Hive Pullover Supplies

Today kicks off the Hive Pullover (and Weaver Skirt) sewalong!  I launched these two designs earlier this week, and I'm just so pleased with how they turned out. Comfy knit garments for fall, y'all.

I've got a step-by-step photo sewalong planned for both patterns, with a few steps in video to explain the more complicated parts of the pattern. I'm confident that with the pattern instructions and this sewalong, you'll be able to create your own cozy Hive Pullover with relative ease. Seriously, a beginner can do this!

Let's dive in. First choose, which version you want to sew.

Fabric Yardage Requirements

For the Hive Pullover you will need the following yardage (or meterage) of fabric:

Fabric Type Recommendations

The Hive Pullover should be sewn using mid- to heavyweight stretch knit fabrics with at least 20% cross grain stretch. French terry, sweatshirt fleece, and sweater knits weighing between 10 and 12 oz/sq yard are recommended. Ribbing may be used for the cuffs and waistband, but is not required. Always sew a muslin before you go using your precious fabric.

We had two amazing indie fabric stores sponsor our photoshoot and both are offering you a discount on their knit fabrics. 

This grey Hive Pullover I'm wearing below is sewn in this Light Gray Solveig Cable Sweater Knit from Needle Sharp (save almost $7/yd with the discount). A lovely substrate for the Hive Pullover, it has 100% crossgrain stretch and weighs about 10 oz/square yard. The result is a squishy, cozy sweater that feels like I can dress it up or down.

The spice-colored Hive Pullover that Ali is wearing below is sewn in Stylemaker's Luxury Soft Sweater Knit in the color Heather Spice (save over $3/yard with the discount). This fabric has a high-quality, cashmere feel. It's lighter in weight than the grey cable, so interfacing the collar and yokes is a must. I like the sweater-look and feel of this top, and have you seen how many colors this fabric is offered in?!

I sewed the two samples of the Hive Pullover shown below in a standard 10 ounce cotton/spandex French terry fabric. This gives the top a sportier look, which is nice to pair with leggings and jeans for more casual days.

Notions and Other Supplies

You'll also need one 11" nylon coil zipper if you're sewing View A. Make sure to use the lightest-weight zipper you can find. I found that heavier metal zippers caused rippling in the fabric and were hard to move up and down once sewn into the yoke.

You'll need 1/4 yard lightweight stretch fusible interfacing for both views. Something like this Sheer Knit Fusible should do the trick. Be sure that whatever you choose maintains at least 20% stretch once it's fused to the fabric.

Don't forget coordinating thread; I use an all-purpose polyester thread for longevity. Stitch lines will be visible on the View A yoke, so make sure the color matches the fabric. The rest of View A and all of View B can also be sewn with the serger, so that thread will not be visible.

I'll be back next week as we begin sewing the Hive Pullover!