Knitting Daily Galleries : Colorwork

IWK Summer 2008 Elinor Tunic

Kat — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:58:00 GMT

Gallery: Elinor Tunic, design by Wendy Bernard

Everyone wanted to take this tunic home with them (we checked everyone's backpack at the end of the day). We were a bit surprised at how great it looked on a variety of body types--we all assumed that the stripe at the hips would look terrible--but it didn't, it looked TERRIFIC! Elinor Tunic The sample garment is a size 32". In the magazine, it is modeled with about 2" of negative ease for a tailored fit.


Stefanie Her bust: 34" 2" negative ease Waaay adorable on Stefanie, who is a perfect fit for this tunic. The only thing I might recommend is enlarging the armholes just a bit, because Ms. Workout Gal Stef's muscular arms need a bit more room to move about.		Debbie Her bust: 34.5" 2.5" negative ease I think this looks a little big on Debbie--not around the bust, but at the waist. Since the 32" is the smallest size, to compensate, I might bring in the waist shaping a bit more to emphasize her hourglass figure. The shoulders seem a bit wide on narrow-shouldered Debbie, so I would narrow those by a half-inch to an inch, so the sleeve edge sits just at the crease of her arm, or even just inside it a bit. However, this really depends on how she is going to wear the top--if she wears it bare-shouldered, as in this photo, the shoulder "straps" would indeed need a bit of narrowing. If she wears it over long-sleeved tops, then the wider straps would not be as noticeable.


Sandi Her bust: 41" 9" negative ease (whoo!) This just goes to show you: Knitted fabric really does stretch. The large gauge (4 sts to an inch) definitely helps. I was actually very comfortable in this top! I was worried about the colorwork band being right at my hips, but after looking at the photos, I think it balances out The Girls up top. What size would I knit? Hm. I'd probably do a size larger, just to be safe. But this size really doesn't look too bad on me. (Wendy, you are a genius, as usual.)


Erin Her bust: 38" 6" negative ease This is a bit too tight on Ms. Erin, so the next size up, 36", would be perfect for her. She also needs just a bit more length--about an inch or so.		Bertha Her bust: 34" 2" negative ease I think Bertha has lost some weight, don't you? :) This looks a little big on her, especially down around the hips and at the armholes. Of course, actual arms and legs might improve the fit in these areas, but don't say that too loudly—Bertha is very sensitive about her lack of limbs.

IWK Summer 2008 Plaid Halter

Kat — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:53:00 GMT

Gallery: Plaid Halter, design by Gryphon Perkins

This is a great, lightweight summer top! The hemp breathes, and the gauge isn't very tight, so if you live in a warm climate, this would be a great all-season pattern! We thought it would be good for office wear, or for giving speeches. (Debbie for President! Stefanie for Prime Minister! What a world THAT would be....) Plaid Halter Sample garment is 32".


Stefanie Her bust: 34" 2" Negative Ease Great shaping on Stefanie at the waist, and the neckline is perfect on her. The armholes look a bit big, but they are not too bad. She might need an extra 1" or so of length at the hips.		Debbie Her bust: 34.5" 2.5" Negative Ease Wow. This is adorable on Debbie. The armholes gap just a bit above the bustline, but overall, I think this is cute on her. The waist shaping helps add in extra curves, and the high neckline helps pull your eyes up to her great face.

IWK Summer 2008 Roped Shell

Kat — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Gallery: Roped Shell, design by Angela Hahn

Notes in pattern advise no more than 2" negative ease max and no more than 2" positive ease max in order to not distort the stitch pattern. Overall: Good golly, Ms. Molly. This is just darn gorgeous in person. The fabric is to die for, the knitting is extremely fine work (Ms. Hahn, take a bow, if you would). There are details in this shell that blow my mind: the roped edging at neck and hem, the false seam is a lovely design element (and a clever one, too: it conceals the pattern "jog" caused by knitting in the round); the draped back neckline is just breathtaking. When I first saw this tank, I thought: "Well. I could just sing, this is so pretty." Roped Shell Tank shown measures 33.25" in mag.


Debbie Her bust 34.5" 1.25" negative ease, which is pretty close to the 1.5" negative ease recommended for this size. I LOVE the back of this and how it fits on Debbie. Of course, if she were wearing this for real, she would wear different undergarments, but look at the lovely drape at the back neck. The front neck is also lovely on her; whether or not it is too low is up to Debbie and how daring she feels. The cabled "straps" could be a bit shorter, which would pull up the neckline as well as the armholes.


