The 1824 Blouson by Mari Lynn Patrick, from the Summer 2007 issue of Interweave Knits, was one of your top picks for a Knitting Daily Sweater Gallery, so five of us Interweavers, plus the ever-obliging Bertha, modelled the sample garment for you: The 1824 Blouson Gallery.
Our findings: We all loved wearing this sweater. It was
comfortable, the lovely dressmaker details made it just a bit special,
and the cotton yarn had just a bit of give--but not so much give that
we worried about the sweater "growing" on us!
One question I've heard asked a lot about the Blouson is: What size
should I make? After seeing this sweater on the Five Plus Bertha, my
personal opinion is that this sweater is an excellent example of
something that looks great with a bit of negative ease calculated in.
If you'll recall, ease is a way of describing the extra fabric that
allows space between you and your garments--space for things like
moving, breathing, comfort, and extra layers of other clothing.
Negative ease means that there is a negative amount of "extra" fabric,
so the fabric must stretch to cover your body.
The Blouson pattern is in here!
So to make an example of myself (as usual!): Take a look at the photo of me in the sample Blouson,
which measures 36.5" at the fullest part of the bust. I have a 43"
bust, and all my co-workers agreed that the sample looked pretty cute
on me, even in a size that is two sizes down from the size that most
closely matches my actual measurements. In other words: That sample on
me is 6.5" of negative ease, which is a LOT of stretching over those
Sandi curves. If I wanted something with a little more ease/roominess,
I would make the 40.5" size, which would have 2.5" of negative ease--I
think that it would probably still look great, without too much
bagginess.
But what about gals who are less curvy than me--or more curvy? The 1824 Blouson is not meant to fit as closely as the Corset Pullover,
and so it does not have as many opportunities for customization for
individual curves. Therefore, your "homework assignment" for The 1824 Blouson Gallery
is: As you look at the photos of the Five Plus Bertha in the sample
sweater, ask yourself: Do you like the way the 36.5" sample size fits
each one of us? If not, what size would you suggest each woman make,
and why?
Once you've run through this little exercise, it may be easier to
figure out what size you'd choose for yourself. We'll do the same thing
on Wednesday with the Oriel Lace Blouse, and on Friday with the Origami
Cardigan.
By the way: Having trouble viewing the Corset Gals Gallery? Your browser may think that the Corset Gals Gallery
page is a bit racier than it really is. Try adjusting your content
blockers (such as Norton) or turning them off. Apparently the words
"Corset" and "bust measurement," when combined with images of the
lovely Interweave staffers, seems to be a bit much for some content
software's sensibilities. (We're sorry if we offended the little code
bytes.)
Summer Wheat Tank
This week's featured free pattern is the Summer Wheat Tank, by Lisa Shroyer, the editor of Knitscene and the projects editor for Interweave Knits.
Lisa has a passion for designing garments that look good on a variety
of body shapes and sizes, and she designed Summer Wheat with an
interesting wrap-over panel at the midsection to give the illusion of a
waist and curves where perhaps nature has not provided adequately in
that regard.
Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.
A note from Sandi: My husband Nicholas and I wish to extend
our personal thanks for the outpouring of loving energy in your
comments and emails regarding the passing of our kitty, Amber.
Together, he and I read through each and every comment over the past
several days, and your heartfelt stories about your families, your
animals, and your lovely knitting all brought us much solace. You've
had an enormous effect on us personally, as well as on the Interweave
family as a whole. Thank you.