Irish Lace Sweater

I have to share my newest acquisition.  I bought it a week ago, but it badly smelled like mold so it needed a wash before I could asses it as to if it was something that needed repair, something to be cut up or something to leave as is. You never know until you wash it. I am pleased to report it is something that will be left as it is.

This sweater is gorgeous!

Here is a close up of the workmanship.

I bought it since I thought it might fit me. Due to it smell and degree of shall we say, less then cleanliness, I did not want to try to try it on until it was clean.  I tossed it into the washer along with some other whites and it came out of the wash beautifully.  It was laid flat to dry.

Does it fit? Well yes... mostly. It fits across the shoulders and the length of the arms are good. It fits across the upper chest. I can easily button the top buttons without stretching the garment. Where it does not fit is at the waist. The sweater must have been made to fit a woman's body wearing a corset. I do not have one of those and I do not plan on ever wearing one. The waist on the garment is a stretched 25", or 24 inches before stretching. At my smallest size in high school I had a 25" waist. That was when I weighed  104 lbs.

Even without a fitting waist, it fits like a bolero or shrug type garment. Very attractive and very wearable. This paired up with a pair of dress pants fit to the waist or a simple dress would work with this garment.

Looking over the garment as I pressed it, all of those little Irish flowers like to curl in, I noticed one change made later to the garment. At the wrist on both sides there is an extra loop made out of a different color yarn. It is white where as the rest of the garment is off white or ivory. 

Whoever wore this later had thicker wrists. For me, I can slide my hand through the original closed wrist area with no problem. 

I am wondering how someone could have larger wrists and have a 25" waist. Say ouch to the corset!