Guest post by Véronique Bélinge
I must confess; when it comes to knitwear, I have one major weakness: sweaters. Whether it be a vintage find or a handmade creation, I don’t discriminate. My number 1 requirement though? It must fit perfectly.
In 2020, after years of putting off sweater knitting simply out of fear (I did that with socks too, until recently), I finally gave myself a vigorous mental kick in the butt and went for it. And let me tell you, it paid off. I became obsessed with crafting perfectly fitting sweaters. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have produced roughly 30 sweaters of various sizes and styles for myself, my hubby, and the various children in our lives.
If one of your goals this year is to knit yourself a fabulous sweater you will love wearing, here are the best tips I can offer you as a seasoned sweater knitter who's obsessed with fit, closet curation, and seasonal palette optimization.
The time and money spent on a handmade garment can be considerable, thus there is nothing more tragic than a handmade sweater that never sees the light of day because it either doesn't fit you properly, doesn't go with anything in your closet, or the chosen colour makes you look like a corpse. If you want maximum wearability out of your sweater, trust me, it all starts with the right pattern. Selecting a flattering design that truly suits your body will give you a strong foundation. However, focusing on colour, fit, and styling can turn the simplest sweater into a wardrobe staple you’ll cherish and want to duplicate, over and over.
Step one:
Find out which cuts are optimal for you
Explore your closet
Before you start browsing patterns on Ravelry, start by examining your current sweater collection. Is there a gem in there that fits you like a glove but that you only adorn on special occasions because you're afraid of wearing it out? If the answer is yes, this is exactly the type of garment you should strive to reinterpret with your needles, and not those shapeless generic horrors we've all bought and, soon after, dropped off at our local thrift store... yours truly included.
Shop for inspiration
If nothing in your sweater collection seems worthy of being "cloned", it's time to go shopping for ideas. Take a measuring tape, your smartphone, a trusted friend, and hit the stores, (I love independent consignment boutiques myself). I recommend you try on a bunch of sweaters in various styles, take note of your favourite finds, and jot down the measurements. Taking a few pictures for later viewing, wouldn't hurt either.
Example: Last October, I encountered a $300 French wool Breton at a very posh boutique on Sussex Drive. I loved everything about it except the price tag. We had a quick moment of intimacy in the fitting room, and now I’m working on something similar I can afford. By no means am I encouraging plagiarism, but it's perfectly alright to take away some key elements from these inspiring boutique pieces.
A few words on design elements
I'm all up for if you love it, wear it but it's important to know that not all necklines, sleeve styles, and fabrics look fantastic on everyone. The reality is that a design element (boatneck, v-neck, Dolman sleeves, cropped hems, intricate textures, etc.) can either emphasize or de-emphasize your best features. If you're interested in experimenting with this, (and you might not be, and that's just fine), it is only by comparing styles and cuts that you will find which ones make you feel and look your best.
Example: As a petite lady with a linear frame, blunt shoulders, and what my husband calls an aerodynamic chest, I religiously stick to crewnecks, turtlenecks, and wide boat necks, as they emphasize my bust and give me more presence. Pictured right, I'm wearing my handmade turtle neck knit with custom dyed yarn by Ravelution Yarn. To find out how I modified this pattern by Tin Can knits, click here!
If you don't know where to start, below are a few different sweater designs with specific style goals in mind. (IMHO, many of them are also suitable for knitters who are creating their first sweater.* )
(*Shaping the waist, adding or removing a turtleneck, cropping the hem, streamlining the sleeves, skipping the colour work, etc., are just a few of the many ways in which you can customize any pattern to your preferences and measurements.)
De-emphasizing the chest
Goal: If your aim is to de-emphasize your bosom, look for V-necks, scoop necklines, key-hole necklines, open boat necks, as well as shoulder detailing such as raglan sleeves. On the left is a perfect example of a graceful v-neck with streamlined slitted sleeves. This cut accentuates shape but not bust size. (Personally, I would remove the necklace to elongate the neck further).
Watch out for:
Heavily textured fabrics covering the chest area, ballooned sleeves, and sleeves hemmed right at the bust line.
Pictured below: The bust may seem flatter here but the distorted shape is making it appear elongated and wider than it actually is. The balloon sleeves also add extra volume at the waistline creating an overall boxy silhouette.
Pattern Suggestions:
Check out the Lili Sweater by Cécile Tricotte, available in French and English on Ravelry. This pattern is seamless, knit in the round with any fingering merino weight yarn, and done entirely in stockinette stitch. This is a great basic sweater to add to your wardrobe and one that you can wear all year long. Note the slim sleeves, conservative V-neck, and beautiful arm and waist cable detail!
Accentuating the waist
Goal:
Nothing makes a sweater shine like a well tailored waist. This cut can emphasize an hour glass shape and also add curves to a slender silhouette.
