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Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

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Boardwalk Duet & Fernlace Pullover 2.0 / Handmade Wardrobe

August 21, 2019 4 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Handmade beachwear is so much fun to make! Find tips for achieving a good fit when knitting from a vintage pattern, and take a look at a handmade, 1940s-inspired swim set.

Folks, I frickin’ did it! These shorts and this sweater combined make my best-fitting handmade outfit to date, and I’m not too proud to say I’m proud! Read on for more photos of the finished outfit, and learn what kind of trouble wearing the wrong size bra can get a gal in to.

Handmade beachwear is so much fun to make! Find tips for achieving a good fit when knitting from a vintage pattern, and take a look at a handmade, 1940s-inspired swim set.
Boardwalk Duet pattern, Decades of Style

For those who read this blog closely and faithfully (bless you), I fully realize it is very much not still Me Made May, but you know what? It’s okay! The Boardwalk Duet and Fernlace Pullover were part of my May making goals this year, but at the end of the day, done is better than not done, right? At the end of the day (even if that day coincides with the end of summer), I got to wear my handmade beachwear on the shore of Lake Michigan on at least one beautiful August day. :)

Handmade beachwear is so much fun to make! Find tips for achieving a good fit when knitting from a vintage pattern, and take a look at a handmade, 1940s-inspired swim set.

Boardwalk Duet

Sewing Pattern: 1940s Boardwalk Duet from Decades of Style / Main fabric: Daisies from Windham Fabrics in Blue / Lining: Pure Elements from Art Gallery Fabrics in Moonstone / Buttons: daisy shank buttons

The 1940s Boardwalk Duet from Decades of Style was a pretty quick sewing project that didn’t take a ton of yardage. It was a great way for me to learn buttonholes for the first time ever, and making the top taught me some valuable lessons about sizing and fit.

Handmade beachwear is so much fun to make! Find tips for achieving a good fit when knitting from a vintage pattern, and take a look at a handmade, 1940s-inspired swim set.

As you can see, the top of my daisy-riffic take on the Boardwalk Duet is too big. Going forward, I need to decide ahead of time whether I intend to wear a bra with a top like this or not. And since I don’t have the flattest chest in the world, I need to consider what exactly I’m looking for in terms of support the next time I make a bralette or other bodice I plan on wearing on its own. Simple errors and insights, but for the sake of everyone’s journey to a well-fitted wardrobe, I’ll share them just the same. :)

Handmade beachwear is so much fun to make! Find tips for achieving a good fit when knitting from a vintage pattern, and take a look at a handmade, 1940s-inspired swim set.

The shorts, on the other hand, are super duper comfy and fit me well. I don’t think they’re the most flattering pair of shorts I’ve ever worn in my whole life, but I love the feel of the fit. The shorts hit my waist exactly right, they’re tall enough that I don’t get wedgies, and they’re a comfy length. I loved pairing them with my new Fernlace Pullover to achieve a beachy, late summer 1940s look!

Other people’s Boardwalk Duets: Gracefully Vintage / a.malmin / micahwalshsews / sewnbysneak / #boardwalkduet on Instagram

Fernlace Pullover (revisited)

The idea of knitting the same sweater pattern more than once may sound daunting, but I couldn’t recommend it more, particularly if you’re working to achieve a better fit for your handmade sweaters. Case in point: This light blue sweater is my second go at knitting the Fernlace Pullover, a vintage knitting pattern from 1938. In a previous post, I shared a gloriously yellow version of the same sweater, sharing the issues I ran into with its fit. Namely I made it too wide and overall a little too big.

Yarn: Ewe Ewe Yarns’ Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue / Pattern: Fernlace Pullover

Handmade beachwear is so much fun to make! Find tips for achieving a good fit when knitting from a vintage pattern, and take a look at a handmade, 1940s-inspired swim set.
My husband calls this my “old timey lady” look.

Talkin’ ’bout bras again…

Turns out, the issue with both the Boardwalk Duet top and my first take on the Fernlace Pullover are, dun dun DUHNNNN, THE SAME EXACT THING! I was working from a bust measurement taken wearing my pre-weight loss bra, which is two cup sizes larger than my new bras. So even though, yes, my body is objectively the same size in my old and new bras, the bra itself was affecting the measurement.

Breaking it down in numbers.

