Were you sitting up nights wondering about the sweater I cut up back in October? I mean I’m going to assume the answer is an absolutely resounding nope! But I’m still going to show you how it held up.

So, back in October I dug an old (circa 2015) cashmere sweater I never wore out of the back of my closet. I never wore it because I hated the length. So I said fuck it and took scissors to it. And then I proceeded to wear it and wear it and wear it all winter long.

No really, it’s been my around the house sweater for the last six months. My ‘I live in Maine and I keep the heat at 50F sweater’ (that’s 10C for my overseas friends). I have slept in it. I have done chores in it. I have worn it next to my skin and over a tshirt and under another sweater depending on the day and the activity and the temperature. I have worn it more days than not. For Six Straight Months.

And it has not frayed. No really, not even a little. It has not unraveled, it has not frayed, it has not misbehaved. I have worn it constantly, I have worn it with a casual disregard for its longevity, and I have thrown it in the wash (cold water, delicate cycle, mostly in a mesh bag, hung up to dry) over and over and over (about once a week). And it still looks fantastic.

(That’s the bit I cut off on the bottom, and the sweater after six months of constant heavy wear on the top.)

It has been an absolute delight all winter long. I am so impressed. (Alas, no, I do not know where I got it, it was almost a decade ago and I just don’t remember, and it wouldn’t still be available even if I did).

I’m getting ready to wash it, so I thought I’d talk a bit about when I wash my sweaters (short and unsatisfying answer, when they’re actually dirty), how I feel about pills (short answer, they are the devil but with the right tools they can be banished, yes I love my Gleener, and with a little knowledge you can lessen the chances of encountering them), and just do a general pep talk in support of modifying your clothes to work better for you. In case that’s the sort of thing you might be in to… You can watch it over here!

Because holy smokes was this the one of the best effort to reward modifications I ever made. And I am so glad I did it.

So tell me…were you worried it would fray? Have you ever done this to a sweater of your own? If not, would you consider it now? I need to know!