If you want to accentuate your waist, look out for wider necklines, tapered waists, cropped hems, peplums, as well as shoulder detailing like puffed sleeves. The model's wait on the right is accentuated by the wider neckline of the Hourglass Sweater by Joelle Hoverson, which emphasizes the collarbones drawing the eye down to hips, as well as the shaping that starts at the bust-line. Shaping and proportions are key here to create a balanced silhouette and you can see the hourglass shape very well in this example.
Watch out for:
Oversized cuts and dropped shoulders. The model to the left is simply drowning in fabric. This vibrant pink colour is lovely but alas it is not enough to salvage this potato sack. Next!
Pattern Suggestion:
The Seacoast by Joji Locatelli is flattering statement piece that flaunts clean lines and an iconic, open neckline. Worked in the round from the top down, Seacoast’s circular yoke begins with a slipped-stitch rib and utilizes short rows below the yoke to raise the back. Sleeves are picked up and knit circularly to the cuff. Optional waist shaping empowers you to play with shape to find the fit that suits you best!
Accentuating shoulders
Goal:
Broad shoulders give the whole body proportion, and create the illusion of a waist. If you're slender, this can be especially helpful. If you're aiming for presence and a wow factor, you'll want to seek out detailed or textured yokes, raglan sleeves, and wide necklines like the one pictured on the right. Now this sweater is a real show stopper! The Sabrina Neckline, aka boat neck, is still and will always be in style.
Fun fact:
The Sabrina Neckline was named after a dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the movie Sabrina. It’s usually credited to Hubert de Givenchy, though it may have been designed by Edith Head. They both worked on the film.
Watch out for:
Scoop necks and button down cardigans. These elements bring the gaze down and bring attention to your lower half instead of your shoulders.
Pattern Suggestions:
The Love Note sweater by Tin Can Knits is a great example of a textured yoke. This sweater knits up quickly in the round with some single ply fingering merino + lace weight mohair, or a dk weight merino would do just as nicely.
De-emphasizing the shoulders
Goal:
If you've already got broad shoulders, you might want to draw attention to your lower half. Many athletic or inverted triangle body types might be able to relate. If this resonates with you, you might want to look for scoop and u-necks, and kimono, drop, and Dolman sleeves. Fine knits with hip detailing such as stripes or colour work, as well as button-down cardigans are also good choices. The model to the right is wearing a long cardigan bringing your eye down. Note: A gold necklace forming a "v" shape, bold stripes in contrasting colours at the bottom of the cardi, and dark-wash jeans would have made this outfit perfect.
Watch out for:
Avoid wearing anything with puff, cap sleeves or shoulder pads, as these will visually broaden the shoulders.
Pattern Suggestions
The Kamria by Bright Eyes Knits is a lovely example of a u-neck/square neck pattern that draws the eyes down. This worsted sweater is knit in the round, top-down, with no short rows or seaming. This pattern is perfect for an advanced beginner!
Elongating the silhouette
Goal:
Who doesn't want to look taller?! I know I do. If you do too, look for streamlined duster cardigans with subtle waist shaping. When worn over a monochromatic outfit in a contrasting colour, a longline cardigan creates a tall vertical line.
Watch out for:
Anything too tight, too many combined colours, anything boxy, and don't even think of horizontal stripes. All of these design elements will make you look instantly shorter.
Pattern Suggestion:
The Ridgeline Duster by Knitatude is a great long cardigan pattern with slits in the back. A great staple for any wardrobe. This cardigan is particularly unique since the collar is made first and used as a base for
the raglan yoke. Knit up in Aran weight yarn, the pattern is perfect for advanced beginners and beyond.
Maximizing a modest chest
Goal:
It seems if you're big chested, you wish the the girls would shrink, but if you have the impression the boob fairy skipped you, you'd do almost anything to inflate them overnight. The good news is, appearing larger chested can be as easy as wearing turtlenecks, crewnecks, heavily textured fabrics, and shoulder detailing. Pictured right is a beautiful example of how subtle speckling in the yarns can add interest without distracting the eye. On the same model, a deep v-neck in the same fabric would have flattened the chest.
Watch out for:
Avoid tops that are simple, no pattern or detailing which might enhance a small bust line. The right length of a necklace will also add volume to the chest area.
Pattern Suggestion:
"Rosemary" Fisherman's Sweater by Poison Grrls is a great example of a bust accentuating sweater. The high neck and textured pattern
Well that about covers it for sweater cuts so I think I'll pause it here. Now it's time for you to go out and research your optimal sweater patterns based on what you've learned so far. Decide what design elements resonated with you and hit Ravelry or your favourite shops for some inspiration. Set aside your favourites and join me here soon for the second part of this guest post where I will cover yarn selection, swatching, and colour palettes. Thanks for reading and when in doubt, wear what feels good and remember that rules were meant to be broken!
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