Welcome to the last day of the Love Notions Sloane Tour! By now I’m sure you’ve seen some absolutely fabulous takes on the Sloane Sweater pattern. While I’ve got a reputation for picking bright fabrics, I’m going to show you how I’d dress up a classic pattern by deliberate choice of color and scale. All links in the post are affiliate links, helping me keep this blog going. Thank you for your support. Enjoy the ride!
One of my very first Love Notions sews was the Sloane Sweater. A slouchy pullover style pattern with two options – I’ll quote the pattern listing here:
View A features a front and back yoke, high/low shirt tail hem and a slimmer, flattering silhouette. View B is your standard pullover with banded bottom and relaxed fit. Both views can be sewn with the yoke or a standard crewneck. Add the hood, kangaroo pocket and/or elbow patches to change up the look. This dropped shoulder, relaxed fit style is meant for knits with drape such as sweater knits and french terry. Two body views: A- more fitted with curved hem, hits at mid-hip. B- boxy fit with hem band, hits at high hip. Optional: Yoke, Elbow patches, Hood, Kangaroo pocket A full bust piece is also include for ladies with a 4-6″ high bust to full bust difference– no need to do a FBA!
I remember sewing my first Sloane with custom printed cotton lycra, with no drape unfortunately. It was still a hit, a sweater I wore all the time until it tore. The Sloane was released a couple of years ago – this seems an evergreen silhouette!
Tami, the genius behind Love Notions recently decided to bring the older patterns in line with the more recent releases, in terms of the numerous options and add-ons she always offers, a more standardized block and improved fit. I gladly sewed the Sloane again for this tour, both for M and for me.
For my version I used this absolutely fabulous rayon spandex french terry. I bought a ton last year from Urban Rag Trader on etsy, and have been hoarding it for a project I know I’ll wear often. This was it! My contrast print was another custom printed cotton lycra which worked out well for the yoke, but I wouldn’t recommend it for the body of the sweater.
How I played with Color and Scale for my Version:
I took a solid, even boring fabric for the body – black rayon spandex french terry. I know you have a lot of black in your wardrobe, whether you want to or not – it’s considered slimming and stylish and suave – but I really do think plain black is boring. My soul needs a pop of color, even if it’s just on my shoulders. Now with a solid main print, you could choose any number of fabrics of varying colors or scale. My mosaic-print yoke pulls the onlooker’s eye up to my face, and away from my torso. The bright colors frame my face, which I personally prefer. Black tends to look too somber otherwise. If I had picked a large scale print, I would have kept the colors more muted, since I don’t want my shoulders to take all the attention!
For M’s version I was absolutely stoked to use a polyester Liverpool fabric. Liverpool is a squishy textured, slightly stretchy, wonderfully stable fabric that holds heat in well, so I like using it in Texas winters which are mild.
The ease of sewing Liverpool is unparalleled. Seriously, you must try it. It’s thinner than a jacquard knit, so it serges easily. It’s textured so the seams match up easily and stay together without pins, which makes sewing so much faster. It’s white on the wrong side, so I can happily get away with white serger threads! Most of all, it can be printed in bright, bold colors that cheer you up in dreary weather. Isn’t that a win?
Don’t miss the elbow patches! This fabulous faux-sparkle cotton lycra is another custom print that sews up really easily. I am not usually an elbow patches kind of girl, but I just had to add these for added whimsy. You might be seeing more elbow patches from me, I’m not such a stuffed shirt after all 🙂
HOW I played with Color and scale for M’s version:
I picked a HUGE print for M! The scale is massive, the flowers are 3″ or more. The colors are so tropical and in-your-face! Its what I like for my kiddo. She’s slender but with a big personality, large colorful prints seem to match her heart. I could have gone the traditional route with the elbow patches, with faux-suede brown or black, or a small-scale buffalo plaid in black and tan. I picked this faux-sparkle print in yellow/gold because I felt it was still rather neutral against the bright body of the sweater, small enough in scale to not distract from the main, yet very definitely not a part of the main print. It’s an unexpected little accent, a little extra whimsy. Obviously, boring does not live in this house!!
A simple tip when playing with color and scale in your clothing is, mix prints if they are of different scale while staying in the same color family. Be sure that if you're spotlighting a print, your colors are harmonious, and if it's colors you're playing with, the scale should be similar. Think large checks and tiny polkadots, huge florals and tiny hearts, solids and neons. Each pairing is classic and attractive, and if you don't want to put them all in one sweater like me, you can use accessories to change your look up. A watercolor floral scarf with a solid navy outfit, a pink ballet flat with a cropped pair of black trousers and white shirt. Neutrals exist to be the background for that special color or print pairing, so you can highlight that special piece of clothing or accessory.
I hope you enjoyed this stop on the Love Notions Sloane Blog Tour. Please check out all the other bloggers that have inspired me, and when you do, please observe how they’ve played with color and scale. There’s a ton of talent on this train!!
