It’s that time of the year when I start to think about getting toasty! And, yes, I know I am about a year late to the Sew House Seven Toaster Sweater party, but better late than never!

In case you’re also late to the Toaster Sweater party, there is Toaster Sweater #1 and Toaster Sweater #2, each of which are sold separately (but they can also be purchased as a bundle). Both are classic takes on cool weather sweater needs, but are actually quite different.

Both of the versions featured here today are Toaster Sweater #1, which is definitely the version which spoke to me.

Sweaters vs. Jumpers

I have to say that I have always been cautious of “sweaters”.

I always associate that word with something made out of fleece or sweat-shirting. It brings back memories of the limited fashion choices of childhood. And doesn’t really strike me as something I really want to be wearing as an adult.

Except around the house, of course.

Because there is always room for lounging.

Sweater knits, on the other hand, are an entirely different kettle of fish.

(By way of random aside, I just had to google ‘different kettle of fish’ to verify whether it was actually a real saying or just something weird that existed in my head. Because WTF is a ‘kettle of fish’. In case I’ve now made you equally curious, a ‘kettle’ in this sense was originally a kind of fish saucepan. OK, enough fish for a sewing blog.)

So where was I?

Sweater knits.

I have a major love affair with them. You know what I mean by sweater knits, right? Ones that look and feel like they’ve actually been knitted. The stuff that jumpers at the store are made out of (assuming that, like me, you’re not really talented enough to knit your own).

So where are my sweater knits?

Anyway, I adore sweater knits but I find them very difficult to find. So, when I recently discovered a little treasure trove of sweater knits online at Meter Meter, I was over the moon.

I immediately scooped up enough of this discounted chunky Italian wool knit, in navy. And I immediately knew it had to become my Toaster Sweater. At 450gsm, this is one of the thickest fabrics I have ever worn. And I just love it so much!!!I

Unfortunately, the fabric doesn’t photograph very well. In these pics, it looks a bit like a navy fleece or similar. You’ll just have to trust me that it’s actually completely awesome!

I also have my eyes on this lovely window pane check sweater knit – how perfect is it? And this one is currently sold out, but I’m already on the notification list for when it comes back into stock. I’m imagining the  Elliot sweater by Helen’s Closet for this one.

Navy Toaster Sweater #1

So, since sweater knits are my true love, we’ll start with the blue beauty. I made the Toaster Sweater #1 up in size large with hardly any modifications. On the navy version, I shortened the sleeve by an inch and left the cuffs their original size. But, in terms of mods, that’s about it!

I sewed the pattern up exactly as instructed. I skipped the optional top-stitching step because, you know, it’s a sweater! Top stitching is for fancy garments!

My super thick knit means that it is a bit bulky where the cuffs, neck and hem band attach. But small price to pay for the warmth and cosiness this provides!

So, the overall verdict is that the Toaster Sweater #1 is a quick, easy and satisfying sew.

I have to say, I feel so snug and warm in it. I’m one of those people who just adore thick, snuggly high necks. For me, this one is pretty much perfection! Another favourite feature is that I think the Toaster Sweater #1 hits the hip at just the right spot. Not too cropped, but not long enough to look deliberately lounge-y. I think this length makes it a really versatile pattern.

This navy Toaster Sweater #1 has literally just rocketed itself to the top of the”warmest thing I own” list. And we will be fast friends for a long time, I’m sure.

I also had enough of this gorgeous fabric leftover to “sew” up a pair of scarves for myself and my son. Because everyone should have fabric this soft and warm against their skin!!!

Toaster Sweater #1 No. 2

I was obviously so impressed by Toaster Sweater #1 that I even decided to make a proper “sweater” version. Again, this project was driven by the fabric. I loved the look of this loopback sweatshirting from The Fabric Store so much that my aversion to sweaters rushed out the window and I had to have it. I bought the matching ribbing too. This lovely fabric is also made fair trade cotton and is GOTS certified. We need more fabrics with those kind of credentials.

I’d kind of hoped that maybe I would even love the fabric so much that it would encourage me to think of sweaters as more than just loungewear. Could I maybe wear this to work on Fridays with a pencil skirt? Well, while I definitely love this and frankly, will probably wear it every weekend, I can’t contemplate it as ‘outside wear’.

Do you guys wear your (non-knitted) sweaters as outside/real world wear?

Anyway, for this version, due to the very limited amount of ribbing I had purchased, I shortened and narrowed the cuff, while leaving the sleeve its original length. I also prefer the way the neck looks when folded down on this one.

This one, is also very cosy and I’m hoping to apply the scraps to some worthy projects in the future. Because there is nothing better than milking every inch out of a lovely fabric.

All in all, I’m a happy little toaster sweater over here! What about you? Have you made either of the Toaster Sweaters yet?

But what about the Elliot sweater?

I have a confession to make here, I am publishing blog posts way out of order compared to the order in which I sewed the items.

Because my blog has no semblance of order and I simply post whatever appeals to me most out of my draft posts each week.

But, since I made these toaster sweaters, I also discovered the newly released Elliot sweater by Helen’s Closet, which I have already sewn. If you’re in the market for a sweater pattern, it’s also a great one and, in some ways, combines design elements of Toaster Sweater No. 1 and Toaster Sweater No. 2. All of this is to say that if you’re in the market for a sweater pattern, you’re somewhat spoiled for choice!

Oh and, finally, a little P.S! If you like to get your blog hits through Bloglovin’, feel free to follow me over there: you can find me here. And you can find me on Instagram here.