Sweater Refashion: A Good Start

A few things still need to be picked up from the outlet they've been sent to but otherwise we are completely done our Christmas shopping. YEAH. Howard and I went for brunch, planned our path, shopped, had coffee, and spent a wonderful day together. We've always done it this way. Holidays are enough work without the woman doing everything and together is far more fun.

A related discussion came up at knitting last night. It was about developing a routine in retirement and what some men expect and some women resent. Howard and I are not retired yet but it's certainly something to think about in a new way. I have thought about it before as in a start as you mean to go on way.

The day we got home from our honeymoon I explained that I could make his lunch if he'd like to make mine and I could do his laundry if he'd like to do mine but otherwise, we were both adults and I was neither the maid nor his mother.  IMHO - it's important to develop a co-operative relationship with give and take on both sides instead of a one-sided situation and - because women naturally nurture - to learn to delegate. But maybe that's just my soapbox.

On Saturday, I went to the thrift store looking for a pair of shoes to paint. I couldn't find any in my size or a child's size that I liked so I looked at purses instead and bought a faux leather cosmetic bag that is small and firm and will make a good choice for a first project. AND THEN... I found this Lollipops bag in perfect condition, never used - a British brand which makes me wonder how it ended up here. It's a fun piece and I really needed a new purse. Mine was embarrassingly trashed. The cashier couldn't stop drooling - LOL.

The yarn store did have some skeins of plain colored sock yarn tucked in among the variegated. The one on the left is a grey silk blend with a bit of sparkle and the one on the right is plain black. The skeins fit in my knitting bag so storage is not a problem. I started the grey one last night in a lace pattern and pulled out the variegated one I'd started on the weekend. There's not enough yarn for a pair my size so I'll use it to knit little people socks once I find a pattern.

With shopping yesterday and knitting last night, there was no time to work on the sweater refashion but I made a good start on the weekend. The original was an XL men's cardigan. You can see how it absolutely dwarfs Millicent - my dress form - and yet...

... it's still difficult to get the pieces cut out. My hip width is often the same and the underarm distance is an issue. My bust has to equal the sweater's chest. It's typically the waist and shoulders that have the extra fabric. Above is the front. I couldn't cut the extension for buttons or the full length at center front - which is fine - it leaves room to explore.

Each piece was cut separately. Before unpinning the pattern, I fused a narrow strip of interfacing along the edge and then either zigzagged or serged over it depending on which seam it was and whether it needed to be softer or firm.

The original sweater had the arm with the green band on the same side as the front with the grey-green band.  It seemed more interesting - and better balanced - to alternate them. The fronts only meet at the center.

I had the perfect - and free because it was found in stash - edging. The two things to pay attention to with this refashion is not to get too fussy and not to veer off into old lady territory. The color blocking is such a clean detail that fussy could quickly happen. I tried different ideas for a collar and the edging looks best but could easily scream old lady depending on where I go next. I'll work on it tonight. Wendy is coming to sew. First I need to clean house.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - plain socks yarn, refashioning fun, finished shopping, together time