520 Mock Turtle Sweater Pullover - Done 2 Ways

by Molly Hamilton

Both Esi and I love the 520 Mock Turtle Polar Pullover Sweater pattern and have had our eye on making a version for ourselves since this past winter.  The 520 Mock Turtle Sweater is a simple, oversized and warm pullover sewing pattern to make a cozy sweater with an optional front hand-warming pocket and a drawstring waist (to keep out cold wind).  It is designed to be made with Polar Fleece with a microfleece neck lining.  Both fabrics are wonderful and warm, but you don't have to use a fleece (Polar fleece or microfleece) to make this pattern.  Any fabric that has a little bit of stretch to it will work fine.  Other options could be a sweatshirt fabric, stretch wool, Ponte knits, or French terry.

Esi made her version first. She used a Recycled Poly Fleece in the color Heretic, and for the neck lining and pocket lining used a Micro Fleece Chamois in Charcoal.  The Recycled Poly Fleece is a medium weight fleece and is very warm.  The Microfleece Chamois is super soft and lightweight, so perfect for a neck and pocket lining.  We love these fabrics for keeping us toasty in winter, whether it is on a hike or working in our drafty concrete floor studio.  Esi didn't change much to the pattern, just shortened the front and back by 2".  She kept the waist drawstring and toggle and the front pocket which keeps her hands warm when she's out and about.  She loves this comfortable sweater, especially since it gets quite cold in our office in the winter.

I made my version this summer.  I actually cut the fabric I wanted to use months before, washed it, and got it ready to use.  I love the color and coziness of our organic cotton sweatshirt fleece, especially the yellow.  However, I am notorious for skimping on the yardage suggested for a pattern.  I know (because I do the work) that usually yardage requirements are a little generous (pattern companies don't want you to buy the yardage they suggest to find that it is not enough -- much better to be a little too much than not enough).  But, The Green Pepper patterns are pretty accurate for yardage requirements.  So I cut less yardage than the pattern suggested.  But to be fair, my fabric was a little wider than the pattern indicates and I was shortening the front and back length, so I thought I could get away with reducing the yardage by a half yard.  But, as I have found in the past, when there is a long sleeve in the pattern, it is usually not a good idea to reduce the yardage.  So!  I ended up cutting short sleeves for this pullover because I did not have enough fabric to make long sleeves.  And, I reduced the length of the body of the pullover by about 4" (10cm).  I did not put a front pocket in the pullover, and I did not add a drawstring to the waist either.  I also used the same fabric for the lining of the neck as for the outer layer. 

I decided this pullover would be a summer (or shoulder season) sweater and I would wear it on cooler summer days and warm spring/fall days.  We had some cooler weather last week, and I wore it out for the first time, and immediately got a compliment from someone about it -- loved the color and design!  So if you want to do the same, you can shorten the sleeves at the lengthen/shorten line on the pattern and true the lines (draw new lines connecting the sleeve sides) to make short sleeves (or 3/4-length sleeves).  I just rolled by sleeves to cuff them for my style.

So, I am enjoying this pullover and looking forward to making another sweater from this pattern with long sleeves that I will wear this coming winter!

Anyone else have to shorten sleeves because they skimped on the fabric?  And how would you like to make this 520 Mock Turtle Sweater?  What fabric would you use?