Kay's Korner - A Knitters Notes

For those familiar with the popular show "What Not to Wear", you know that an unsuspecting woman is surprised by the shows hosts, joined with many of her family and friends, and she is told what a poor sense of style she has. Ouch! Well, I am not going to hand out $5,000 for a new wardrobe, but I do hope to help you make a better choice when deciding on a knitwear pattern.

When knitting for yourself, it is a good idea to pull out your best fitting sweater and take some measurements. Check the bust, waist and hip dimensions, as well as the length from the neckline to the waist. Use these measurements as a guide when choosing what size to make, comparing them to the finished measurements in the pattern. If the pattern doesn't give finished measurements or have a schematic, check the sizing chart on the yarn standards website to see what size best matches your sweater's dimensions.

Now I know at least a few of you are going to skip measuring and use the size marked on the sweater's label. Although there are industry standards for sizing women's and men's clothes, all size 12's are not the same. Where some designers like a tailored fit, others go for something more loose fitting and forgiving. Generally, more expensive lines tend to be more generously cut. Sizing also varies by world geography. When I was flipping through an On Line pattern book not long ago, I noticed that the sizing was not the same as in most American patterns. This prompted me to contact On Line's representative and sure enough, their standard bust sizes were smaller than U.S. Standards for comparable sizes, in most cases.

As you may have noticed, both commercial garment producers and pattern designers have, for the most part, dropped sizing sweaters by the numeric system (i.e. size10, size 36) and have opted to use size ranges (small, medium, large, extra large.) Although these ranges are adequate to obtain a reasonable fit in a bulky pullover, if you choose a pattern with a snug silhouette, it is worth your time to take measurements and check the sizing chart for the closest matching size. You see, where one designer may choose a finished bust measurement of 41 inches for a size large, another may use a 44 inch finished bust. Also, be sure to accommodate your largest measurement. For example, if your bust is in the size small range, but your waist measures comparable to a size medium, you will need to knit the medium. Of course, you may then tweak the pattern for a better fit, if desired.

We go to the effort and expense of knitting a garment not only because we enjoy the craft, but also to make clothing that will be enjoyable to wear. But no matter how great the model looks in that racer back halter, consider your own body before casting on. A few years ago, I knit a gorgeous cropped sweater with expensive French yarn and it has stayed in a cedar chest ever since. As I am self conscious about my tummy, the sweater is simply not flattering on me. In the photo, the sweater was on a dress form and did not appear cropped. Not realizing that the sleeves were only ¾ length, I misjudged the overall length of the garment. Had I taken a closer look at the finished measurements, I could have avoided the costly mistake of knitting a beautiful sweater that I never wear.

For more information on sizing patterns to fit, there are many references available. Most basic knitting books have advice on the subject, as well as many articles on the internet. Of course, your local yarn shop is always there to help you and is your most valuable resource.
Happy knitting!

On Kay's Needles - This week, I've continued to work on my Fan and Feather stole. By the way, this lace stitch pattern is also known as Old Shale. It's already a pretty piece and I know that once it is properly finished and blocked, it will be a lovely wrap.

The other project I've been working on is a crocheted tote bag for the market. As in the knitted version of this project, I am using Antuco, a bulky weight, hand dyed, 100% cotton yarn from Esther Bitran, allowing this project to be machine washable. After exploring several stitch patterns in different combinations, I decided on a single crochet base with a woven stitch body. I left a stripe of open work (treble crochet chain) to accommodate a wide ribbon trim that can be removed for laundering. I have crocheted the handles separately, to be joined during finishing. The center of the handles are made with single crochets joined into a tube, a technique I developed that is working out very well. Although I considered adding a stitch pattern with a bit of flair around the top of the bag, when I finished with a brick stitch pattern, it added more flare than flair! I went back to the drawing board and finished the bag in the woven stitch pattern, with a lovely result.

Copyright 2008 Karen Mather