Last minute fleece sweater for travel or "making it up as I go along" ...

Here I am warmly reading on my flight to California.

I don't know about you, but I am usually freezing on an airplane.  I just got back from a trip to California for my husband's family reunion.  We were in Lompoc, just north of Santa Barbara and the weather can be down right chilly in the morning and evenings, even in the summer.  I needed something warm that would pack small and would fit under this really nice lightweight windbreaker I just bought. Nothing keeps me as warm as polar fleece.
More and more I am trying to travel with only carry on luggage. Partially because I don't want to pay the fee, but also it saves time at the airport and it is SO much easier moving around and checking in and out of hotels.

Here's the nice windbreaker.

I've had this really nice, soft lightweight fleece for years.

Here are my pieces ready to go.

I join the two parts of the sleeves with a strip of the same knit as the binding. This shows the inside and the outside.

I stretch the slit out straight to apply the binding, taking the seam allowance down to nothing at the end of the slit.

That fits into this cute little pouch.

Problem is, it was barely a yard and very irregularly shaped. I figured I could make it work if I squeezed out the skimpy top, from the pattern there, (not the vest) cut it up the front and bind all the edges with beige knit .. OH and make the sleeves in two pieces! Kind of a Chanel fleece jacket.

I use a rotary cutter to make my binding.

I cut a slit to make a thumb hole.

If this were woven binding I probably would have stitched in the ditch, but all this knit was too wiggly, so I hand stitched the back of all the binding.

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What to use for the front closing???? I have these really neat leopard print buttons, but they are too, too heavy for this light fabric.

Maybe a zipper? But it's the wrong color, too short and there's no way to sew it on nicely.

Just like Goldilocks, the third try worked. I had some very light weight decorative hooks. I sewed 5 down the front.

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Finished sweater .....

Folds up nice and small.

Fits into my carry on tote bag along with the windbreaker in it's stuff sack, my computer, water bottle, small purse, book and banana! CALIFORNIA HERE I COME