Nina Lee Southbank Sweater & Sweater Dress

I thought it high time I wrote a review of the Southbank, having just completed my third version. I’ve worn one or other of my previous two almost every week this winter, as it’s a design that manages to look quite smart while being super comfy. I first made I one for a weekend city break, as it can be squashed into a cabin bag without creasing and go from day to evening.  A complete outfit in one item, plus warm tights, has to be a winner.
The version in the photo is of a stable knit, which holds its shape well. If you’re interested in a fabric that needs stripe matching, I found that by matching the stripes at the front armhole notches, the rest fell perfectly into place. My other versions are in French Terry and a cable knit Ponte Roma. Both worked well. A sweatshirt-type fabric is ideal.
I made a size 10 graded to a 12 at the hip, which is standard for me.  I lengthened the body by an inch or so as it’s quite mini. Just a matter of personal preference.
The instructions are very clear and straightforward. I make the whole garment on my overlocker but the instructions cover making it on a sewing machine. The band on the bottom edge and the cuffs means that there’s no hemming to be done. Can be cut out and completed in half a day.

This pattern is a serious contender for "least time in stash"!

Nina's patterns are always well-drafted and come with great instructions.

I made v1, the dress, and added a balloon sleeve hack for a little bit extra.

I graded between sizes, which is fairly standard for me. Bust 10, waist and hip 12 then 14 for the band to avoid waddling like a penguin!

There are more details on my blog - https://yorkiemousehousehome.wordpress.com/2020/11/15/sparkly-southbank/

My perfect sweater?

Am loving the sporty proportions of the cropped length Southbank with “slouchily” (very) long sleeves.  Overall a closer fit and thus warmer than the LB Pullover, but probably too close-fitting to wear much underneath other than a silk vest.  Can see me making several, long enough to tuck in, as base-layer polo necks.

Comparison

You can see it here with five other sweater patterns all from The Foldline.

Top Row: Southbank by Nina Lee; LB Pullover by Paper Theory; Toaster #1 by Sew House Seven.

Bottom Row: Orono by Itch to Stitch; Talvikki by Named; Jocko by Ready to Sew

Making up

I cut a size 10 but graded out an additional 1” at the waist and graded out the sleeve to size 12 (+ 0.5cm) each side at the bicep.  Same ponte roma fabric and machine settings as for the LB Pullover.  This was also a quick make – from start to finish in an afternoon but slightly trickier than the LB Pullover.  I tacked the more-fitted sleeve head, and the cuffs were an additional operation.

Fitting and alterations

Very happy with the body fit and I like the snug neck but would consider making a size 12 next time to accommodate a T-shirt underneath.  Although I knew the sleeves would probably be too long on me, I went with the pattern length unaltered in order to experience the “slouchily long” design.  An inch shorter would be more comfortable on me.  Alternatively, a sleeve half an inch longer could incorporate a large buttonhole for the thumb to pull the sleeve even further down the hand in keeping with the sporty motif.

When the first heavy frost of the winter came yesterday morning, I knew it was time to finally make the very popular Southbank Sweater Dress.  I used a cable textured charcoal black jersey.

I made the standard size 16 with no adjustments. The construction is very simple and the whole dress took 3.5 hours from cutting out to completion. I like the depth of the cuffs and despite my height, I didn’t lengthen the bodice as that would detract from the overgrown sweater vibe and ,besides I have nice legs!!

I’d  love to make another one, perhaps a textured muted red and the only changes I would make would be to omit the pockets as these look slightly clumsy.

Today I felt cosy and warm as we walked around York’s Bar Walls despite the chill.

The Southbank Sweater is a simple shape and made from stretch fabric so there’s no need to worry too much about fitting, which was great. I had seen a lot of gorgeous versions on Instagram, so it had been on my list for a while.
I cut out Version 1 in a size 10 on the bust, 12 on the waist and a 14 on the hips and graded between them. It was my first time making a Nina Lee pattern, so I wanted to make sure I had enough room. It doesn’t seem too baggy or tight anywhere, so clearly I made the right choice! I found the only sizing issue was that the collar was a little too small for my head, which means it’s a squeeze when I put it on or take it off. I wonder if it’s because the fabric I chose is quite thick?
My gorgeous fabric is a Liberty sweatshirting from Guthrie and Ghani . I ordered 1.8 meters, which is what is recommended for the size 12 in 150cm width fabric and it fitted perfectly with only a few scraps leftover.
You can read the full review on my blog here – https://www.julesmadethis.wordpress.com/2019/03/24/southbank-sweater/