  • That’s right, yours truly sewed a top for a 38″ bust and was “surprised” when a 36″ bust didn’t work out so well wearing it.
  • This brain genius also knit an entire sport weight sweater for a 38″ bust, and you can surmise the rest.
Handmade beachwear is so much fun to make! Find tips for achieving a good fit when knitting from a vintage pattern, and take a look at a handmade, 1940s-inspired swim set.

But never fear! I am OBSESSED with my light blue Fernlace Pullover. The puff sleeves of my sweater hit precisely where they should to stay in place. My gauge was good for both sweaters, but I was simply knitting the wrong size. As my body has changed, I’m getting used to visually estimating what clothes fit me now. Particularly as I blog about new additions to my handmade wardrobe, I am now much better at understanding what will and won’t fit the shape of my body. I still have a TON to learn, but on the far side of a summer that began with, “Hey, let’s try Me Made May to wrap my head around what works for me and my new shape,” I’m feeling massively more confident in my sewing skills and fit comprehension, and it’s making me feel so much better about myself and how I look. It’s great!

Handmade beachwear is so much fun to make! Find tips for achieving a good fit when knitting from a vintage pattern, and take a look at a handmade, 1940s-inspired swim set.

This post contains affiliate links. Read our Privacy Policy.

Filed Under: Handmade Wardrobe, Knitting, Sewing Tagged With: 1940s sweater, boardwalk duet, fernlace pullover, handmade wardrobe, Knitting, me made may, Sewing, vintage knitting

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is an artist, author and crafts designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame. In addition to running the Hands Occupied Blog and Pattern Shop, you can find her making videos & co-hosting the Very Serious Crafts podcast.

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Comments

  1. Emileigh

    August 22, 2019 at 1:16 am

    Love this outfit!!! Size changes are tricky to deal with, especially when first learning how to make adjustments. (I had to adjust to a newer size right before I got pregnant and some of my projects were thrown off for a bit, too.) But making things from the same pattern DOES help, and you’ve done a wonderful job on both pieces!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      August 22, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Thank you so much, Emileigh! I think, even for my own stubbornness – let alone skill-building, I’ll have to make this again next year, or at LEAST the top if I’m short on time. :)

      Reply
  2. Lara

    August 26, 2019 at 5:20 am

    Absolutely love the sweater!!!! Great job
    Lara

    Reply
    • Heidi

      August 26, 2019 at 9:37 am

      Thank you!

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

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There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s ab There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s about how I’m going to take the next 2 weeks off to rest & recharge. ☺️🧶 No new content for y’all means I can also take a moment to zoom out & plan what’s next. Link is in bio. 
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A note on Very Serious Crafts: In the post I discuss stepping away from the @seriouscrafts podcast to give myself more time to devote to some minor medical issues. Don’t you worry - my health will be fine, & @molliejohanson @redhandledscissors and I are still pals, and after a short break of their own, the podcast will be back! Just sans moi. 💁🏼‍♀️😆 
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Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it shoul Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it should be. ☺️🎄The past few days have been filled with a lot of catching up on festive zoom calls & raising toasts to the camera. 🥂 Connecting with people has been a welcome change of pace! Now I’m feeling ready to meet my inevitable end-of-year deadlines. 😆
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Warmest wishes for the season, my friends! ❤️💛💙
Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker beh Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker behind Hands Occupied! 👋🏻 I’ve been enjoying making Reels a lot lately, but I wanted to bop in to share a regular photo & say hello. 🤓 
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rather than giving you my bio right now, I have a question. I just got this new sweater & I can’t stop imaging how funny it would be to wear this to a knitting class ... is that bad? 🤣🤣🤣
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Pictured: a blond woman with glasses wearing a sweater that reads “all your sweaters are ugly” standing in front of a Christmas tree.
Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is o Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is one of the most common methods for finishing a knitting project and helping ensure its final size and shape. Learn basic blocking for absolute beginners in an easy-to-follow (non-Reel!) video tutorial! Catch the tutorial on YouTube or the Hands Occupied Blog, link is in bio. 🧶 #handsoccupied #stopswatchandblockit #KPAmbassadorsDec20 #sponsored
Had to share this perfect capture of one of my fav Had to share this perfect capture of one of my favorite weird homemade Christmas ornaments: a simple macramé Santa face with beads for the eyes and nose! My Great-Grandma made it too. 🎄
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Might have to try making a quickie Reel tutorial for this guy - I think it’s the perfect project for it, don’t you? 🎅🏼 #handsoccupied #macrame
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