It's no secret that I love Kennis Wong's sewing patterns from Itch to Stitch. Her patterns always fit so well and always go together perfectly. Itch to Stitch is one of the few companies I still do pattern testing for. The main reason is that the patterns are almost always perfect when they are released for testing. I rarely have to worry about wasting fabric on versions that will be trashed (or turned into rags). I don't plan on doing a lot of garment sewing this year. I just can't justify putting many more pieces into my closet. It's important for me to make sure anything I make this year is truly something that my wardrobe needs and that I stick to what I'll call a curated closet. This year I'm sticking mainly to shades of blue and green, with pops of purples and yellows, and neutrals (brown/black/grey/white).
When I saw the Lamma Hoodie & Sweatshirt, I just couldn't resist it. It definitely was needed in my closet. It's getting cold and I don't have enough sweatshirts with a cowl. Y'all already know I don't do hoodies. This cowl has a drawstring - which is more decorative than functional - in my opinion. I'll probably leave it off any future Lamma Sweatshirts that I make. This was my first time to use metal aglets on cord and I love how they look.
I have two Orono Tops in my closet and I wear them frequently - they have a stand up collar (just as good as a cowl), are made with heavier weight fabrics (nice and cozy), they have pockets, and have an overlapping tulip style front. So it's like Kennis took the things I love about the Orono and made them into a sweatshirt. The Orono is great for working from home, but it isn't so great when I go for walks on windy days with the tulip front. See my blog post on the Orono HERE.
I made this Lamma Sweatshirt with a quilted knit. The fabric has no vertical stretch and only about 20-25% stretch horizontally. It's nice and thick and definitely a great sweatshirt to keep me warm. When I grabbed this fabric from my shelf I thought I'd need to mix it with another fabric. I was quite surprised to see I had enough for the entire top.
I remarked in the tester group that this is probably the most boring fabric choice I have ever had. Grey is a great staple though and I could use more neutrals in my closet. I wore it with jeans for my photos, but I think I will find myself wearing it with joggers and leggings as it will be perfect for my daily walks while I'm working from home. At least for the next 6-8 weeks while it is still chilly here in Texas.
When testing we always have to make on to check fit first. I always dig into my remnant bins to find fabric for my fit tester versions. With Kennis my fit versions typically are wearable as the pattern doesn't change after the fit test. My fit version used a light green bamboo french terry and a printed cotton lycra.
This version isn't quite as warm as the quilted knit, but I'll be able to enjoy it and wear it for a bit longer. As you can see the cowl droops a bit more in a more drapey knit. Since I'm short I did adjust the pattern. I removed 1.25" from the body and 2" from the sleeves. Looking at the photos, I think I could have taken 2" out of the body - maybe even a little more. I'm always conflicted on where I want my tops to stop. I like them to hit above the widest part of my hips or below that spot. And I ended up with them stopping pretty close to my widest spot.
The Lamma Hoodie & Sweatshirt is on sale for 20% off through Monday, January 25th! Be sure to check out Kennis's blog post with the tester roundup. It's fun to see all the variety of fabrics and patterns that other testers used. Maybe they will inspire you to make one.
If you are wondering about the name Lamma - Kennis is from Hong Kong and Lamma Island is a part of Hong Kong. It's an island that people go to on outings or for school trips. Kennis often names her patterns after locations around the world.
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