" I couldn't help wondering if the cold shoulder look, open sleeves, or open tunics were invented by people who got tired of doing the seams" You have a point! When I do sweaters, I try to do them in the round whenever I can to minimize seams. However, I am now knitting a cardigan in flat pieces from a vintage pattern so there will be lots of finishing to do soon. My first sweater was a cardigan done in flat pieces and knit on the train during my commutes when I was a young woman in a big city. Now it is deja vu as I make this new sweater, in pink cotton, just like my fist sweater. !BBH