The Lova raglan sweater is the result of our collaboration with Julia from Kreativlabor. As the saying goes... we combined our core competencies and came up with a sweater we all love. What makes Lova special is the double-sided, folded button placket in the front raglan seams. It's not exactly an easy project, but with Julia's fantastic illustrated sewing instructions, it's guaranteed to be manageable for anyone.
Required materials:
We recommend jersey and knit fabrics that are stretchy.
Sizes 34-42
- Outer fabric 1.30 m 140 cm wide
Sizes 44-50
- Outer fabric 1.45 m 140 cm wide
Sizes 34-50
- Buttons 6 pieces 10 mm diameter
- Insert 0.10 m 90 cm wide
Cutting:
Seam allowances are included - 1cm wide or as per marking clips!
The pattern already includes 0.7 cm seam allowances and 2 cm hem allowances on the sleeves and the bottom
Waistband. The neckline has no seam allowance, as it is finished with a binding strip.
- 1 x front part
- 1 x back part
- 2 x buttonhole panels
- 1 x edging strip at the front
- 1 x edging strip at the back
- 2 x sleeves (opposite / mirror image)
Sewing instructions:
Seam allowances are included - 1cm wide or as per marking clips!
You can use an overlock machine or a household sewing machine to sew your sweater.
Stitch must be stretchable, i.e. if you are sewing with a household sewing machine, you should either use a
Use a zigzag stitch or the three-part stretch stitch. If you are sewing with a household sewing machine,
You should then neaten all seam allowances again with a zigzag stitch so that they do not fray.
When cutting, transfer all the notches drawn onto the fabric – these are the small ones perpendicular to the cutting line
You can either make a small mark with a self-erasing marker or a
3mm long incision with scissors.
If you are using a very fine fabric, you should reinforce the button plackets on one side with a thin iron-on interfacing.
Depending on the material, it may be necessary to reinforce all four button strips or only the two in which the
the buttonholes are worked.
Starting at size 42, the pattern includes a bust dart. To do this, cut out the arrow-shaped dart marking from the paper pattern and then place the pattern on your cut front piece (wrong side of fabric). Using a marker or tailor's chalk, transfer the arrow-shaped marking to the wrong side of the fabric on both sides of your front piece.
Lift the fabric slightly along the markings and form an arrow-shaped fold according to the markings.
Secure the dart with two pins, inserting them exactly at the markings. Then, stitch the dart from the outside in with a small stitch width. Do not bartack the seam; simply leave the threads hanging.
Tie the open threads 3 times and then shorten them just behind the knot.
Iron the dart upwards. From the front, it now looks like this (right photo).
Before we sew the sweater completely together, we'll first make the buttonhole facings. Press the buttonhole facings on the sleeves over to the right side of the fabric along the fold edge.
For a better overview, the ironed facing is now unfolded in the left photo. Place the sweater front piece (on top in the photo) right sides together along the rounded armhole edge of the sleeve (on the bottom). Fold the buttonhole facing over, right sides together, along the ironed edge...
...and then fold the 0.7 cm seam allowance over to the wrong side of the fabric. Pin it in place. Draw the 0.7 cm seam allowance along the armhole curve and across the bottom edge of the buttonhole facing.
First, sew the armhole curve, starting at the side edge of the sleeve and then 0.7 cm OVER the folded seam allowance on the buttonhole facing. Sink the needle into the fabric, raise the presser foot, and turn both layers of fabric 90 degrees under the needle so you can then stitch the bottom edge of the buttonhole facing.
Clip the seam allowance right at the corner (cross) until just before the seam. Then reach into the buttonhole facing and turn it to the nice side.
Make sure the seam allowances are completely tucked in. Press the buttonhole facing flat again and topstitch the raw edge close to the edge. Repeat the same process for the buttonhole facing on the other side of the front piece and the second sleeve.
Now iron the 2 individual buttonhole facings together lengthwise, wrong sides together (see fold edge in the pattern).
Now you need to attach the counterpart to the buttonhole facing to the front piece. You'll see a small notch in the pattern piece where the buttonhole facing needs to be attached.
Now turn the front piece and attached sleeve so that the right sides are facing up. Place the ironed buttonhole facing, right sides together, against the bottom edge of the cutout on the front piece (arrowed in the photo). The folded edge of the buttonhole facing should face outward (toward the finished buttonhole facing on the sleeve).
Here, too, mark the 0.7 cm seam allowance and the point where you'll sew: 0.7 cm from the raw edge – see the cross mark in the photo. Then, topstitch the bottom edge of the buttonhole placket along the marked seam allowance.
