Ellie’s Talvikki Sweater!

The Talvikki Sweater from Named Clothing has been on my “to make” list for the longest time. I love those clean, crisp lines of the darted funnel neck and simple-yet-effective design. The stacked hem adds a point of interest, and the deep side vents add extra comfort and movement in contrast to the structured neckline.

When I saw this taupe fleece-backed cotton jersey I just knew it would be a perfect match for the pattern. There is a subtle marl in the weave of the fabric, which adds texture and depth to an otherwise plain fabric. It’s a great balance between cosy but lightweight – perfect for cooler spring and summer evenings, right through to those chilly autumn days.

The sizing is the only slight issue I had with this make. Based on my measurements, I cut a size L to start with, but let me tell you now to size down! I ended up taking the side seams in quite a lot so that it didn’t swamp me. I also tapered the sleeve down to a XS from elbow to cuff. Next time I would cut a size M for the body for a better fit.

When it came to cutting the fabric, I tried to be as fabric efficient as possible. I folded the selvedges of the fabric in towards the centre to cut the front and back pieces. After pinning these pieces in place, I double checked that I was left with enough fabric for the two sleeves, which were cut on the fold as normal (so selvedge to selvedge, rather than selvedge to middle).

I was also sure to use knit interfacing on the neckline facing to avoid losing any stretch – essential for getting the sweater over your head! I cut the interfacing in the direction of greatest stretch, just as you would with the main fabric. To attach the interfacing, I used a low iron temperature and no steam to achieve a smooth finish without any ripples.

Constructing the garment was fairly simple, once I’d got the darts in place which create the shaping around the neckline. I marked the darts using pins and stitched with a straight stitch. Due to the fleece backing of the fabric, I ironed from the right side on a medium heat with a little steam to set the darts.

Other than the fitting issues, the sweater came together nice and easily. Since I can never avoid adding an extra little detail, I finished the sleeves and hem with a daisy chain stitch and a daisy label from This is for Makers. I love how these details round the garment off nicely and give it a luxury feel.

I know this is going to become my go-to sweater for cooler days. The fabric is so soft, washes brilliantly, and just works perfectly for this structured but loose garment. 

Thank you as always to Felicitys for giving me the opportunity to work with this lovely fabric!

Thanks for reading,

@what_ellie_sews