Cardigan Reincarnation

Early in January I read Suzann's TextileFusion blog. She showed how she renovated her cardigan by cutting it for darts and adding length with pleats. Very good photos included with her text. She inspired me to take another look at a cardigan I had shelved for a couple (or more) years.

I knit this cardigan when the oversized sweaters with drop shoulders were in fashion so it was always large on me. I wore it then but later the fit wasn't comfortable. Okay, I pulled it out from the bottom of the sweater stack, laid it on the dining room chair so I had to look at it a couple of times a day. Then I got braver and actually pinned it as Suzanne suggested. After several more days of looking at it, trying it on and adjusting the pins; I got brave enough to make the running stitch and take it to the sewing machine. I sewed it well inside the marked running stitch, just in case. While I still had this warrior mentality, I grabbed the scissors and cut.

I also turned the button hole bands to the inside and sewed them down like a facing. I thought about making frogs for a front closure but the design may be too busy for that. It is still large in the body and arms but not nearly as bad. I had never cut my knitting, steeks sounded scary. If I ever do this again, it should be easier and probably not as overly cautious.