Cut the seam allowance diagonally until just before the end of the seam (see white line in photo). Then turn the buttonhole facing upward toward the open edge of the sweater front.
Pin the buttonhole facing in place. Trim off the excess corner at the bottom seam allowance.
Then, stitch the long edge of the buttonhole facing to the front piece with a 0.7 cm seam allowance. You can neaten the open seam allowances on the edges of the buttonhole facing with an overlock machine or a zigzag stitch on your home sewing machine.
Now place both buttonhole panels flush on top of each other and check that everything fits well and ends flush.
Mark the top center of the front piece and the center of the front edging strip with a small notch.
Then, pin the binding strip, notch to notch, right sides together, to the neckline of the front piece. Then, stretching it slightly, pin it in place—ensure that the strip extends 0.7 cm over both sides (see photo on the next page).
The edging strip extends 0.7 cm beyond the front part on both side edges.
Then, stitch the binding strip on with a 0.4 cm seam allowance, stretching it as you sew. Then, fold the open short edges of the binding strip together, right sides together. If you simply want to fold the binding strip over later, you'll need to finish the open long edge with an overlock machine.
Stitch the bottom edge directly next to the buttonhole facing (do not sew into the buttonhole facing!) to a length of 0.4 cm (approximately half the width of the strip). Trim the excess seam allowance. Repeat the same process to overcast the other short side of the binding strip.
Then fold the corner of the binding strip to the good side of the fabric and place it around the top edge of the neckline on the front piece. Fold the seam allowances on the binding strip inwards so that they disappear completely inside the binding strip. You can also simply fold the binding strip over so that the
(previously serged) seam allowance rests directly on the inside of the sweater at the neckline.
Fold the binding strip around the seam allowances at the neckline to create a clean neckline edge. Then, from the front, stitch directly along the seam between the front piece and the binding strip. You can also stitch 1-2 mm over the binding strip to ensure you catch the underside edge.
Now sew the back of the sweater to the two open sleeve curves. To do this, place both layers of fabric right sides together, flush with each other, and follow the notches as a guide.
Then stitch the seam with 0.7 cm.
Repeat the same for the second sleeve.
Now sew the back binding strip to the back neckline (from buttonhole facing to buttonhole facing). Mark the center back of the back piece and the center of the binding strip with a notch.
Then, starting from the center, place the binding strip along the neckline, stretching it slightly. The binding strip should extend 0.7 cm over the short side edges.
Stitch the binding strip in place with a 0.4 cm seam allowance, stretching it as you sew. Then fold the raw short edges of the binding strip together, right sides together.
Stitch the bottom edge directly next to the buttonhole facing (do not sew into the buttonhole facing!) to a length of 0.4 cm (approximately half the width of the strip). Trim the excess seam allowance. Repeat the same process to overcast the other short side of the binding strip.
Then fold the corner of the binding strip to the good side of the fabric and place it around the top neckline edge of the back piece. Fold the seam allowances on the binding strip inward so they disappear completely inside the binding strip.
Fold the binding strip around the seam allowances at the neckline to create a clean neckline edge. Then, from the front, stitch directly along the seam between the front piece and the binding strip. You can also stitch 1-2 mm over the binding strip to ensure you catch the underside edge.
Then turn the sweater right side out and place the buttonhole facings flush on top of each other. Mark the buttonholes on the top buttonhole facings.
Insert the buttonhole foot of your sewing machine and select the appropriate settings on your sewing machine.
Then work out the three buttonholes.
Then carefully cut open the center of the buttonholes using a seam ripper or nail scissors.
Then mark the position for your buttons on the buttonhole panel below.
Sew on the buttons (3 per side) by hand and then close the button plackets.
Now fold the sweater right sides together again and place the sleeve and side seams flush over each other.
At the underarm seam, place one seam allowance upwards and one downwards to create the flattest layer of fabric possible.
Then pin the sleeve and side edges together on both sides and stitch them with a 0.7 cm seam allowance.
Turn the sweater right side out. Now try it on and check if you need to shorten the sleeves (2 cm should extend, as they will be folded in later). Then, neaten the open sleeve hems with an overlock machine or a zigzag stitch. Then, iron them 2 cm inward and pin them in place.
Topstitch the sleeve hems at 1.5 cm with a stretch stitch.
Finish the bottom hem of the sweater with an overlocker or a zigzag stitch. Then press it inward 2 cm and pin it in place. Topstitch the bottom hem at 1.5 cm with a stretch stitch.
Your LOVA sweater is ready!
If you're stuck or have any questions, please email us at info@schnittmuster-berlin.de. We'll respond as quickly as possible.
Have lots of fun with your new designer piece!
Sincerely, your Schnittmuster-Berlin team.
