Still Disappointed

I frogged and redid the neckband on Matt's Gedifra pullover, and I'm still not satisfied. It'll be fine, but after loving this project, it sucks that it ends on a disappointment.

Matt's Gedifra 509 pullover
click to enlarge
I thought about different options, and considering the "unfinished" styling on the bottom, I figured a simple rolled neckline would probably work well with the pattern. While it's a huge improvement over the originial neckband, it seems to not quite work. The idea of ripping back and redoing it however is not in the least bit appealing... plus I'm really not sure if there is a better option.

So let's call it done for now... but with the option that the neck finishing might get readdressed down the road.

Project Stats:

Pattern: Design 509 by Gedifra (in Highlights 033)
Yarn: Cotton Ease in Hazelnut (fyi: doesn't photograph accurately)
Changes to the pattern: the pattern is written for women, so there's some waist shaping that I left out. I also changed the raglan shaping to compensate for Matt's broader shoulders/biceps. I obviously didn't do the pattern's neckband. I added the ribbing to the sleeves, as I know Matt is picky about how his sleeves fit.
Problems to the pattern: in typical translated patterns, some things simply aren't clear. I knew that I would be doing my own raglan shaping, which is good, as their directions made absolutely no sense to me.
Overall impressions: this was an absolute delight to knit. Knitting the Cotton Ease at such a tight gauge really makes for a great fabric. The cables were fun and I was very excited to work on this... it wasn't until the end when I just couldn't get the neckband to my satisfaction did I have any problems with it (and it's always hard to give a positive review when the last thing you did is the thing that you dislike the most). However, I still have to give it a thumbs up. Matt's very happy with it and likes the lower neckline (he really didn't like the turtleneck on the first attempt). He loves the way it feels and how it fits... and I can't argue with that.

Even as I write this, I'm thinking of other neckline solutions... and I'm wondering if even less of a neckband might work... like a slip stitch crochet edge? Ugh, not going to worry about it now. I've got other things to work on and maybe I just need some time to appreciate it. (as that does happen to me... other projects that I was super disappointed in when I finished end up being not as bad as I thought...)

So it's cold, dark and dreary today. Seems like a good day to cast on a new project, eh?