Striped French Terry Sweater | Burda 6296 Review

French Terry Sweater | Burda 6296 Review

The weather has cooled down considerably in the last couple of weeks from 20℃ to 5℃ which means that my sweaters, light coats, and long sleeve tops have come out of storage.

In the last couple of years, I’ve fallen in love with hoodless sweaters and have been expanding my collection so this recent sew has been a great addition to my hoard. Anyone else have a sweater collection?

As you know I did some sewing this summer and fell into the sewing mojo, so as August neared I decided that I wanted to make myself a fall/winter/spring garment.

Then within weeks, I found the perfect fabric and pattern to make this Striped French Terry Sweater that has become my go-to sweater this fall.

the fabric

Last month when on a trip to my local fabric store, I found this super-soft blue striped French Terry fabric for only $4.99/meter compared to $17. Less than a third of the prize!

After thinking long and hard about it (around 60seconds) I decided that this was a steal and would be perfect for a sweater, cardigan, or sweatpants and so I bought two meters (which is usually enough for most projects).

For those who do not know, French terry is a midweight knit fabric that is moisture-wicking, absorbent, and ideal for lounge/gym wear that resembles towel fabric only that it’s softer and wearable (info from Fabric of Our Lives). It’s very comfortable to use and perfect for this cool fall weather.

related post: Summer Linen Shorts | Pattern Review

This was also my first time using french terry and let me tell you, I don’t like sewing with this fabric.

It is hard to find the perfect tension & stitch length, and it’s noticeable if it’s the wrong one as it gathers and breaks. Plus it’s hard to see your stitches which means stitch ripping is a nightmare as one wrong move and the back loops are ripped.

Overall the fabric is super warm, soft, and cute but for now, I’ll say no to further sewing with French Terry.

Wearing? Yes. Sewing? Nope!

the pattern

On that same trip in which I bought the fabric, there was a notice on the monthly flier that all Burda patterns would be on sale the following week.

So obviously, I went online and made a list of the Burda patterns I wanted and found the perfect pattern for the french terry fabric: Burda 6296 which has three different sweatshirt styles! Plus the middle one was made with almost the same fabric I had, which felt like it was meant to be.

related post: 6 reasons I love sewing!

Since I’m not a big fan of hoodies because I never use it and find it bulky, I did a mix of views A and C. By that I mean I left out the hood from view C and followed the rest of the instructions.

The pattern is super easy to follow and super simple to make and I definitely recommend it for a beginner sewist.

My only issue was that the pattern does run large/is loose, so unless you like it like that I’d say go down one, maybe two sizes but otherwise I loved it!

the sweater

Like I mentioned above this is such a simple project that you can make it in less than a day (which I did!).

Besides the issues, I had with the fabric I loved how soft, comfortable, and cozy it is. Plus this style never goes out of style which is a huge plus!

  

The sleeves are a tad long but can be easily be rolled up for a more casual look and the pocket is HUGE! Perfect for carrying your phone, wallet, and candy. I’ll definitely be making another sweater, maybe in a different size and without the pocket.

If you’re new to sewing then I definitely recommend Burda 6296, it’s simple, easy, and quick to make. You won’t regret it.

Do you bring out your sweaters as soon as the weather cools? Or do you wait for it to be officially Fall? If you’re a sewist have you made a sweater before?