Knitting Daily Galleries : Cardigans

IWK Summer 2008 Drawstring Raglan

Kat — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:55:00 GMT

Gallery: Drawstring Raglan, design by Margery Winter

Notes on fit: In the magazine, this sweater is shown slightly open, with about 0.75" positive ease. On our Gallery Gals, we also show it worn open, scooching the fabric back along the drawstring to create gentle pleats/folds from the drawstring downwards. These pleats are an important part of the overall design--notice how they correspond to the points in the lace pattern, giving the lace-and-stripe combination just a bit more graceful emphasis. In other words: You could wear this little jacket pulled completely tight along the drawstring, but it wouldn't drape as gracefully. Keep this in mind when you are choosing a size for yourself--the finished widths shown on the schematic don't reflect the "as-worn" widths created by the pleats. If you like the pleats, and are in doubt between two sizes, choose the larger one and scooch the pleats together a bit more! (For a look at what the jacket looks like without the pleats, see Erin's photo below.) Drawstring Raglan Sample garment shown is 32.75".


Stefanie Her bust: 34" 1.25" negative ease This is definitely too small on Stefanie--she cannot gracefully pull the jacket closed. Also, notice how the back "rides up"--in other words, the drawstring is at a higher level in back than in front, because in front, the drawstring must go under her bust. The next size up, 36.25", seems like it might be too big, but not if you scooched the pleats up a bit. Stefanie might also want to start the beige stockinette bodice about 1-2" earlier so that the drawstring went under her bustline all around. In other words: she would need the beige/plain stockinette section to start about 1-2" before she started the sleeves.


Katie Her bust: 38.5" 5.75" negative ease Notice that this looks as though it fits much better on Katie than on Stefanie, despite the huge difference in negative ease. What's going on here? A key "good fit" measurement for this garment is the underbust measurement, as that is where the drawstring pulls closed. Stefanie has a wider ribcage than Katie; thus Stefanie's underbust measurement is bigger and the 32.75" size looks smaller on her than on Katie. So even though Katie is pregnant and has a bigger bust than Stefanie, the top closes better. That said: Katie still might want to make the 36.25" size, for comfort as the baby grows. Katie might want to add some stripes to the lower half of the jacket in order to lengthen it--her call.		Sandi Her bust: 41" 8.5" negative ease Hoo, baby. Work that negative ease! However, this top is just tooo small--it looked silly when I tied it closed, and the drawstring hits me mid-bust instead of under the bust. The back rides up, as it did on Stefanie, only more so on me. Which size would I make? First of all, my underbust measurement is 37". The 36.25" seems just a bit too small--it would reach around my underbust, but not have a lot left over for those pretty graceful pleats (see Notes at top). The 40" seems like a better fit. Just to make sure, however, I check the hip measurements on the pattern schematic: The 40" size has a 48.5" hip circumference, which is perfect for my new slimmer 43.5" hips: that will fit around them, allowing some extra fabric for the pleats. Nice! Note that I would definitely start the beige/stockinette section about 2" lower/earlier, thus having about 2" of stockinette under my arms before I started the sleeves. This would allow the drawstring to fall in the proper place under my bust.

Erin Her bust: 38" 5.25" negative ease This actually might fit Ms. Erin if the drawstring section were 1-2" lower, as with Stefanie and me. However, notice that even though she can close it nicely, there is no extra fabric for gentle pleats. So the next size up might work better for her.		Debbie Her bust: 34.5" 1.75" negative ease Notice that Stefanie and Debbie have very similar bust sizes, yet the jacket fits very differently on these women! That's due to the underbust measurement. Stefanie has a wider rib cage, Debbie a narrower one. (Be sure to look the schematic and compare your own measurements at this critical point!) The jacket fits Debbie rather well, despite the fact that we were having so much fun that we did not notice that the ties had come undone.
		Bertha Her bust: 34" 1.25" negative ease Ah, Bertha. Is there anything you do not look great in? Again, Bertha's underbust is extremely narrow, so the jacket pulls almost all the way closed on her, leaving just a bit of fabric for delicate pleats. Sooo pretty.