Stefanie Her bust 34" 0.75" Negative Ease This makes a lovely maternity top, although I think Katie might be more comfortable in the next size up. More length would help cover her belly as the pregnancy continues. After the baby is born, the 40" size would still fit Katie's normal 35" bust with a lovely, loose drape.


Sandi Her bust: 41" 7.75" Negative Ease I wore this for the minimum time necessary to get a photo, since I was worried about stretching it out! A bit tight, indeed. The 40" size would definitely be a better fit on me. I personally prefer a higher neckline than shown in this photo; the neckline here is of course being pulled down a bit by The Girls. Nice waist shaping, though.


Bertha Her bust: 34" 0.75" Negative Ease

IWK Summer 2008 Imprint Tank

Kat — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:54:00 GMT

Gallery: Imprint Tank, design by Sarah Hoadley

Don't be scared of intarsia, say the Gallery Gals, especially not if it gives you a top like this one! (And by the way, Sarah? Designer Sarah? The inside of this garment is as pretty as the outside--all those color changes and yarn twists are beautiful. Well done!) You might think that a worsted weight cotton is too heavy for warm weather, but, if you are going to something dressy, like a meeting or the office, what else are you going to wear? Clingy polyester? A suit jacket? C'mon, this is perfect for those warm-weather "I've-got-to-wow-'em" events, and no dry-cleaning bill afterwards. We all loved the soft, breathable fabric and the complexion-friendly colors. Of course, you could throw all caution to the winds and wear this with jeans and pretty shoes. Sit at an outside cafe in THAT outfit and see if anyone asks you to star in their next blockbuster movie. Imprint Tank Sample garment shown is 34.5".


Stefanie Her bust: 34" 0.5" positive ease A perfect fit! If Stefanie wanted a little more waist shaping, she could add that in, but it looks great on her.		Debbie Her bust: 34.5" zero ease What is it with Debbie and these tops? She looks fabulous, ready to walk straight into the boardroom and impress a bunch of attorneys or accountants or something. The armholes do seem a tiny bit large, I will say, but other than that: Go Debbie!


Erin Her bust: 38" 3.5" negative ease Erin definitely needs a larger size in this top, and fortunately, the next size up is a 39", which would be just about right. The bustline pulls too much here..."But wait," you say, "Sandi--how can you tell that the bustline is too tight here? It looks like it fits!" Notice how on Ms. Erin, the fourth circle up from the hem looks bigger than the others? It's not bigger, it is the same size as the others--or at least, it was when it was knitted. It just looks larger because Erin's curves are pulling it out of shape. On a patterned sweater, whether lace, colorwork, textures, or cables, if the pattern gets pulled out of shape over some curve of your body, then the sweater is too tight. (This is subject to personal taste, the style of the garment, and whether the pattern was intended to be enlarged by curves, of course. Use your judgment and all that jazz.) If Erin made the next size up, she might still have to lengthen the top by perhaps a full pattern repeat and bring the waist shaping down by about 1-2" to match the location of her actual waist.


Bertha Her bust: 34" 0.5" positive ease Bertha can join Debbie in the boardroom, methinks.

IWK Winter 2007 Bonbon Pullover

Kat — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:42:00 GMT

Gallery: The Bonbon Pullover, design by Mari Lynn Patrick

Once again, Bertha and the Interweave gang 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! Sample garment shown measures 37" (94 cm).
Bertha Her bust: 34" (86.5 cm) Ease as shown: 3" (5.5 cm) positive ease

Erin Her bust: 38" (96.5 cm) Ease as shown: 1" (2.5 cm) negative ease

Katie Her bust: 35.5" (90 cm) Ease as shown: 1.5" (3.8 cm) positive ease

Stefanie Her bust: 34" ( 86.5 cm) Ease as shown: 3" (7.5 cm) positive ease

Sandi Her bust: 40.5" (103 cm) Ease as shown: 3.5" (9 cm) negative ease

IWK Winter 2007 Ivy League

Kat — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:39:00 GMT

Gallery: The Ivy League Vest, design by Eunny Jang

Once again, Bertha and the Interweave gang 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! Sample garment shown measures 31.5" (80 cm).
Annie Her bust: 31" (78.5 cm) Ease as shown: .5" (1.3 cm) positive ease

