Drapey Cardigan Battle: Jalie 2919 vs Swoon Scarf Neck

I had the Jalie cardigan in my fall plans and was excited to sew it up in the wool jersey I've been hoarding for awhile. I snagged a 3.5 yard cut for $22 total last summer and knew it would be used for a cardigan. I made McCall's 6696 from wool jersey and I adore that cardigan. It is so lightweight while being nice and warm and it just feels good on.

I don't know how I found out about the Swoon cardigan but when I saw that Westmoon had sewn it up I was eager to give it a shot.

I printed it out, no problem there and then it gets a little funky. Honestly, Westmoon covered it all in her review here.

1. There aren't lines for trimming the pages. The pattern pieces are tiled, and it does need to be trimmed, but there aren't lines for trimming
2. The box to check scale is hidden well into the pattern vs being on the instruction page or early on
3. The pattern is laid out really weirdly and is a paper hog
4. The half sleeve is weird. Sleeves cut on the fold are weird
5. The instructions. omg. Just, no. I mean, it's fairly intuitive but the instructions are just a no. French seam a knit? No, no, no.

Once you get past the minor annoyances (which are minor only because it is a free pattern. If I had paid, I would not be a happy camper about those things), it is a REALLY sweet pattern!!! 

I used a poly/rayon jersey knit from Fabric Mart. I really love this 'pattern/print' and it matches well with my existing wardrobe. It went together quickly and fits beautifully!

I sewed a size large and made no other adjustments. The princess seam hits in the right place, the collar drapes nicely, and the symmetrical sleeve works because the shoulder is slightly dropped.
(silly symmetric sleeve...I serged the sleeve on backwards and had to unpick the serger stitches. Booo!)

Many mentioned the sleeves were long; I am glad I didn't shorten them. I sewed a 1 1/4" hem and they are perfect. Lastly, I did a double turned hem (using Steam a Seam light and then topstitched), but did not hem the drape front. It really doesn't need to be hemmed. 

On the Jalie, I traced a size Y with the length of Q. Many had remarked about the length and I didn't want it too long. 

1. This pattern also has a weird 'cut on the fold' half sleeve. I don't like that!
2. MARK THE LINES! Please mark them. I only marked the top and end point and ended up getting off on some of them. 

I'd seen the pattern done both ways: where the tucks are outside and where they are inside. I wanted them to show so I pressed a crease, wrong sides together, and stitched at 3/8" for all 4. The wool knit takes a press beautifully. 

These sleeves are really long. After sewing it up, I removed 1.5" and hemmed it at 1 1/4".  I also did a double turned hem on this one.

So which pattern "wins"?

L: Swoon; R: Jalie

L: Swoon; R: Jalie

L: Swoon; R: Jalie

I prefer the Swoon drape over the Jalie

I prefer the integrated collar/drape of the Swoon over the attached collar of the Jalie

I like the length of the Swoon more (but that's an easy fix on the Jalie)

I prefer the front hem of the Jalie

I need a little more butt room in the Swoon - I will do that via slash and spread

The Jalie shoulder feels too long and the armpit too low

The wool knit is amazing to wear but...

The Swoon wins for me! 

I prefer it hands down and my fun black burnout knit will also become a Swoon cardigan! It just feels better on, even though the Jalie is done in yummy wool knit. I predict that and the color will cause the Jalie to get more wear than I'd expect. I have LOTS of blue in my wardrobe but no jacket or cardigan in a neutral tan/brown. I used to have a M6844 in a similar color but the fabric pilled like crazy and it didn't hang around in the wardrobe very long.

The outtake:

He's always in my photos.