I was hoping to work on a few sewing projects this weekend, but haven’t been feeling very well (just a bug) so have actually spent most of the time asleep or watching Star Trek. I’m hoping to get to a comedy show this evening, and in the meantime I thought I’d blog my first Zircon Sweater.

This is the Zircon Sweater by Paprika Patterns, which was one of the garments I packed when I visited New York in March, and is pictured here being worn at Cloisters Museum.

The Zircon pattern also includes a dress variation, which I have fabric ready to make, but thought I’d test the pattern with the sweater variation first.

The main fabric I used was purchased from Coventry Market, and is quite a stiff medium-weight knit fabric with a raised texture. The yoke and hem insert are in a floral Liberty fleece purchased from Guthrie & Ghani.

My choice of fabric means that this sweater is quite boxy, but the fit is good (I cut a size 2) and would be closer fitting in a fabric with more drape.

I made one stupid mistake when making this sweater. Possibly because I had the mindset that this was a test garment, or I was just rushing, but I didn’t cut the main front piece with the pattern straight. I had finished sewing before I realised, and didn’t have enough fabric to correct the error. On another sweater it wouldn’t necessarily be obvious, but here it makes the bottom of the the yoke look wonky. I’m wearing it regardless and lesson learned, I’ll be more careful when I make it again.

The Zircon is a pretty quick project, with inserting the yoke the only step that requires more careful sewing. Lisa has written a guide to sewing the yoke which is worth a look before sewing.

Cloisters Museum is a branch of the Met dedicated to European art, located in Fort Tryon Park overlooking the Hudson. The museum building incorporates a number of European abbeys which were disassembled, shipped to New York, and incorporated into the Museum building in the 1930s. If that sounds extravagant it was in large part funded by John D. Rockefeller Jr.

The gallery, and surrounding park, are a lovely, peaceful place to spend some time in New York. The design of the gallery means you feel like you are exploring different buildings, and it contains some fantastic tapestries, stained glass, and sculpture.