IWK Summer 2008 Wallis Cardigan

Kat — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:55:00 GMT

Gallery: Wallis Cardigan, design by Melissa Wehrle

Wallis Cardigan Classic, feminine, not fussy. A relatively easy knit, for all the style you get out of it! Wonderful. Another favorite amongst the Gallery Gals. Sample garment is 33.25". Modeled in the magazine with 1" positive ease.


Debbie Her bust: 34.5" 1.25" negative ease So cute. I love this on Debbie. I would shorten the sleeves by about 2", however, so that they fell closer to the midpoint of her upper arm. The sleeves look a bit too wide on delicate-boned Debbie, so I would narrow them a bit as well.


Erin Her bust: 38" 4.75" negative ease Stylish and very pretty. Yes, this looks a bit small on Ms. Erin. The next size up is a 37.5", which would be perfect for her. She will need to lengthen the sweater a bit so that it sits at her hips. Notice I am not using the theoretical tense in this paragraph. Ms. Erin votes the Wallis to be the "most likely to be knitted for herself" pattern in this issue.		Stefanie Her bust: 34" 0.75" negative ease This looks a bit too small on Stefanie. I would make the next size larger for her, taking care to shorten the sleeves and add enough length so the sweater sits about 2" lower on her hips.


Katie Her bust 38.5" Belly 34.5" Hips 38.5" 5.25" negative ease Even mamas-to-be need handknit glory! Expectant Katie looks great in this sweater, so we snapped a shot of her to show how versatile the Wallis is. It looks fabulous on her. Maybe by the Fall galleries we'll have a little one to model some baby things for us!		Sandi Her bust: 41" 7.75" negative ease I was shy about wearing this with the fasteners closed, but finally did it for the Greater Glory of Knitting. There you have it, folks: nearly 8" of negative ease. Pretty darn tight. I would probably choose the third size provided, the 41.25", and I would shorten the sleeves so they did not fall at the same level as The Girls, who get quite enough attention on their own, thank you very much. I think I would add another set or two of the patterning rows at the bottom of the sweater to lengthen it and have it sit lower on my hips.


Sandi, wearing it open Her bust: 41" 7.75" negative ease		Bertha Her bust: 34" 0.75" negative ease Stunning. On Bertha, this looks like a classic sweater from the forties. Even so, I might make the sweater shorter for her, so that the pattern section sits on her hips. Also, the sleeves are quite long. Or at least, I think they are quite long. It's hard to tell without the arms in them.

IWK Spring 2008 Mirabella Cardigan

Kat — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:49:00 GMT

Gallery: Mirabella Cardigan, design by Jennifer Tallapaneni

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! Mirabella Cardigan Sample garment shown is 37" at bust. General comments on the Mirabella Cardigan


Sarah Her bust: 35.5" Ease at bust as shown: 1.5" positive ease I'd make the sweater a bit longer for tall Sarah. Busty gals like Sarah might also consider doing one more set of darts at the bustline to provide more room. To minimize the "arrow pointing to the top of the mountain" effect, she might want to start the top set of darts sooner so that they do not end right at the fullest part of her bust.		Kerry Her bust: 37.75" Ease at bust as shown: 0.75" minimal to negative ease Kerry is also tall, so she, too, might prefer some extra length. Another inch or so at the hips would help keep her silhouette slim; right now, the sweater ends at her widest bit, drawing the eye right there—Kerry is slim to begin with, so the hem placement adds more visual bulk where she really isn't bulky at all! More length, and the eye will skim right past and stay moving over her tall, graceful lines. Since Kerry's waist is fairly high, I would work a few more rows of ribbing at the top of the waist (pulling the fabric in), and thus work one more set of upper darts (making more room) to compensate. I also would shorten Kerry's sleeves just a bit to help draw the eye upwards to her face and away from her bustline—currently, the sleeve hem ends at the same level as the fullest part of her bust, so shortening the sleeve would give the eye a little nudge upwards.