Bertha Her bust: 34" (86.5 cm) Ease as shown: 2.5" (6.5 cm) negative ease

Debbie Her bust: 34.5" (87.5 cm) Ease as shown: 3" (7.5 cm) negative ease

Karen Her bust: 31.5" (80 cm) Ease as shown: 0" (0 cm) no ease/negative ease

Katie Her bust: 35.5" (90 cm) Ease as shown: 4" (10 cm) negative ease

Stefanie Her bust: 34" ( 86.5 cm) Ease as shown: 2.5" (6.5 cm) negative ease

Toni Her bust: 33.5" (85 cm) Ease as shown: 2" (5 cm) negative ease

IWK Winter 2007 Colette

Kat — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:38:00 GMT

Gallery: The Colette Pullover, design by Veronik Avery

Once again, Bertha and the Interweave gang 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! Sample garment shown has the following finished measurements: Bust: 36.25" (92 cm) shown on schematic Waist: 32.5" (82.5 cm) shown on schematic Hem: 36.25" (92 cm) shown on schematic Neck to Hem: 21.5" (54.5 cm) shown on schematic Waist to Hem: 7.6" (19 cm) calculated via number of rounds stated in pattern
Bertha Her bust: 34" (86.5 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 2.25" (5.5 cm) positive ease Waist: 24.5" (62 cm) Hip: 35" (89 cm) Neck to Waist: 13" (33 cm) Bertha has neither legs nor tailbone, so we cannot give her height; we estimate her center back length as 18" (45.5 cm).

Debbie Her bust: 34.5" (87.5 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 1.75" (4.5 cm) positive ease Waist: 30" (76 cm) Hip: 38.5" (98 cm) Neck to Waist: 14" (35.5 cm) Center Back Length: 18.5" (47 cm) Height: 5 ft 2 in

Erin Her bust: 38" (96.5 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 1.75" (4.5 cm) negative ease Waist: 33.5" (85 cm) Hip: 43" (109 cm) Neck to Waist: 17" (43 cm) Center Back Length: 23" (58.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 10.5 in

Karen Her bust: 31.5" (80 cm) Ease as shown: 4.75" (12 cm) positive ease

Kat Her bust: 40" (101.5 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 3.75" (9.5 cm) negative ease Waist: 34" (86.5 cm) Hip: 42.5" (108 cm) Neck to Waist: 15" (38 cm) Center Back Length: 21" (53.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 7.5 in

Katie Her bust: 35.5" (90 cm) Ease at bust as shown: .75" (2 cm) positive ease Waist: 27" (68.5 cm) Hip: 37" (94 cm) Neck to Waist: 17" (43 cm) Center Back Length: 25" (63.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 10 in

Liz Her bust: 37" (94 cm) Ease as shown: .75" (2 cm) negative ease

Stefanie Her bust: 34" ( 86.5 cm) Ease as shown: 2.25" (5.5 cm) positive ease

Sandi Her bust: 40.5" (103 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 4.25" (11 cm) negative ease Waist: 37" (94 cm) Hip: 42" (106.5 cm) Neck to Waist: 18" (45.5 cm) Center Back Length: 22" (56 cm) Height: 5 ft 4 in

Toni Her bust: 33.5" (85 cm) Ease at bust as shown: 2.75" (7 cm) positive ease Waist: 29" (73.5 cm) Hip: 35.5" (90 cm) Neck to Waist: 15" (38 cm) Center Back Length: 18" (45.5 cm) Height: 5 ft 5 in

Knitting Daily Galleries : Colorwork

IWK Summer 2008 Elinor Tunic

Gallery: Elinor Tunic, design by Wendy Bernard

Elinor Tunic

Stefanie

Debbie

Sandi

Erin

Bertha

IWK Summer 2008 Plaid Halter

Gallery: Plaid Halter, design by Gryphon Perkins

Plaid Halter

Stefanie

Debbie

IWK Summer 2008 Roped Shell

Gallery: Roped Shell, design by Angela Hahn

Roped Shell

Debbie

Stefanie

Sandi

Bertha

IWK Summer 2008 Imprint Tank

Gallery: Imprint Tank, design by Sarah Hoadley

Imprint Tank

Stefanie

Debbie

Erin

Bertha

IWK Winter 2007 Bonbon Pullover

Gallery: The Bonbon Pullover, design by Mari Lynn Patrick

Sample garment shown measures 37" (94 cm).

Bertha

Erin

Katie

Stefanie

Sandi

IWK Winter 2007 Ivy League

Gallery: The Ivy League Vest, design by Eunny Jang

Sample garment shown measures 31.5" (80 cm).

Annie

Bertha

Debbie

Karen

Katie

Stefanie

Toni

IWK Winter 2007 Colette

Gallery: The Colette Pullover, design by Veronik Avery

Sample garment shown has the following finished measurements:

Bertha

Debbie

Erin

Karen

Kat

Katie

Liz

Stefanie

Sandi

Toni