Chanel-ish Cardigan Preparations

Fall/Winter 1960 Simplicity Pattern Book

I've decided that the high-priority item on my fall sewing (and Colette Palette Challenge) list is finally going to be a Chanel-ish cardigan jacket.  I drafted a boxy knit cardigan pattern in school a few years ago, made it up in navy wool boucle and loved it until I foolishly washed it too warm.  Now it's a little too schoolboy-ish for me, and I want a replacement.

The Vogue pattern on the left, the McCall's pattern on the right.

I'm taking it easy, patternmakingly-speaking, and am going to work from a pattern.  (actually, is that going to make more work when fitting?  Probably.).  I missed out on the holy grail Claire Shaeffer Vogue pattern, unfortunately, so I'm torn between the Vogue replacement, view D (but shortened to A-length), and McCall's entry, modified to have buttons at CF instead of a zipper.  I'm leaning more toward the Vogue, as it has the same princess seams Shaeffer's pattern had.

My fabric is a raw silk blend I got from Leanne Marshall (of Project Runway fame)'s studio clean-out, last summer.  It's not boucle, and hardly appropriate for the coming winter, but I want to take it easy, so this'll be a wearable muslin, of sorts.

I'm planning to make my trim from self fabric, using techniques from 200 Braids, etc., inspired by braided trim in Signe Chanel.