Debbie Her bust: 34.5" Ease as shown: 2.5" positive ease I think that the size 37" is just a bit too big on Debbie, so I would go down a size to the 33". It's always a challenge to pick a size when you are between sizes; for sweaters, unless I want a really loose comfy fit, I personally tend to go to the next size down. (Negative ease can be a busty gal's best friend sometimes.) On Debbie, the size 33" will have 1.5" of negative ease; the large gauge and elasticity of the fabric will provide plenty of "give" allowing her to breathe! With this bit of fitted negative ease for Debbie, I would probably start the ribbing a bit later, so that it starts at her natural waist; then I would do some measuring on her to make sure that the ribbing did not go up too far. In the smaller size, I would also do one set of darts more at her bustline.		Toni Her bust: 33.5" Ease as shown: 3.5" positive ease I'd start the ribbing later and end it later, moving the entire ribbed waist section up a half inch to an inch for long waisted Toni. Would I make the smaller size (33") to more closely match Toni's measurements? Perhaps...Toni likes to wear layers and she does not like to wear really clingy tops, so if I were really making this top for her, I'd ask her for her preferences first! I do think I would make slightly shorter sleeves to help pull the eye up to her face and away from her extra-long waist.


Bertha Her bust: 34" Ease as shown: 3" positive ease Notice how the ribbing sits lower on Bertha than on some of the other gals? Some people like that effect, some may prefer to have the ribbing start at their natural waist and go up from there, as in the magazine photo. Just something to consider! (And I probably would make the 33” size for Ms. B. A little negative ease would do nicely for her, methinks.)		Laura Her bust: 33.5" Ease as shown: 3.5" positive ease I would definitely make the smaller size 33” for slender, willowy Laura; on her, the 37” sweater hides her graceful figure.

Sandi's general comments on the Mirabella (besides "classic Audrey Hepburn!"): The Mirabella, like the Flutter, also uses ribbing and needle-size changes to pull the waist section in gently; however, Jennifer also uses vertical darts, both back and front, for even more dangerous curves. For a bottom-up sweater, the rule for vertical darts is: The bigger you are, the more dart rows you will work, in order to add as much room in the sweater as you need. Thus: The bigger your hips, the more rows of vertical darts you need below the waist; the bigger your bust, the more darts you need above your waist. Women with a seriously curvy backside may want to do more darts on the back than on the front. Conversely: Smaller women will want fewer darts to pull in the fabric closer to their more subtle charms.

Again, the large gauge fabric has a lot of give; you may need fewer (or more) darts than you think you do. TIP: Work a gauge swatch (sorreee!) that is a "mini hourglass"—include a stockinette section, then some vertical darts in pattern as indicated, then some ribbing, then some dart rows, then more stockinette. Measure each section carefully and compare; the point is to discover how much the fabric changes, how it stretches, how it narrows, so that you know what it will do when you knit a "you-sized" hourglass!

IWK Spring 2008 Flutter Sleeve Cardigan

Kat — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:49:00 GMT

Gallery: Flutter Sleeve Cardigan, design by Pam Allen

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! Flutter Sleeve Cardigan Sample garment shown is 36" at bust. General comments on the Flutter Sleeve Cardigan


Sarah Her bust: 35.5" Ease at bust as shown: 0.5" (zero to minimal ease) For Sarah, I would keep the waist shaping on as written, but I might (might!) work fewer ribbing rows after the shaping was completed, and compensate by working more stockinette rows over the bust area. This would help the ribbing to end sooner, just under her bustline, thus giving more definition to her shape. It would also give more stockinette fabric to stretch over her curves up top. The reason I say "might" is that the sweater looks wonderful on Sarah as is.		Kerry Her bust: 37.75" Ease at bust as shown: 1.75" negative ease For Kerry, who has a very high waist, I would start the ribbing about 1" sooner than written, so that the beginning of the ribbing corresponds to her natural waistline. I'd leave the shaping in the ribbed section just as written—this would move the entire ribbed section down, thus giving more definition to her bustline. Again, I would have to work more stockinette rows on top to achieve the proper fit over the bust.


