I hope the Cedar Sweater will be the next sewing pattern that you welcome into your collection! It’s a modern cropped sweatshirt designed to be paired with your favorite high waisted pants and skirts. It features two long-sleeve options and optional elbow patches. The Cedar is available in sizes 0-30, and it’s a great pattern for beginners and those who are new to sewing with knits. If you’re an experienced sewist, you’ll also enjoy the opportunities to customize, color block, and hack this pattern into something perfect and unique just for you.
The Inspiration for the Cedar Sweater
Since I’ve started sewing, I’ve fallen in love with making clothes that fit better than anything I can find in the store. Especially pants! I have a waist-to-hip ratio that does not match any ready-to-wear size charts on the planet. Once I started making pants, jeans, skirts, that properly fit, I quickly fell in love with the high-waisted silhouette. I love being able to visually lengthen my legs while showing off curves that maybe I was shy about in the past.
Naturally, I wanted to keep the same aesthetic and style of my breezy boxy summer crop tops with my high waisted pants into the fall and winter seasons. Being from Minnesota, our winters are no joke. I imagined something modern and cozy. It’s amazing that the final design of the Cedar Sweater is what I envisioned from the moment the idea was born. I remember chatting with my husband in over breakfast and talking about this perfect sweater pattern that would work with high waisted pants and he agreed with my vision, “So go make one. If this design fills a need for you, then others will probably want it too.”
The Pattern Details
The Cedar Sweater is designed to fall at your natural waist, and it’s got a good amount of ease throughout without being oversized. It’s available in sizes 0-30, up to 57″ (145cm) full bust measurement. There are two views: Crew View and Raglan View. The Crew View features classic set in sleeves while the Raglan View features a sportier look. Stylish elbow patches are available in both views.
Crew View 
Raglan View
The pattern is a PDF instant download, and includes files to print at home on A4/Letter paper, or at a copy shop in A0 large scale format. Instructions on printing and pattern assembly are included in the Cedar Pattern Instructions. For those printing at home, I’ve included details and tips on how to save paper, tape, and time.
Sewing with Knits
The Cedar Sweater is ideal for mid to heavyweight knit fabrics with 20% stretch. I’ve made one in a bouncy rayon knit with lots of drape, and I’ve made another in a bulky, textured sweater knit. My swooshy rayon Cedar is a comfy basic long-sleeve, and perfect for layering. My thick and chunky Cedar is something I throw on with leggings and slippers and achieve Hygge (ultimate coziness) while cupping a hot coffee in my hands. I love them both equally, and they are so different from each other! That’s the wonderful thing about this design, there are lots of options with the fabrics that you choose, and you can achieve the look you want with the right fabric.
Cedar Sweater Fabric Requirements … You know, if you want to get a head start on gathering your fabric. The pink striped knit pictured above is from D&H Fabrics. I got the gray French Terry below from Blackbird Fabrics.
If you’re a fan of using ribbing for neckbands and cuffs, this is a great pattern for you! There’s some great information and tips with using ribbing fabric for the bands in the Cedar Sweater instructions, and if you use ribbing with your main fabric, those calculated fabric requirements are included in the pattern too!
Beginner-Friendly
The Cedar Sweater is a fantastic pattern for beginner sewists and those who are learning how to sew their own clothes. Each step is broken down with clear illustrations, and a full sewalong blog series accompanies the sewing instructions. Whether you prefer illustrations or photos, you’ll be able to navigate the whole sewing process.
One of the Cedar Sweater Pattern Testers was a true beginner. The Cedar Sweater was the first garment she ever sewed on a sewing machine! A handful of other pattern testers sewed their first knit garment with the Cedar Sweater Pattern too! I think you’ll find the instructions and accompanying online sewalongs and tutorials will give you a clear path to achieving an awesome Cedar Sweater, and many Cedars to follow.
Quick and Satisfying
I asked the Cedar Sweater pattern tester team what they loved the most about the sewing process.
By FAR, the top answer to this question was how fast the Cedar Sweater sews up. A fast and simple project can be the most satisfying too. With the holiday season approaching, maybe there are a few people in your life who could be blessed with a handmade gift from you. You’d be able to make a well-fitting gift for someone special with just their bust measurement and an afternoon.
The Cedar Sweater can be sewn on a regular sewing machine with a zig zag stitch, or it can be sewn completely on a serger too. If you want to include the elbow patches, you’ll use your regular sewing machine for those steps. Oh, and no hemming on this pattern! If you’ve hemmed knits before, you will probably appreciate this good news!
Cedar Sweater PDF Pattern Available Now!
THANK YOU for following along with me on this wild journey and for all the encouragement along the way. A lot of heart and intention has gone into the Cedar Sweater, and I hope you enjoy it!
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Cedar Sweater PDF Pattern$13.00
