Who doesn’t like cardigans? I wish I could knit and make all the dreamy cozy cardigans available to humans who know how to knit, but as I don’t I am settling for the ones I can sew. Thankfully, Helen designed the Blackwood cardigan to make a life for someone like me easier so I can still make my little heart happy and make what I imagine in my head a reality.

A woman wearing two versions of the Blackwood Cardigan, a sewing pattern by Helen's Closet. One is long and black and one is hip length and bright yellow.

Blackwood Cardigan by Helen’s Closet comes in two variations but you can always play beyond limits and make it longer, shorter, wider, prettier, unique.  I made two very different cardigans from the same pattern and in the same type of fabric. One is long, dark, shielding. The other is short, bright, entertaining.

A woman wearing two versions of the Blackwood Cardigan, a sewing pattern by Helen's Closet. One is long and black and one is hip length and bright yellow.

I love both black and color at the same time. Black feels safe and powerful in its own way. I wanted to sew a long cardigan for a while and I finally made one. Went to a local store and got 2 meters of black Ponte di Roma fabric. Came home, pre-washed it, cut it, sewed it, and voila!

A woman wearing two versions of the Blackwood Cardigan, a sewing pattern by Helen's Closet. One is long and black and one is hip length and bright yellow.

I cut it out in a size M. I sized up from previous versions and that was a good decision. The first two I made in a lighter stretchier fabrics so it was fine to cut size S for them. Now I wanted a somewhat fitted but at the same time loose cardigan. Not sure if I pooled it off but I like it. I made the front band double the width, lengthened the whole thing by as far as I could to use up all the fabric I had. Shortened the sleeves by 3 or 4 cm as they are extra long, at least for my arms. I added pockets from version A, because – pockets!

A woman wearing two versions of the Blackwood Cardigan, a sewing pattern by Helen's Closet. One is long and black and one is hip length and bright yellow.

Then I instantly felt I needed some color on me, asap. So I went back to the cutting table and cut out a short version (variation A) in yellow Ponte di Roma fabric. Cut the front band double the width, shortened the sleeves by 2 cm, and cut the sides of front and back straight (not curved as in the pattern). I wanted to see if this would give a looser (oversized?) feel. There is another precious fabric I want to sew into a cardigan and I was testing this option for it. If I decide I don’t like it I can easily take it in.

A woman wearing two versions of the Blackwood Cardigan, a sewing pattern by Helen's Closet. One is long and black and one is hip length and bright yellow.

I like this shade of yellow. It really is a happy color. I actually bought these fabrics on the same day in the same shop with the idea to make them into the same pattern. Funny how different pattern variations and colors give a different feel to the whole outfit.

A woman wearing two versions of the Blackwood Cardigan, a sewing pattern by Helen's Closet. One is long and black and one is hip length and bright yellow.

A woman wearing two versions of the Blackwood Cardigan, a sewing pattern by Helen's Closet. One is long and black and one is hip length and bright yellow.

For those interested, you can see my first two versions here and here.

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!

Ana