The Samara cardigan from Victory Patterns is my kinda pattern:
- Stylish AND warm
- Relaxed AND fitted (with a belt)
- Knit OR woven (WHAT?!?)
Keep reading for my take on this lovely cardi-slash-robe sewing pattern with appeal for all-season wear.
Samara Cardigan Pattern Description
The Samara cardigan is a relaxed fit topper with two length options β just below the hip or just below the knee. It features dropped shoulders, square patch pockets, and a tie belt with belt loops. The sleeves are 7/8ths long, and possibly the coolest thing about this pattern is that you can sew it in drapey knit OR drapey woven fabrics!
As for me, the Samara cardigan gives me three types of rad vibes with which I get down:
- fortune teller vibes
- ’70s art professor vibes
- Carol Burnett’s Miss Hannigan in the movie musical “Annie” vibes
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Samara Fabric, Size, and Modifications
This dreamy blue is a blend of Merino wool and poly that was on sale at The Fabric Store. The poly makes it not quite as gorgeous as pure Merino. But, the polyester def brought down the price and makes washing the cardi a little less precious.
ALSO: I bought the last bits of yardage of this fabric. In fact, when I went to make my purchase, there technically wasn’t enough for my size (I sewed a 6)!
I told the Fabric Store about my situation, and the good folks there were able to rustle up some additional yardage for me! And it’s a good thing, too, because I had almost no leftover fabric. Hashtag close call.
This is a potent example of why it’s a good idea to share your sewing situation with your fabric vendor β your intended project, yardage requirements, etc. Let them help you have a more awesome sewing experience!
No mods to this garment, save for adding a Sie Macht tag. It definitely looks like the line drawing and product pics from Victory Patterns. What ya see is what ya get.
Cardigan Instructions
Nothing big to report out RE: instructions. Victory Patterns always does a great job with instructions; you can count on great illustrations.
They were easy to follow, save for some hand sewing I had to do at the end of the project. That’s because I flaked and didn’t follow the last little bit of the directions regarding how to sew the front bottom edge. NBD.
What’s Good About My Samara Cardigan
I can think of five things that I L-U-R-V about this topper:
1.) Soul Cardigan?
I’ve been wearing my Samara on repeat. I’ve worn it probably 5-10 times and haven’t washed it yet. Maybe that’s gross, but I don’t wash my delicate me-mades unless they’re visible soiled or smelling like B.O. (and I’ve been wearing the cardi over shirts, so it’s not yet stanky). It’s one of those garments that speaks to my soul, I guess.
2.) Cardigan Mechanics
I love pulling a cardigan closed, wrapping it around my body. Is this a subconscious act of self-preservation? Should I talk to my therapist about this? Or maybe I’m just cold.
3.) Waist Loving
This brilliant cardigan is relaxed, yet it emphasizes your waist. It’s one of those beautiful garments that’s amorphous in shape AND somehow figure defining. Like, what?
4.) Pockets
Don’t forget that there also are pockets, so you always can have your phone.
5.) That Blind Hem, Tho
I finished the sleeve and bottom hem with a blind hem. I do love a well-executed blind hem stitch.
I used to think blind hems were old fashioned, something you’d only see at thrift stores on matronly skirts and polyester pants from the ’70s. (Sidenote: Dude, it’s almost impossible to final REAL vintage clothes at budget thrift stores anymore. Ya gotta go upscale for the good stuff. But I digress…)
Now, when I think of blind hems, I think they look soft and clean. and for knit garments, they often end up looking consistently nicer than hems finished with a zig-zag stitch or a twin needle. I stan blind hems.
What Could Be Better About My Samara
I’ve got two, majorly minor, ticky-tacky things that could be improved:
1.) Tie Length
The tie could be a touch longer, IMO. But maybe that’s because my waist measurement is at the top of this size? I love a loopy tie belt, so when the loop is generous, I’m a happy gal.
2.) Hand-Stitching Mistake
I wish I had paid closer attention to the instructions and not had to sew the front bottom edge by hand. Everything worked out OK, but it was something that could have been avoided.
Would I Sew Samara Again?
I definitely will sew this again. It’s timeless and comfortable. I think I have something appropriate in my stash for the sequel.
Would I Recommend This Pattern?
Absolutely! It’s drafted for two lengths and for knits OR wovens. You could sew four highly individual garments from one pattern!
This pattern also is seasonless. You could throw it over a turtleneck on a winter day or a floaty dress on a summer night.
If you’re looking for a versatile relaxed cardigan, give Samara a go. This pattern likely will be a garment with zero fit adjustments, and your fabric options for Samara are vast. Maybe you’ll need to shop for fabric for more than one Samara… tee hee hee.
P.S. Here are some other times I’ve sewn Victory Patterns garments:
Victory Patterns Lola Sweater Dress in Ocean Blue
The Boundless Style Maxi Dress: Lady in Red
Victory Patterns Ulysses Trench: Chic Mom Vibes
Va-va-va-volume in Victory Patterns Esther Pants
Victory Patterns Jackie dress: Diving into scuba knit
P.P.S. I received Samara as a thank you for being a Victory pattern tester. I was not asked to review the Samara cardigan, and all opinions are my own. #fulldisclosure