Debbie Her bust: 34.5" Ease as shown: 1.5" positive ease Debbie is wearing the Flutter with the same amount of ease as recommended in the magazine. Her natural waist is a bit lower than the beginning of the ribbing, so I would start the ribbing about 1" sooner. However, her waist is long, and I like where the bust shaping falls as it is on her, so I might work an additional 1" of ribbing before the stockinette section. In other words: lower the beginning of the ribbing, but leave the top where it is, making the whole section longer. Adding another inch or two to the hem length would help balance out the long waist.		Toni Her bust: 33.5" Ease as shown: 2.5" positive ease The extra positive ease helps the sweater fit over Toni's long sleeve layers. I'd make the sweater a bit longer for her. Other than that: Completely adorable.


Annie Her bust: 31" Ease as shown: 5" positive ease		Trish Her bust: 34" Ease as shown: 2" positive ease


Laura Her bust: 33.5" Ease as shown: 2.5" positive ease		Bertha Her bust: 34" Ease as shown: 2" positive ease

		Bertha - Back Her bust: 34" Ease as shown: 2" positive ease

Sandi's general comments on the Flutter: First of all: I love it! Knit at 5 sts to the inch, there is a lot of "give" and stretch to the fabric of this sweater. The cotton/silk/nylon blend yarn, however, has quite a bit of memory, so the sweater does not get stretched out of shape! It gracefully fit everyone from Kerry, on whom it has 2" of negative ease, to Annie, where it had 5" of positive ease. More positive ease means that you can wear it as a cardigan, over other clothes (see Toni's photo); negative ease gives it a more fitted look, like a suit jacket, allowing you to wear it alone, or with a tank or sleeveless blouse.

The wide waist ribbing gives this sweater a long-waisted shape, which is quite slimming on many larger gals. Because Pam used a clever combination of needle-size changes, short rows, and decreases/increases, you have a lot of flexibility in terms of adjusting the waist ribbing.

Needle size changes are often used to achieve simple shaping without actually increasing or decreasing stitches. Use a larger needle for the places you want the sweater to be bigger, and a smaller needle size for the places where you want the sweater to be smaller. In the Flutter, Pam works the bottom section in size 6, switches to size 3 for the waist, and then goes back to size 6 for the bust and shoulders. Smaller gauge, smaller waist. Note that Pam combines changing the needle size with standard waist increases and decreases for an even more dramatic curvy shape. Clever!

Adjustments: For a larger waist, switch to a size 4 or 5 instead of a 3, depending on your gauge. (Yes, this means you have to swatch carefully, but then you knew swatching would work its annoying little self into this somehow.) Or, for less dramatic waist curves, work the entire waist section in the same size needle as the body--you'll still get curves, because of the increases and decreases, but they will be more gentle curves.

IWK Spring 2008 Printed Silk Cardigan

Kat — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:48:00 GMT

Gallery: Printed Silk Cardigan, design by Connie Chang Chinchio

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! Printed Silk Cardigan Sample garment as shown is 34" at bust. General comments on the Printed Silk Cardigan


Sarah Her bust: 35.5" Ease at bust as shown: 1.5" negative ease Sarah looks stunning in this cardi. I would not change a single thing if I were knitting this for her.		Kerry Her bust: 37.75" Ease at bust as shown: 3.75" negative ease Again, Kerry's upper torso is so long that I would move the ribbed waistband down a bit (half inch? an inch?); I would probably add a similar amount to the patterned section above the waistband to help provide coverage for Kerry's curves at the bust. I think this classic style really suits Kerry; I can imagine her wearing this cardigan all the time. I think the negative ease on her is very attractive.


