Gallery: Sylph Cardigan, design by Robin Melanson
|
 As
you can see, the same sweater looks very different on different women!
We give general suggestions for customization for your inspiration.
Only you can choose how you want your sweaters to fit and which
customizations will work best for you and your beautiful self!
Sylph Cardigan
Sample size garment is 35".
|
|
|
|
 |
|  |
Debbie
Her bust: 34.5"
0.5" positive ease
Debbie is wearing the recommended amount of ease for
this sweater. Too cute. I would shorten the sleeves on her so that the
top of the sleeve ruffle lined up with the top of the waist "ribbing,"
pulling the eye upwards a bit more, away from her hips, giving her a
bit more hourglass magic. |
| Laura
Her bust: 33.5"
1.5" positive ease
Laura looks stunning in this. I don't think I'd change
a thing. If Laura wanted something that was a closer fit, she could
make the smallest size, a 33", and then she would have 0.5" negative
ease, which on her small frame would be lovely too. |
|
|
|
 |
|  |
Toni
Her bust: 33.5"
1.5" positive ease
Toni has the same bust measurement as Laura, but she's
a bit longer in the waist. I might make the waist "ribbing" an inch or
so longer on her, thus dropping the ruffle down so that it sat more
easily on her hips. |
| Trish
Her bust: 34"
1" positive ease
I like this on Trish, although it is a style I don't
think she would have chosen for herself. It gives her willowy figure
curves and interest. Trish could wear the next smallest size, the 33",
which would have 1" of negative ease; however, I think that this size
is great on her. Maybe shorter sleeves? That would be up to Trish! |
|
|
|
 |
|  |
Bertha
Her bust: 34"
1" positive ease Bertha is
wearing the recommended amount of ease for this sweater. Notice how the
bottom ruffle falls lower on her, so that it skims her hips? That's a
nice look on her, one I would recommend for gals who are concerned
about their hips, belly, or backside. Start the ruffle just below your
narrowest part; let it flare over your widest parts. Voila! Bertha and
you both look fabulous, darlink. |
| Sarah
Her bust: 35.5"
0.5" negative ease Um.
Adorable? Is that the word I am looking for? Yes. Adorable, definitely.
Sarah rocks this style, wearing it high above her hips as shown in the
magazine. If you can pull this off, do it. I might raise the sleeves
just a bit, just to keep the ruffles staggered at arm and hem and keep
the eye moving, but that's a personal preference. |
|
|
|
 |
|  |
Sarah
Her bust: 35.5"
0.5" negative ease
|
| Sarah
Her bust: 35.5"
0.5" negative ease |
|
|
|
 |
|  |
Annie
Her bust: 31"
4" positive ease
It has been said that Annie looks great in everything.
She does. However, 4" is a lot of positive ease, and there is a smaller
size (33") which would be closer-fitting and show off Annie's
slyph-like figure a bit more. Thus, I'd make the smaller size for her. |
| Sandi
Her bust: 39.5"
4.5" negative ease
For those of you paying close attention: Yes, Sandi has
lost a lot of weight, and yes, her bust measurement is now 4" smaller
than it was six months ago. However, the 35" sample garment is still a
tiiiight fit, tight enough so that I wore it for as short a time as
possible because I was worried about stretching it out of shape. What
size would I choose for myself? Hm. There's a 39.75", which is 0.25"
positive ease; then there is a 43". However, most of my curves are in
the front, and looking at how the 35" fits me, I think I might do
something wild and make the 39.75" back and the 43" front and adjust
the side, neck, and armhole shaping accordingly. It's a fair bit of
math, but for a fitted sweater like this, it would be worth it. I'd
also make shorter sleeves, and drop the ruffle to skim my hips. |
General
notes on the Sylph: I'm not supposed to have favorites in Sweater
Land...but I love this one, absolutely adore it. The yarn, a
silk/alpaca blend, has a lovely drape and feel; the stitch detailing
and shaping are really fabulous. I think this sweater, with its clever
shaping combination of stitch pattern, decreases, and short rows, looks
pretty (different, but pretty!) on all the women who tried it on for
the Gallery. The key here is choosing the right size for your body and
your styling preferences. The magazine photo shows the amount of ease
that Robin recommends: Zero to one inch positive ease, which means
choosing a finished bust measurement that is close to your actual bust
measurement plus about an inch. Do you want something with a closer fit
(negative ease)? Look at how it fits on Sarah with 1.5" negative ease;
choose a finished bust measurement that is your full bust measurement
minus about that amount. Do you prefer a looser fit (positive ease)?
Bertha, Toni, and Annie are all wearing the Sylph with varying amounts
of positive ease; choose your full bust measurement plus 1-2" as
desired. Those who are self-conscious about their belly or hips may
want to lower the hem ruffle (and lengthen the body) so that the top of
the ruffle falls just at the place where your hips start to widen.
"Hippy," "booty," or "belly" gals will want the ruffles to skim over
their widest bits, rather than end at the top of the wide bits, or in
the middle of the wide bits
Posted
Feb 15 2008, 12:47 PM
by
Kat