As the weather gets cooler, I have to fight my natural instinct to hibernate. Much as I’d like to cozy up in front of the fireplace (my cave) and doze off all season long, life doesn’t seem to slow down, so I have to find ways to cope.
Warm clothing is essential for motivating me off the couch, and I’ve learned to be strategic about fabric content as well. Wool knit blends are one of my favorites, since they aren’t usually super heavy or bulky but help trap warmth while still being breathable.
When Petite Stitchery and Co contacted me about participating in their pattern release blog tour for the Lulu Dolman, I knew I had to make it up in a cozy sweater knit to help me stay warm even when I have to be out. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting something epic- I’ve tried a lot of dolman patterns, the sweet tee being my most used, and haven’t gotten too excited about them.
Which is why I was super surprised when the Lulu blew me out of the water with its great fit and simplicity. I did make some changes- I’ll detail those below- but this is now on my T-N-T (tried and true) list of patterns, and I’m looking forward to many more this winter (there is a short sleeved view as well, if you’re in the southern hemisphere – you lucky duck)
I chose a pumpkin colored wool blend knit that I think came from fashion fabrics club way back when- their shipping is molasses slow, but the fabrics are really cheap, and occasionally you hit a gold mine. This knit was one such find- and I’ve been saving it for the right project. Ok, fine, it got buried and I forgot about it, but that’s pretty much the same thing, right?
Back to the Lulu, I decided that since this fabric has decent weight and wasn’t too loosely woven, that I could get away with a basic hem and neck band, rather than the binding suggested in the pattern. If you do the binding right, it will look awesome- but if you stretch it out at all on your machine, its going to result in a wavy hem, and I didn’t want to take the chance. Since the sleeves are finished with bands, I decided to use a band for my neckline as well, and I also cut it a little deeper and wider to remove the seam allowance and because I don’t like tops too close to my neck, resulting in a very slight boat neck look that I adore.
With those small modifications, this came together just perfectly, and the fit was spot on. I love that it doesn’t have too much extra fabric under the arm (no huge batwing effect here), and the elegant curved hemline that drops in the back makes it perfect for wearing with leggings, and bending over to pick up toys while still keeping your assets covered.
Real talk: it was freezing and pouring rain when we took these photos.
I was dreading the process of dragging our whole family of five out into the inclement weather- but as usual, my boys were delighted, and eventually, their joy rubbed off on me, as I watched them delight in the mud puddles and fresh air. In the end, I was grateful for our little afternoon stroll in the rain, and even more so to the people who I got to do it with.
Check out the Lulu Dolman Pattern here, if you need something to keep you cozy this winter (don’t skip out on the walks in the rain!).
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Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase a pattern using these links, a small portion will come back to me, at no cost to you, to fund the extra cups of hot chocolate it took us to warm up after this walk! Thank you for your support!