Debbie Her bust: 34.5" Ease as shown: 0.5" minimal negative ease Debbie is fairly short; for her, to help lengthen and balance her silhouette, I would shorten both the hem (to keep the eye from resting too much on her hips) and the sleeves (to call more attention to her lovely waist) by a couple of inches. I might also start the waist ribbing about a half-inch sooner for the same reason. However, I wouldn't shorten the ribbed section; the extra half-inch would help define her waist a bit more.		Toni Her bust: 33.5" Ease as shown: 0.5" minimal positive ease Adorable. 'Nuff said.


Trish Her bust: 34" Ease as shown: Zero ease Trish is 4' 11". Thus, the sleeves which are three-quarters' length on Sarah, are bracelet-length on Trish. Maybe Trish would prefer the longer sleeves; her willowy figure is such that she can wear the sleeves pretty much any length she chooses. The hem, however, is a bit too long; it is out of proportion to her overall height and makes the sweater look big on her, even though it fits perfectly. So: a couple of inches off the hem, and Trish is stylin'.		Annie Her bust: 31" Ease as shown: 3" positive ease Annie looks great in everything, including this top which is three inches' worth of positive ease! Notice how wearing this top without a tank underneath really shows off the stitch pattern and draws the eye up to Annie's face. Pretty.


Bertha Her bust: 34" Ease as shown: Zero ease Notice how the ribbing waist falls quite a bit lower on Bertha than it does on some of the models with heads. This is a very beautiful "look," (the dropped waist, not the headlessness) and might suit both larger women (busty as well as those with less of a natural hourglass shape) and women who feel that the empire waist looks "too young" on them. For a higher neckline, start the neck shaping later and do fewer "work even" rows at the shoulders to compensate. Bertha is a star, no doubt about it. Her graceful presence and quiet demeanor bring a sense of dignity and serenity to any gathering. She also is not shy about wearing low-cut sweaters, although she wishes the plant would stop trying to hold her hand, as it is quite awkward to keep explaining that she has no hands.		Laura Her bust: 33.5" Ease as shown: 0.5" minimal positive ease How cute is this picture? The coral is a fabulous color on Laura and the different stitch textures and sheen of the yarn keep the eye moving so that her slim figure is spotlighted in all the right ways. I might make the sleeves and hem a bit shorter, but then again...maybe not. I would probably move the waistband down just a little bit, so that there was more room for her curves up top. This photo of Laura is a great example of what the right yarn, the right style, the right color, and the right stitch patterns can do for you!

Sandi's general comments on the Printed Silk Cardigan: The first thing I have to say is about the yarn: Wow. Gosh. WOW. Yes, it is a luxury yarn, but WHAT a luxury yarn. The drape, the sheen, the silkiness, the color...any sweater knit in this would be an incredible gift to yourself, not to mention a family heirloom. (I had to warn my models not to get drool on the silk. Aw heck: I had to tell MYSELF not to drool on the silk.) OK, there. I've had my Yarn Moment. Now back to our regularly scheduled Waist Shaping.

The Printed Silk Cardi reminds me of Jane Austen and all those beautiful empire-waisted gowns (right, Carolyn?). There are evenly-spaced decrease rows forming the graceful flair over the hips, then a band of ribbing without any increases or decreases that forms the high waistband just under the bust. Gorgeous. However, look at Bertha's photo below: On her, the waistband falls lower, and thus gives a more "conservative" (but equally gorgeous!) styling. The simple shaping of this garment give it lots of versatility for different body types, shapes, and sizes.

