What is it about Tom Scott that captures my attention?  Whoever would think to take the traditional cardigan, flip it around, and call it fashionable?  Tom Scott!  AND, whoever would think to design a garment that is knitted from the bottom to the top, but is supposed to be worn sideways?  You would think that designing a sweater would be challenging enough, but Tom Scott clearly takes it to the next level.  Here, you can see what I mean.

Traditional Cardigan

This is the SAME garment worn upside down.  The bottom edge is now the neckline.

AND, he plays around with designs that can be worn sideways.

 You begin knitting this starting with the bottom ribbing and working your way going up, you eventually make a hole for the neckline and finish with ribbing.  What causes the knit to be sideways is the way you wear it slipping your head through the neck hole and one arm through the ribbed sleeve.  The other arm comes out the bottom giving it the sideways drape.

Now, I love avant garde fashion but we all can admit that if a garment is worn sideways, it just might need a little help in holding that shape over time.  After all, it is not every day you bring your arm through the bottom of a garment and walk around town!  And, then think to call it fashionable!

The sensation of wearing this, even through the photo shoot, was of it wanting to pull down.  So, in trouble-shooting mode, I tried to sense where the pulling was occurring.  And, of course it was pulling at the side where the gathered fabric is, on the side where the side slit is at the hip.   An easy fix, I thought.  Do we not see shirred seaming in today’s fashion and would that not hold the fabric permanently in place?

So, here is what I did.  For demonstration purposes, I used red scrap yarn but on the side that I wanted shirred, I took some of the scrap project yarn.  You can see a plastic darning needle works perfectly as the softness of the point does not split any yarn as it is traveling through it.  Sew in and out, along the seam you want sewn (or shirred, in this case) and up, around and down you go.  The photos are in sequence here so that you can see.  Once around, you see the two ends of the yarn dangling.  Perfect.  Try it on, pull on the yarns together, tie off, weave in the ends. and the piece is secure for every day wearing.   This took me all of 10 minutes when I got home that day.  Another five or ten for this demonstration below which, of course, has been now taken out.

Here I am with my darning needle going up the seam along the side seam of the piece.

You can see the fabric begin to pucker which is what you WANT!  Here I have turned to go down the other side of the side seam.

I am nearing the end of the seam that I have now gone up, down, and around.

Below, you see the two ends of yarn.  Perfect!  Try it on and adjust!

This is a shirred seam.  You see it in fashion EVERYWHERE!

 And, for extra measure, I added seam tape to the back of the neckline to secure it as well, a technique I often do to prevent stretching in areas that I know ultimately take a beating with wear and tear.

Here I am feeling brilliant and ready to go and showing off the true cornflower blue color of the piece.