Knitting for a thinner me

One of the challenges of losing all that weight is my lack of things to wear that I actually knitted myself.  I broke down and got rid of some of my knits that are much too big now; having made them and loved them, it was difficult to give them up.  A couple others expired due to old age, just worn out.  I had a couple of classic items, knitted ages ago in sturdy synthetic fibers, that are very wearable now, but I want to knit myself some new things.

I am doing so many things that are important to me, including working at my terrific nonprofit job, hanging out with my husband, answering reader emails, teaching seminars, planning for seminars, and writing the next product (I'm currently almost finished with "Finishing School," a 2-DVD set with an extensive set of sweater assembly and finishing technique lessons for both hand and machine knitters) that I don't have much time to knit for myself.

I am realizing, trying on and purchasing retail clothing, that a slim person wants completely different sweaters.  I have to learn and adapt.  I need less ease, now, obviously, but I also want a little more length than I used to prefer.  And, I feel cold weather and air conditioning so much more now that I want much warmer things. 

I actually knitted two sweaters that aren't fully assembled, and I think I'll celebrate the completion of "Finishing School" by doing some finishing of my own!  Also, I've acquired some  luscious mohair yarn from a Webs sale.  I suppose it'll be springtime before I get all this done, but heck, these Texans do love their air conditioning so much that I need a sweater along most places I go.  Maybe the new mohair needs to be a cardigan. 

Along the way, I came up with an idea for a simpler way to do an enclosed "industrial" neckband, using a ribber.  The rose sweater I'm making has my first attempt at it, and I folded the turtle neck up to photograph the spot where it joins the sweater.  Maybe I'll get this shortcut into a video soon.