Well, there it is. I love cardigans and button-down tops. I am hereby admitting that I have struggled with Gap-osis for all of my adult life; well actually since puberty. In fact this has been such a problem that for many years I would not buy or make buttoned tops. I know many of you more “fully-fashioned” women out there know what I’m talking about. Now I love my girls, but … everyone can tell when you put a safety pin on the wrong side to hold the fronts together. It makes that little pucker that is as annoying as gap-osis itself.

I have saved my buttoned tops for wearing during times when I know I will teach at Stitches or another venue where they give me a REALLY BIG NAME TAG. My awful secret is then hidden from view–or at least *I* think it is.

So, I was in denial when I came across this cute little cotton top [with buttons] and determined I would make it. (For fun. Not my own design.) After three years of not working on it, I finally finished it and I was so happy…except for the front opening. I knew what would happen. So, I devised A Plan. I picked up and knitted a buttonband and a buttonhole band. I bought cute buttons. I sewed the buttons on– and sewed the buttonband to the edge where I had picked up for the buttonhole band. Voila! A pullover top that looks like a buttoned top. And I can always take out that seam and convert the sweater to a cardi. But not very likely.

Here is the top in question:

As a cardigan:

But really a pullover:

Now I can at least wear this cute top around the house without blushing. The only other problem is that it is sleeveless and that is an issue in and of itself… I am not sure what I was thinking when I chose to make this, but it is cute and I enjoyed it!