Tiny Ondée

I know I promised a while ago I would show you my test version of the Ondée cropped sweater, the second pattern of the new jersey collection from Deer&Doe. But before I could even take the pictures… it shrank in the wash!! I thought I would not post about it, but then I figured, a tiny Ondée is better than no Ondée at all, right?

I guess that’s today’s lesson: even if you’re in a rush, you’ve just received an adorable pattern for a cropped sweater that will go with every single item in your wardrobe, that you need, like, right now, and you’ve just come back from the fabric store… don’t. skip. prewashing! I stupidly thought that my fabric was synthetic and that I would be able to cut directly into it, but it wasn’t, and I ended up with a cropped-cropped-top, bordering empire-waist.

Ondée is already very short to begin with. Before the doomed laundry day, this version used to stop right at the top of my high-waisted skirts, similarly to my Miette cardigan. I even thought I would have to lengthen the next one by an inch or so, as I have a pretty long torso, just so I could move freely without it riding up too much. Post-laundry, I have several inches of midriff showing, and that’s a no-go (midriff is so 2012 anyway).

So I had it stored in the dark corner of my closet reserved for those things I should give away or throw out but I’m keeping anyway because I made them, until I realized I could wear it on the second Centaurée dress I made last summer. Eureka! Since this dress is very high-waisted (that was before I realized I have to lengthen the bust of every Deer&Doe pattern by about an inch for the waist seam to hit my natural waist), it’s a great match. Of course, because the waist is too high, the proportions are not the most flattering, but I’m still glad I found an outfit that works with this sweater, especially one this comfortable.

I was even more relieved as I had loved that fabric dearly and I was very sorry I had wasted it. It’s a reversible knit from Joann, with polka dots on one side and stripes on the other. It’s also 82% rayon and 18% cotton (hence the shrinking!) and it’s sooo soft. Turns out Devon from Miss Make used the exact same one to make a crop top, hers from Colette’s Moneta dress pattern.

As for the pattern, I love it too! I’m especially fond of the neck, sleeves and hem bands, as they mean that no hemming is needed. It’s also a very quick make: with the pattern already traced, I think cutting and sewing the next one should take me barely more than an hour.

Well, I guess I just need to make another one now, with prewashed fabric this time!

Tiny Ondée
Ondée – Deer&Doe
Size 36,5 (W) – 38 (B)
Reversible knit from Joann