Didn't do it like that when I was young!

When I started knitting many moons ago all sweaters (or jumpers as they were called then) were knitted in the same way - you knitted the back, then the front then the sleeves and finally the neckband - after all this the pieces had to be sewn together and like many other knitters I found the sewing up bit was the boring bit that had to be done - something to be endured so that the finished garment could be worn.

Nowadays it is all about seamless knitting - starting at the top you knit down and there are no seams at all! 

What's more once you understand the process it is very easy to adapt a pattern.  for instance this sweater - Lipstick by Joji was originally a short-sleeved cardigan, but I noticed that several test knitters had changed design from the cardigan to a sweater and I thought I can do that and I did!

So now I am really hooked on the top-down approach to knitting sweaters!  I have just finished another - this time in a Sweet Georgia yarn called 'Grape Jelly' - love the colour, but not so impressed with the quality of the yarn.  There were tiny bits of undyed yarn and where the dye hadn't taken the yarn split - very strange - and there were knots - not good when you have paid £19.00 a 100 grams!

Why you may ask this sudden interest in sweaters and cardigans, rather shawls - well over the last six months I have been gradually losing weight - after a bit of a scare over the possibility of being diabetic - my GP set a target weight and I am now less than a kilo off her target - whoo hoo!  So instead of hiding away I am showing off my new found self by knitting some pretty special garments

Next is Boxy and Buttony an oversized top, not to hide the bulges but to show off the new self.  This I am knitting in a very hot pink, so there will be no hiding place in this!  This one is started at the shoulders - with a faux button band!

I have several others queued, with yarn bought and patterns chosen - just need more hours in the day to get them all knitted so I can start wearing them..........