One out of Three

My collection of used, imperfect cashmere sweaters has grown to the point where I needed to use it or lose it. I have been wanting to create a new sweater from old ones for years so finally I bit the bullet and chose three to cut up and reconstruct.

First there is the Ebay argyle V-neck that Beth gave me a few years ago. It was in good shape, but I didn't use it much. Next there is the pink V-neck Lisa gave me when she found it at her local Drippin' Springs, TX thrift store. It had moth holes, but even so, I wore it a fair amount in MX where I received it in 2008. Lastly is the ribbed turtleneck that was worn out around the seams and edges and accumulated last winter, 2009, in Los Gatos at the Happy Dragon. The buttons are all random from a big, junky collection I bought solely for some kitty buttons amongst the lot that I used on a sweater I knit for granddaughter, Sophia in 2007.

This is how it looks with the turtleneck buttoned up. It's toasty and comfy because it's cashmere and it really doesn't itch.
And this is how it looks with the collar open.
If you look closely you can see that it is completely hand-stitched together. It was a lot of work. The hardest part wasn't even the sewing, but the laying out and fussing around trying to get it to fall right and come together. As with most things, it looks simple enough, but it was nowhere near as easy as it looks.
Yes, I made a cute little label for the inside, from some pink fabric that illustrates Paris sidewalks.

If any of you are thinking, "I want one! I want one!" Please help yourself to the idea, but don't ask me to make you one. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel differently, but right now I don't think I'll do this again. Of course, there MIGHT be a matching hat in the offing.

The Bodhi-softas are a whole lot more fun to create. I'm going back to them.