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.