Knife Pleats Riding Jacket -- with slight modifications

It's been a few years since I knit my first cardigan, Knife Pleats Riding Jacket, by Debbie Bliss.  I loved a lot of things about this sweater. 

For starters, I love the yarn I chose: Elsebeth Lavold's  Hempathy.  It has washed and worn beautifully.

The style I loved too -- although in retrospect it was more suited for a "top heavy" body than mine. 

I was totally off gauge on this one, but that resulted (quite accidentally) in a perfect fit. 

But there were a few things about this sweater that I didn't like. The original collar was way too small and never laid properly and did nothing to help balance out the sweater.  And the button band was always gaping which is a look I positively can't stand in a sweater. 

(sweater as originally knit truest representation of the color)

So finally, after living with these problems for a couple of years I decided that I had the power to change them. 

I removed the old collar and knit one just a little larger -- love it. 

I also slip-stitched the button band closed.  It's now a pull-over cardigan, but the button band lies perfectly in place. Love that too. 

The back stayed the same.

Feels like a whole new sweater for about an hour's worth of work.  If only I could knit all my sweaters that fast!