Aran sweater transformed

Ages ago, I received via Freecycle, on a day of 100 plus heat, a couple of beautiful, brand new handknitted Irish Aran sweaters, one a sleeveless vest, one a long sleeve. Now that the weather is cool enough to try on, I've done the alteration that made the vest into a sleeveless coat, which almost reaches my knees, warm, lovely and approved by Duncan.

What I did was cut right up the center to the V neck, leaving bobbles evenly on each side, then run basting stitches to stabilize the end loops, then turn under and hem in a way that now looks like a lapel. The thread I used to hem was the handspun from the fiber share Heather gave me. That is the gift that keeps on giving! Excellent match in quality and weight to the knitted yarn. As you see. This will soon be in use. If you want to see closer up, click on the picture, then click again on it once it shows up in its own screen.



Next I have to do similar work on the long sleeve sweater, which will not only yield a coat for me, but legwarmers from the excess sleeve I have to cut off, for HP. We'll match.

There's another item, not related to the Aran haul, though, in the mail to someone who ought to receive it maybe today, so I will refrain from showing a picture in here, not to spoil the surprise.