There are so many things to get excited about when autumn arrives- there are the beautiful colours, decorative gourds, scarves, merry squirrels gathering acorns, candles, and best of all, sewing cardigans! Maybe we're biased, but snuggling up in one of our Blackwood Cardigans feels like the first sure sign that it's officially autumn.
This powerhouse of a pattern is one of our very favourites, for various different reasons. It's perfect for changing weather- since Blackwood is so easy to layer, popping one on over your t-shirt or under your jacket ensures you can easily remain at a comfortable temperature. The fitted shoulders ensure that Blackwood slips seamlessly under a coat with no lumps or bumps. A Blackwood sewn out of a thick sweater knit will keep you warm throughout the winter, and a lightweight bamboo jersey Blackwood adds just the right amount of extra coverage for those crisper days at the start of autumn.
Over the past couple of years, fellow sewists have made over 5,000 Blackwood Cardigans and shared them on Instagram! Following the #BlackwoodCardigan hashtag is one of the best ways to find Blackwood inspiration; you have all made so many variations!
In addition to Instagram, there is quite a lot of inspiring Blackwood content on Pinterest. If you're deciding on the look of your next Blackwood, check out what Pinterest has to offer.
One of the best things about sewing Blackwood is that every finish is a band finish- that means NO HEMMING! I find myself rejoicing about this every time I sew a Blackwood Cardigan. It makes the sewing process so quick and painless! It's even better if you follow our tutorial for using Wonder Tape to attaching your pockets.
Blackwood is designed to be open at the front- so you can show off your outfit, of course! The open front lines of Blackwood work beautifully with scarves as well.
Cup sizing may not seem like a big deal when sewing with knits, but believe you me, it matters. When we improved Blackwood to our new size range of 0-30, we released overlapping B-cup and D-cup ranges. Cup sizing makes such a difference in how your cardigan falls, and we feel like it's so worth it!
Back in 2017, we did a detailed Blackwood Cardigan Sewalong on the blog. This sewalong leads you through sewing cardigans like the Blackwood, of course, but also teaches valuable sewing skills that are applicable to other patterns, including installing knit bands and cuffs, stabilizing shoulder seams, and sewing a sleeve in flat.
The Blackwood Cardigan pattern is a joy to hack. If you would like a longer version, try our tutorial on how to sew a split hem Blackwood.
For even more coziness, try sewing a Blackwood with thumbhole cuffs!
We hope you try Blackwood this fall/winter! It is a true wardrobe staple that is really fun to sew.
Do you have any favourite Blackwood Cardigan hacks, or any ideas for hacks you would like to see? Let us know in the comments!