IWK Spring 2008 Sylph Cardigan

Kat — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:47:00 GMT

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

IWK Spring 2008 Auburn Camp Shirt

Kat — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:45:00 GMT

Gallery: Auburn Camp Shirt, design by Chrissy Gardiner

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! Auburn Camp Shirt Sample size garment is 33.5". General comments on the Auburn Camp Shirt


Toni Her bust: 33.5" Zero ease, worn closed You know...I wouldn't change a thing except the top Toni is wearing underneath the Camp Shirt. Maybe the Camp Shirt could be an inch or so longer so that it fell past the curve of her hips.		Debbie Her bust: 34.5" 1" negative ease, worn open This shows what the shirt would look like with close to the recommended amount of ease (1.5"), but worn open for a more casual look. The waist shaping sits a bit high on Debbie's high waist, so I would drop it down (start it sooner) by about an inch to give more balance to her curves.


Trish Her bust: 34" .5" negative ease, worn closed I love this shirt on Trish. Look how the collar and cuff details help draw the eye up to her face and then the waist shaping draws the eye back down again over her figure. Nice length, nice fit.		Bertha Her bust: 34" .5" negative ease I don't know why, but I've always thought of Bertha as being, as my mother would say, "of a certain age." I think her figure and graceful poise give the impression of a woman with some life experience on her! The waist shaping falls a bit lower on Bertha than on the other women, as it has in other sweaters; and I like the effect. We show Bertha wearing this shirt several ways to show you how versatile and pretty it is, no matter what you do!


Bertha Her bust: 34" .5" negative ease		Bertha Her bust: 34" .5" negative ease


Sarah Her bust: 35.5" 2" negative ease This sweater seems a bit tight on Sarah; she wears it with more negative ease than recommended by Chrissy, the designer. So for Sarah, I would probably go up to the next size. I'd also make it a bit longer, and start the waist shaping earlier to more closely follow her own curves.		Annie Her bust: 31" 1.5" positive ease, worn closed Cute! Maybe Annie does look good in everything. I like the positive ease on her--note that this amount of positive ease is similar to what Sarah would get if Sarah made the 36.5" size for herself.

General notes on the Auburn Camp Shirt: The shaping on this seemingly simple shirt is beautiful: two darts on the left front, two on the right front, and four on the back, with graceful decreases on the way up to the waist, and increases from waist to bust. These "darts" are in pattern; ingenious but simple to work. This pattern, based on men's shirt tailoring, would look good on larger gals who like a blousy overshirt. If you need a larger size than given in the pattern, try adding pattern repeats to the center back and center fronts (between buttonholes and darts) to make the shirt more your size. The sleeves are a bit longer than some short-sleeved shirts, so they cover the upper arms (if that is an "area of concern" for you). If you don't like short sleeves at all, make the sleeves longer, even to bracelet or three-quarter length. Wear the shirt unbuttoned for a casual look; wear it buttoned or partly buttoned for a dressier style. I have seen many "mature" or larger gals wearing similar overshirts; if this is a style you like, make this in a shiny, silky yarn and feel beautiful!

Gallery: Central Park Hoodie, Plus Size Version

Kat — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:34:00 GMT

Original design by Heather Lodinsky, big girl modifications by Lisa Shroyer

This time, The Interweave Goddesses all try on the same sweater for the greater good of knitting, to demonstrate how the sweater looks with various amounts of ease, both positive and negative.

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! Check out the details of Lisa's Big Girl Mods: Part I: The Central Park Hoodie--Plus! Part II: The CPH: What Size Should I Knit? Part III: The CPH: Would Lisa do it differently next time? Sample garment shown has the following finished measurements: Bust: 52" (132 cm) given in pattern specifications Waist: 52" (132 cm) shown on schematic Hem: 52" (132 cm) shown on schematic Neck to Hem Length: 26" (66 cm) calculated from schematic measurements
Chevette Her bust: 46.5" (118 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 5.5" (14 cm) positive ease Waist: 41" (104 cm) Hip: 48.5" (123 cm) Height: 5 ft 5 in
	Chevette in the hood

Amy Her bust: 52" (132 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 0" (0 cm) no ease/negative ease Waist: 47" (119.5 cm) Hip: 60.5" (153.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 8 in
Amy in the hood	Side view

