Review: McCall's 7722 | A Pointelle Ruffle Sweater!

6:00 PM

I'm starting to think along the lines of transitional garments, even though it's currently 24 degrees. I have another coat planned for this month, but as far as clothes go, I'm really focusing on things I can make and wear now and later. It seems like after January rolls around, my focus leans towards spring.

In Alabama, we're subject to a brutal period of winter days, that can easily transition into spring-like temps in a 72 hour period. So I have to be prepared for anything. That's why McCall's 7722 pattern with all of its great options is a winner.

My fabric is from Jo-Ann's. I found this beautiful fuchsia pointelle sweater knit while browsing the aisles. I love that the style of sweater knit looks like something you'd find in ready-to-wear. They have it in a couple of more colors and I hope when I go back they're still available.

I cut the size 14 and graded to the size 16 from the waist down and added 2 inches to the length. I did this because my fabric has no stretch, which means zero recovery. With the additional length, I didn't want to chance it stretching from sitting.

When I posted pics on Instagram, the number one question I was asked: Is the fabric difficult to work with? My answer: No, because I used my walking foot! I'm a walking foot advocate. And yes, the Bernina walking foot is super pricey, but some machines actually come with this foot in the box. So if you are fortunate enough to already have one, use it!

It's the perfect all-purpose foot for sewing difficult fabrics that crawl or fabrics like this one that is subject to stretching. Or if you've been thinking of getting a walking foot and questioning whether it's worth the investment? I say, TREAT YOURSELF! I love mine and I rarely remove it.

I used the solid portion of the knit to create the neck binding.

I didn't want hem the ruffle, so I serged the edge to keep it from fraying. I tried a serged rolled hem, but it seemed to stretch and distort the fabric.

And speaking of the ruffle, the way it's sewn on the wrong side of the fabric is visible. You need to keep that in mind when buying a fabric for this top.