Bethiouas for Everyone!

I’ve been on a mission to sew everyone sweaters for fall.  And I’m getting pretty close!  First I sewed one for myself, then I made David one as part of his Future Explorer look for Sewing For Kindergarten.  I used leftover Beckery Cable Knit Fabric from my cardigan to make his, but a different pattern.   As I was sewing it, I just fell in love with the clever details of this simple raglan that I knew I had to sew another, and another, and then another!

The Bethioua is another German pattern made possible by Annika from Naeh Connection.  If you were here Tuesday, you remember me raving about how she’s pretty much singlehandedly making sewing a universal language by translating English patterns for German seamstresses and German patterns for English seamstresses.  She currently has 17 patterns available in her Naeh Connection English shop, and rumor has it there are many more to come!

We took note of the Bethioua when it was first published, but didn’t purchase it because I already had a raglan pattern that I loved and didn’t need another pattern.  Or so I told myself.  But now that I’ve sewn the Bethioua, I’ve realized how silly my delay was…I will continue to sew BOTH of my raglan patterns…often!

 

The Bethioua pattern comes is women AND children’s sizes.  It is created by Elle Puls.  One of our favorite things about the Bethioua pattern is the back.  That curved seam is just too pretty!  And the seam on the back of the sleeves offers a really unique opportunity for stripe pattern matching (photo tutorial included in the kid’s pattern.)

Allegra loves the batwing sleeves due, which make the Bethioua pattern perfect for layering.  This pattern can be made in sizes 34-54 for women, and sizes 104-134 for kids.  (Don’t worry about not knowing your European size, the pattern has handy measurement charts to figure out your size in both centimeters and inches.)  The largest sizes in the women’s pattern have optional bust darts.  Another unique feature of the Bethioua pattern is the darts at the top of the sleeve.  This makes the shoulders lay sooooo perfectly, even in thicker fabrics like I was using.  The instructions are short and sweet with drawn illustrations.  Both patterns have options for a straight hem, a curved hem, and a hem band.  The sleeves can be finished with a cuff or simply hemmed.

I tried to include different elements of the Bethioua patterns in each of the Bethioua sweaters I sewed.  David’s was sewn first, as part of his Future Explorer look.  His has a straight hem and hemmed sleeves.  Here’s the nitty gritty on that Future Explorer look:

Shirt:

Pattern: Kids Bethioua Pattern from the Naeh Connection Shop

Fabric: Nautica Beckery Cable Knit from Cali Fabrics  and Sweatshirt Fleece Fabric-Navy from JoAnn Fabrics.  Jersey is used for the neckband due to sweatshirt fleece not having enough stretch for a neckband.
Sweatpants:
Pattern: Parachute Sweatpants from Oliver + S
Fabric: Sweatshirt Fleece Fabric – Light Gray Heathered from JoAnn Fabrics

Next I made the Women’s Bethioua Aria is modeling.  But a  disclaimer here, the Bethioua is not hers, it is a gift for someone a few sizes larger than her, just so you know about the way it fits accurately.  The women’s Bethioua pattern can be found here in the Naeh Connection shop.  The top part of the sweater is athletic french terry, and the bottom is argyle sweater fleece, bought at the Hancock Fabrics going out of business sale.  There are 2 similar at JoAnn Fabrics, one green and navy and one pink and navy.

This Bethioua has a curved back hem and cuffed sleeves.  The argyle was a bit tricky to make the pattern match across the side seams, but I came close enough to be happy with the end result!

Next I cut out the other Women’s Bethioua pattern that Allegra is wearing.  The top part of her sweater is fabric leftover from making this skirt, and the bottom is sweater fleece, also from Hancock Fabrics.  These stripes were much easy to pattern match across the side seams than the argyle!  This Bethioua has a curved hem in back and cuffed sleeves.

After I cut out Allegra’s Bethioua pattern I saw that I would have just enough fabric left to make a kids Bethioua for Baby!  I made both the boys the smallest size of the kid’s pattern…which means I’ll be able to sew this pattern for them for years to come!  The top of his sweater is Sweatshirt Fleece Fabric-Black from JoAnn Fabrics also.  I made his with a curved back hem, and hemmed sleeves.  I used black jersey fabric for the neckband since sweatshirt fleece doesn’t have good stretch.

And then we had one of the cutest, most crowded photo shoots ever!  I just snapped away as quickly as I could trying to capture that laughter, playfulness and delight of my children in their new sweaters!

Now don’t be silly like I was and delay buying this fantastic pattern… 

Affiliate links are used in this post because I love fabric, and fabric isn’t FREE!  If you click on an affiliate link, I might make a couple of pennies on a sale.  Heavy emphasis on the might…