Lorraine Her bust: 44.5" (115.5 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 7.5" (19 cm) positive ease Waist: 38" (96.5 cm) Hip: 44" (112 cm) Height: 5 ft 7 in
	Lorraine in the hood

Teresa Her bust: 46" (117 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 6" (15 cm) positive ease Waist: 40" (101.5 cm) Hip: 47" (119.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 3.5 in
	Teresa in the hood

Nicole Her bust: 55" (139.5 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 3" (7.5 cm) negative ease Waist: 56" (142 cm) Hip: 63.5" (161.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 9.5 in
	Nicole in the hood

Jodi Her bust: 39" (99 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 13" (33 cm) positive ease Waist: 32.5" (82.5 cm) Hip: 47.5" (120.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 4 in
	Jodi in the hood

Barbara Jean Her bust: 42" (106.5 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 10" (25.5 cm) positive ease Waist: 38" (96.5 cm) Hip: 47" (119.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 3 in
	Barbara Jean in the hood

... and Sandi in the hood! Her bust: 40.5" (103 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 11.5" (29.5 cm) positive ease Waist: 37" (94 cm) Hip: 42" (106.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 4 in

IWK Summer 2007 Origami Cardigan Gallery

Kat — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:23:00 GMT

The Origami Cardigan on Bertha and the Interweavers

Just as with the Corset Pullover, Bertha and the Interweave gang once again all try on the same sweater for the greater good of knitting, to demonstrate how the sweater looks with various amounts of ease, both positive and negative.

As you can see, the same sweater looks very different on different women! We give general suggestions for customization below 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! Sample garment shown measures 33.5" (85 cm).



Bertha Her bust: 34" (86.5 cm)

Karen Her bust: 31.5" (80 cm)

Erin Her bust: 38" (96.5 cm)

Katie Her bust: 35.5" (90 cm)

Knitting Daily Galleries : Cardigans

IWK Summer 2008 Drawstring Raglan

Gallery: Drawstring Raglan, design by Margery Winter

Drawstring Raglan

Stefanie

Katie

Sandi

Erin

Debbie

Bertha

IWK Summer 2008 Wallis Cardigan

Gallery: Wallis Cardigan, design by Melissa Wehrle

Wallis Cardigan

Debbie

Erin

Stefanie

Katie

Sandi

Sandi, wearing it open

Bertha

IWK Spring 2008 Mirabella Cardigan

Gallery: Mirabella Cardigan, design by Jennifer Tallapaneni

Mirabella Cardigan

Sarah

Kerry

Debbie

Toni

Bertha

Laura

IWK Spring 2008 Flutter Sleeve Cardigan

Gallery: Flutter Sleeve Cardigan, design by Pam Allen

Flutter Sleeve Cardigan

Sarah

Kerry

Debbie

Toni

Annie

Trish

Laura

Bertha

Bertha - Back

IWK Spring 2008 Printed Silk Cardigan

Gallery: Printed Silk Cardigan, design by Connie Chang Chinchio

Printed Silk Cardigan

Sarah

Kerry

Debbie

Toni

Trish

Annie

Bertha

Laura

IWK Spring 2008 Sylph Cardigan

Gallery: Sylph Cardigan, design by Robin Melanson

Sylph Cardigan

Debbie

Laura

Toni

Trish

Bertha

Sarah

Sarah

Sarah

Annie

Sandi

IWK Spring 2008 Auburn Camp Shirt

Gallery: Auburn Camp Shirt, design by Chrissy Gardiner

Auburn Camp Shirt

Toni

Debbie

Trish

Bertha

Bertha

Bertha

Sarah

Annie

Gallery: Central Park Hoodie, Plus Size Version

Original design by Heather Lodinsky, big girl modifications by Lisa Shroyer

Check out the details of Lisa's Big Girl Mods:

Sample garment shown has the following finished measurements: