Marlene Darted UPDATED to a Vest!
Well sometimes as a designer you have a real YAHOO moment, and that my friends is me today!
I was thoroughly delighted when I made the original design for Marlene Darted, the way it flowed together was something of mythical dreams hahaha… and now THIS has happened – so yeah, I am STOKED!
I knew that I wanted a vest for winter – I LOVE VESTS (we’ll get to that soon), so me being me, drew up some rather nifty ideas if I do say so myself… I haven’t ruled out these ideas, they use fun colour inserts that I haven’t seen anywhere else, but as this was working up on the needles I decided mid-knit to just follow Marlene Darted (I know shocking, me following a pattern) and just put a sweet mod into the sleeves. On my I am so happy with the outcome!
So these shaky photos are me wearing my vest today, I’ll need to get this one photo’d or reals – but actually want to make a few more of the variations that are in my head 1st.
If you know the original pattern story, you’ll know that I’ve been on a bit of mishy to achieve somethings;
The first being a flattering sweater base design, with good sizing options… create a shape that suited many bodies. As a busty lady, I like to wear things that do less advertising while avoiding the dreaded frump factor. The shape uses a dropped underarm to create body ease, and the top of the back is gently shaped into a trapeze.
The second being a versatile pattern that has options for many variations and makes, then we can all make the thing we want… be it cropped or full length, balloon sleeved, short sleeved, classic sleeved or tunic sleeved… high neck, low neck…
And the third biggy with this pattern, was a template that could be adapted to bring in new options, and now I have!
My secret mission while making this piece was to do it all WITHOUT ANY SEAMING and yeah that happened too! I even did the fold down neck using the cast off to ‘stitch it down’. Go me! Sewing up was a BREEZE without many ends to sew in, as I had also been knitting continuously off a cone of Sumptuous. What a victory!
So why do I love VESTS? Well aside from being as cute as all get-out, they are extremely wearable.. they work well over loads of options; especially over shirts and dresses – but critically they mean you can still wear your fav jacket without bunging up the arms hahahaha. I like them as a standalone piece over my shirt in these photos, and I also really like the knitwear layered look with my blazer. I’ll be wearing this piece on the regs, next outing will be over an untucked longer / oversized shirt which I know is going to look fresh – especially as the shirt is crisp white and blue stripes!
Anyhoo, I will be making notes to add this new sleeve option to the Marlene Darted Collection – if you have already got the pattern and want this update, please reach out by email shop@thewovenco.com
If you are keen to make one too, just order the Marlene Darted Kit – it comes with 4 x 75grm Sumptuous, which was enough for me to make this vest (used around 3.5 balls worth), I wear size 12/14 top, but I am a short 5’3. The pattern is writen oversized, so I sized down to a small.
I’ll be adding the update to all kits until the pattern is reprinted to include it.
Key Links;
SUMPTUOUS 2023 (there are still cone options)
So what’s on the needles next? Well Marlene Darted BATWING edition of course!
Happy making
xx
M
