Things that look better on the table
Making garments for yourself requires a bit of give and take, and a realization of what your body-type is... and accepting it. Sometimes, you make mistakes and end up making things that look great, but only on the table that you're photographing it on.
Example: My Cherie Amour (insert Stevie Wonder background here):
I made this using James C. Brett Marble Chunky that I fell in love with in a store in Edmonton when I was there on a work trip. Fantastic colours, truly different. I promptly bought two of the enormous balls and brought them home. I eventually settled on making Cherie Amour (I even special-ordered another ball to make sure I had enough) and set to work on it.
Well, here's the problem: it's not only Marble Chunky, but it makes ME look chunky.
In Big Girl Knits by Amy R. Singer and Jillian Moreno, one of the first cardinal rules of knitting for a bodacious body is "Thou shalt not knit with chunky yarn." Why add inches when you don't need inches?
Funny thing is: I knew this rule before I started this sweater. I thought, "Well, it's awfully cute in the pictures. I'm sure it'll be cute on me. I'll just modify it here and there..."
Well, Misses Singer and Moreno, I was blind, but now I see.
I still wear this sweater from time to time, usually on the weekends when nobody sees me. I've added a lace-up to the front so that the neckline doesn't gape, and it's better, but it ain't Vogue.
Nowadays, I make liberal use of Ravelry to see what patterns look like on different shapes. You can check out a pattern and see what people have done with it, and if there were any problems with the pattern, or if someone has made a clever modification. It's a godsend... one that I really should have scrutinized a bit longer before making this.
Ah well... at least I can hum a l'il bit of Stevie today.
Example: My Cherie Amour (insert Stevie Wonder background here):
I made this using James C. Brett Marble Chunky that I fell in love with in a store in Edmonton when I was there on a work trip. Fantastic colours, truly different. I promptly bought two of the enormous balls and brought them home. I eventually settled on making Cherie Amour (I even special-ordered another ball to make sure I had enough) and set to work on it.
Well, here's the problem: it's not only Marble Chunky, but it makes ME look chunky.
In Big Girl Knits by Amy R. Singer and Jillian Moreno, one of the first cardinal rules of knitting for a bodacious body is "Thou shalt not knit with chunky yarn." Why add inches when you don't need inches?
Funny thing is: I knew this rule before I started this sweater. I thought, "Well, it's awfully cute in the pictures. I'm sure it'll be cute on me. I'll just modify it here and there..."
Well, Misses Singer and Moreno, I was blind, but now I see.
I still wear this sweater from time to time, usually on the weekends when nobody sees me. I've added a lace-up to the front so that the neckline doesn't gape, and it's better, but it ain't Vogue.
Nowadays, I make liberal use of Ravelry to see what patterns look like on different shapes. You can check out a pattern and see what people have done with it, and if there were any problems with the pattern, or if someone has made a clever modification. It's a godsend... one that I really should have scrutinized a bit longer before making this.
Ah well... at least I can hum a l'il bit of Stevie today.
Comments
I love using Ravelry to "comparison" shop, too.
Thank you for your kind note on my blog. I really appreciated all the moral support. I know for sure that there will be other opportunities out there...I just have to be brave enough to keep trying. Thanks for the empathy and cheering! I needed it.:)