I’m very excited to share this make using the Minerva Exclusive Painters Patchwork Sweater Knit Stretch Fabric! My mom is modeling the outfit, and she looks amazing! I knew immediately that I wanted to make some sort of matching set with this fabric, so I headed to Pinterest for some inspiration. At first, I was looking for a top and pants set but I decided to go with a skirt instead because I was afraid, I didn’t have enough fabric for pants. I really need to start requesting 4 yards lol! I chose Simplicity 9857 view A for the top and New Look 6346 for the skirt. Simplicity 9857 is technically a cardigan, but you can wear it as a buttoned-up top. I learned how to make buttonholes last year, and as you can see, I’m hooked now!

I prewashed the fabric before cutting out the pattern pieces. This is a great beginner tip; you always want to prewash your fabric because you don’t want to make a beautiful outfit, and it shrinks when you put it in the wash. The fabric is not too heavy or too light, it is just right for being a sweater knit. According to Minerva’s site, the fabric is made from 96% polyester and 4% elastane which gives it a 70% stretch across the width, from selvedge to selvedge, and a 20% stretch down the length of the fabric.

The Simplicity 9857 cardigan has 5 pieces, but I added a cuff to give it a little extra flare. I used a cuff pattern piece from Simplicity 9337. I cut a size medium and I serged the inside seams for a cleaner look. You can wear the cardigan buttoned up or open with a tank top. The pattern has a bralette, but I didn’t think it went with the aesthetic of the outfit. New Look 6346 is a flared full skirt with a button front closure and some views have a back zipper. The only modification made to the skirt is it was shortened by 2 inches, just to make sure that I had enough fabric. I chose multicolored buttons that had some of the colors of the fabric. They blend well with the fabric.

Both patterns are easy straightforward makes and the pattern instructions are easy to follow. The Simplicity website rates Simplicity 9857 as easy and New Look 6346 as average. The fabric went very well with both patterns as a matching set. You can wear the pieces together or separately, mixing and matching your wardrobe.