The Cali Blog Squad has some serious love for the Toaster Sweaters from Sew House 7.  Do a quick search and you’ll find a handful of variations of both versions.  They work great for a huge variety of fabrics which makes it a favorite for so many of us.

These are my first versions and I feel like I’ve finally joined the cool kid club.  I now get why these patterns are so popular.  They both sew up so fast and are the perfect cozy pieces for your cold weather wardrobe.

I used a super soft sweatshirt fleece for my Toaster Sweater #1.  This color is currently out of stock but I’m loving this plum, this mottled navy, and this ivory grey heathered.  It’s nice and thick and the underside is super plush.  It has a bit of two-way stretch which worked great for this pattern.  It’s quite possibly the warmest sweatshirt I own and I know it will get worn a ton during our cold Utah winters.  I added a few inches to the length of the body, it’s quite cropped as-is and I knew I wanted it to hit mid-hip on me.

For my Toaster #2 I went a little glam and used this beautiful navy stretch velvet.  It’s so luxuriously soft on the outside and nice and silky on the inside.  I love the drape and slight shimmer it has too!

The finishing techniques in these patterns are fantastic.  In fact, as I cut out my #1 I was thinking how nice it’d look to top stitch all the seams and guess what- topstitching is actually included in the directions.  Those little professional details really set it apart.  The hem on #2 is also top notch.  I’d never finished a split hem with their technique but it really made a great finish and was so easy.  I love learning new things with each new pattern I sew up and these two were no exception.  Add in the fact that these are such quick sews (I think I cut and sewed each one in less than an hour or two) and I’m hooked.

Both patterns are super versatile depending on your fabric choice.  This velvet version was perfect for my husband’s semi-casual holiday party.  It felt pulled together but not out of place in a room full of Christmas sweaters.

They work for almost any mid to heavy weight knit.  I love both patterns in french terry and sweater knit also.  Oh!  Ponte would be fabulous too!  You know how I love Cali’s amazing ponte selection.  The possibilities seem endless.  That my friends is why these are the ‘It’ patterns this season.

Have you joined the ‘Toaster Club’?  What fabric should I try next?  I’m paralyzed with indecision because there are so many amazing possibilities.  As the temperature continue to dip, all I want is cozy Toaster goodness!