Sweater Makeover

This is a turtleneck sweater that has been made over into a cardigan. I have been wanting to do this project for a long time. I found a beautiful sweater at Goodwill, almost new, and brought it home to do my experiment. I stitched up the front, about 1/4 inch on each side of the center, then cut up the middle. 

After that, it was disastrous.  My idea was to put a binding on the edges. My first attempt stretched the sweater out of shape, despite my efforts prevent that from happening. The second attempt put a binding on that was too stiff. The third attempt took the collar off. The fourth attempt took the binding off and most of the material on the neckline, and replaced it with a small zig-zag.

Concerned family members were telling me I needed to put it away and go to bed. 

I was truly upset. This was a beautiful sweater, and I ruined it. I so wanted to be able to make into a really nice piece for my wardrobe, I was looking forward to having a pretty cardigan. Now it was only a step away from the garbage can. 

I was so frustrated seeing my project continually ruined that I was ready to (gasp!) use deconstruction-- I would sew a ways in from the edge and let the rest unravel. I was ready to do it when suddenly I realized one more thing to try....

Crochet to the rescue! And that lovely ball of eyelash yarn my mother gave me to make a scarf with. A quick single crochet around the stitched edges, and it looks really nice! The next time, I will know where to start!

Veni, Vidi, Vici

Pro 13:19  The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul

Today I finished my scrap quilt. I started it ten or more years ago. It was a king sized quilt, for my bed,  and I was planning on machine quilting it. Amy warned me it would be difficult! It was a bear!

This quilt only came out every few years, and I would try to "ram it through" the finishing process (can't you see me at my sewing machine, ramming something through it?). Then it would be put away, as I was frustrated or discouraged. 

I got it out again today, and took it to the Ladies' class for their opinion. The center part was quilted, it just needed the large borders finished. The backing had shifted and needed patching. The safety pins put in the borders 3 years ago had rusted (rule number one: never store any sewing project with the pins in it!). Gloria said I would have no trouble patching what I needed to do and putting a binding on. She quilts a lot, and that was encouraging advice; but in the end, I made it really simple. 

I cut the borders off. 

And now it is a really sweet twin-sized bedspread quilt.  I call it my Lattice quilt. 

While I was sewing the binding, my son was quizzing me with his Latin lesson. The lesson book said, that if you accomplished anything difficult this week, you were to say "Veni Vidi Vici!" so that is what we said when it was all done. 

Hooray! It is out of the closet and in use at last. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Pleasant Times Valentine 2009

"Hearts and Happiness"

click to enlarge

Lovely Links

Admiring the Locket
Giclee Print
Ricci, Pio
Buy at AllPosters.com
I have been adding new links now and then, and I wish to call your attention to a couple:

Lovely Whatevers has been updated with a new picture every evening for the month of February. The themes are Sweetness, Romance, Weddings and Valentines. Please check it often!
Also, there are some websites that do not get up at the top of the links list as blogs do. They are beautiful and fun to look through, as is this one:
All Glorious Within