This is the first item I’ve completed from my 2019 Make Nine! I made this after my first week back at work in January – so I’ve made a good start! I’ve wanted to make a Linden for absolutely months, and I’ve had this red marl sweatshirt fabric waiting for me to put it to use since the heatwave last year (it was a complete bargain from the Nylon Shop in Bristol – £4 per meter! I wish I’d bought more!).
The pattern is great, really clear and quick to sew up on a serger. The instructions are clear and not fussy. However, the neck is awful! I don’t understand how its been designed to be so damned huge!
What’s with that neck?!
First off, the neckband was too small for the sweatshirt fabric to stretch to fit the huge neck hole so I had to re-cut it to make it bigger. The sweatshirt jersey doesn’t have much stretch, and I might have cut the neck band replacement a wee bit too big so the huge neck will be partially due to me. Googling ‘Linden neck problem’ tells me I am by far not the only person that has got an issue here.
I’ve seen its possible to re-draw the neckline to make it a more standard size and shape which is well worth a go. I have some Stoff & Stil sweatshirt jersey I could try this with if I am brave enough.
Learnings
I sewed everything except for the neck top stitching on my Janome serger, which went like a dream up until I got distracted for a second, and did this to one of the underarms:
I’ve stitched up the hole by hand – its very well hidden where it is so it could have been a lot worse.
Biggest learning? Google [Pattern Name] + Problems before doing any other new pattern!