Have any of you seen the ready-to-wear version of the Dale of Norway Vancouver sweater? You can see a great photo of it here. Now compare that one to the handknit version shown in DofN’s Vancouver 2010 Book 213 here. Notice anything unusual? Yes, exactly! The ready-to-wear one has that funky black toggle that’s lined up on the v-neck’s diagonal, interrupting the horizontal motifs.
Of course, it does have a practical purpose: it keeps the v-neck closed up and cozy. Plus, I suppose toggles are quite *de rigueur* these days. I’ve been told it’s quite the “upscale”, leather (oooh, leather!) toggle, too. But honestly, even though I really do like some toggles, you’ll never see me wearing a black, cockeyed toggle smack dab in the middle of a pastel sweater!
Okay, now that I’ve gone way out on that limb, I suspect that some of you might really like that toggle. Come on, don’t be shy – speak up! I’d love to know what you think of it, either way. Interestingly (okay, surprisingly) I’ve already had a couple of customers ask me if they can get it for their handmade versions. I’m looking into it with folks at DofN and I’ll let you know, either way. If it makes some knitters happy, I’d be happy to get it for them (if I can.) I do know many knitters are determined to make exact replicas of the DofN ready-to-wear sweaters, and if that’s what makes it fun for them, I’m all for it. But for my own knitting, I’m the exact opposite (as you probably could have guessed from my Vancouver virtual swatching, a few posts below ) – mine simply *must* be different!
So, there are two things I wanted to discuss with you guys: First, just what do you think of that toggle? Am I just blind to the sartorial splendor of cockeyed toggles? Could be. Second, what will those of us who have nixed the toggle idea do to effect a similar, practical type of cozy closure on our v-necks? Well, a few ideas come to mind.
The first thing that popped into my mind is probably the cheapest and the easiest: a snap, maybe two snaps. Simple and unobtrusive, yet tasteful and effective. Too simple, perhaps? Okay, how ’bout a mini I-cord toggle loop worked into the edge of the v-neck at that same point and a (hopefully tasteful) button… even a toggle button, if you’d like…right there on the other side of the neck edge, so that you’d get that same amount of closure, but in a less visually interrupting way. Of course, you could always just sew the darn toggle on straight. Other ideas?
Two Strands 
I’m with you — that lopsided toggle looks like an after-thought and not a very good one at that. It seems as though plenty of warmth will be provided by the overlapping ribbing at the neck. And, it just looks more stylish sans toggle!
You are so right. To me, that toggle is too….big, dark, and seems out of place. Maybe a smaller toggle in a lighter color? A hook and eye would also be unobtrusive, but I don’t know if the hook part would start hooking in the wrong places. I haven’t even bought the yarn or book for mine, so I’m not sure if I’m going to want a closure.