Sewing Pattern Review: Megan Nielsen Jarrah
Written by Caroline
While scrolling through instagram one evening, I saw an image of a slouchy knit jumper and matching straight skirt from a clothing store based overseas. It looked like my absolute definition of secret pyjamas and I wanted it. But every sewer knows ‘why buy it when you can make it!’. Especially if you work in a fabric store. As I don’t have a lot of time at the moment to sew in the evenings, it needed to be quick and simple.
Pattern and Fabric
Thankfully we have some lovely Cotton Corded Rib in Schist Grey that is the same grey marle as my inspiration photo. With the help of the Megan Nielsen Jarrah Sweater in view A and a heavily hacked Axel Skirt, I was able to sew up this set quicker than the arrival of an online order of the inspiration clothing. I loved it so much that after wearing it once, I made it up in the Navy Blue and have already worn them a lot! It's an outfit that I feel really comfortable in but also feel pulled together.
I made a size 10 in the Jarrah and size XL for the Axel and adjusted the skirt down till it was the right size for me. I was worried about it being too tight so gradually skimmed centimetres off the hips.
The Make
For the Jarrah Sweater the only changes I made were to lengthen the body by two inches and the sleeves by one inch to get the length I like in a jumper or sweatshirt. I went up a size as well as I wanted a slouchy look.
Initially I left the neckband of the sweatshirt unfinished as I liked the simplicity of the raw edge. But after washing it for the first time I was worried that it would stretch out and look a little messy after a few washes. I had enough rib left over to insert a thin neck band so I popped it in, now I don’t have to worry about how it will age. The rib has great recovery and after a day sitting at my desk it hadn’t bagged out at the bum or knees. 
The Jarrah is rapidly becoming my go to for a sweatshirt and is ideal in the rib, or french terry or just a t-shirt material. It's a very quick and easy sew and I did it all on my sewing machine by using a zig zag stitch. No overlocker required!
Now the next question is do I need any other colours?! Perhaps a Jarrah in a chic winter white in French Terry or a lighter weight version in the Sideline Cotton Knit in Blush Pink? Do I have a problem yet?!
SAVE IT FOR LATER....
