Could I refashion collar on this dress

[MsDastardley]

I bought this a couple of years ago https://www.broraonline.com/uk/cashmere-collared-jumper-dress-damson-wpd9143km9124?awc=17043_1704130479_b44fed7463cd407390398b4adc315896 but have never really liked the large collar. I’m wondering if I might be able to get the collar refashioned/made smaller. Any suggestions welcome 😀

Is it the size of the collar that annoys you or that it flaps about more than you like? If the latter you could just pin it flat with a couple of black safety pins

...and add a lace collar which can be bought quite easily. Please don't do this

I knit but can't sew. Cutting the collar smaller would leave issues with finishing the edge. It might work better to remove the whole collar and reduce the size at the neck edge? Hopefully, reattaching the collar would cover any untidy bits.

I can't help, but I really love the dress. It is just my thing (apart from the price and it being out of stock anyway).

That’s a lovely dress. Resist the temptation to wreck it, and find the right jewellery, jacket etc. to balance out the collar.

Can you fold it under and stitch together?

It's absolutely lovely as is. Wear a scarf, pin it down or sell it.
There's nothing wrong with it. I think it's all in your mind. The dress needs the collar to balance it out.

Why is it causing you problems?

Love it as it is. Great idea to layer with a polo neck jumper.

Thank you 😀. I did buy it in the sale a couple of years

If you have an alterations place near you, I'd bring it in there rather than having a go yourself (unless you're very good at alterations).

What I'd suggest is asking them to cut the collar at the point that it folds and to edge that. It would look more like a Mandarin collar then but wouldn't affect the lovely v-neck style.
https://makylacreates.com/types-of-collars/

Thanks for all the positive comments. Seems the view is to leave alone.

@clara778 I think it may be that I’ve had my hair cut quite a lot shorter since the last time I wore the dress. I had some hair loss/damage early last year. I think my old hairdresser over processed my colour. I had a good few inches cut off to get rid of damage, and now had a blunt bob. I am hopeless with accessories, but will have a play around with some different necklaces and maybe a scarf

I really love the dress with the large collar. I think a smaller collar would not look balanced on the dress. You have had compliments. Knit fabric would be very hard to alter. There is the danger that once having cut it you don’t catch all the ends in and it will ladder. I wouldn’t take it on and I am an experienced dressmaker.

You don't want a seamstress. You want a very skilled knitter. That collar is either cast off or cast on at the edge, so yes it should be possible to unpick it and re-finish it as a smaller collar. Whether this would suit the style of the dress is another matter, of course. The V neck is lovely, or you could consider re-finishing it with a polo or turtle neck (although personally I like the big collar!)

I would buy two of these and attach to the collar and make them a feature.

www.tjc.co.uk/under-£10-collection/multi-colour-austrian-crystal-and-simulated-multi-colour-gemstones-brooch-in-yellow-gold-tone-7020218.html?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ax%3A18124501873%3A%3A&nb_adtype=pla&nb_kwd=&nb_ti=&nb_mi=8644987&nb_pc=online&nb_pi=7020218&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=&src=googlepnp&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhc-sBhCEARIsAOVwHuQa7WoBpWmU2fNmV0Uc0DiCmOLXjjYY0p_xDm7ncwkTVydcK-BDGuAaAiu2EALw_wcB

Lol @ Windy Miller collar! It really doesn’t OP! It’s so discreet as it’s the same colour. It blends! I also think it’s a beautiful dress. Stop focusing on the collar. If that’s all you are looking at of course it’s just going to bug you. Let it go love ❤️

And for younger readers…

That’s for fabric not knitted wool.

To alter a kniited collar you need an experienced knitter who can unwind the wool, and reknit with no pattern.

You’d have no guarantee as to what it would look like when finished.

I think you could easily ruin it OP. Because the dress is a dark colour the collar is not very noticeable. If you’ve had compliments on it I would just wear as is.

I think WM's hat would go perfectly with OP's gorgeous dress.

As a PP said, if you don't want it anymore and it's a size 8, I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands...collar and all.

I like the collar.

You could cut the collar about 3 inches from neck, roll over and turn it under. Hand stitch loosley in place.

Only thing l can think of to keep it neat.

@Mirabai said
To alter a knitted collar you need an experienced knitter who can unwind the wool, and reknit with no pattern.

I agree, and I know someone who does things like this. She’s much braver than I am.
On Monday she showed my knitting group a 30” tunic she has been knitting off-and-on since 2016, it’s 680 stitches round on 1mm needles. I’ve never seen fabric like it: it looks woven.

(Edit - I’ve checked her project page, she’s knitting it on gardening wire)

She also knits for others, for a specific charity.

However, I’d go with the many suggestions to wear your dress as it is and I’m sure you will continue to receive compliments on it.

I’m a very experienced hand knitter & one of the problems with altering it is that it’s a machine knitted garment so any alteration done by a hand knitter would be pretty obvious, it would be very hard to get the exact same gauge.

@Darklane, I suppose in that case you could pull out the whole collar and use the yarn to reknit it to a smaller length on tiny needles, matching the rib on the facing/placket as closely as possible.

Absolutely random idea, but instead if trying to take away some or all of the collar, add to it. Like a cloak.

Yes I'm batshit.