Two Plus-Size Patterns from Knit.1, Spring 2007
Hi! Wow, thank you for the great (and hilarious) comments on my last post! If you haven’t already, leave a comment on that post for a chance to win the Vogue Knitting Winter 06/07 Issue. I said I wouldn’t pick a winner until Monday and I’m sticking to it even though I’m so excited I want to give it away rightthisverysecond. (contest over, thanks for playing!)
So let’s talk about knit.1. In their own words:
“knit.1 is like no other knitting magazine in the world. Created for an eclectic audience of knitting and crochet fans who insist on crafting their own look with their own talents, knit.1 gives this creative group access to the hottest fashions and accessories that are both fun to knit and fun to wear.”
“Like no other knitting magazine” is right. This is a hip little magazine that came out last year from the publishers of Vogue Knitting and is targeted at the 18-34 year old knitters. Most of their patterns seem more novelty than classically functional. Great stuff if you just want to have fun. Their how-to’s (like the four-stitch cable instructions) and funky patterns take a little of the intimidation out of knitting for beginning knitters like me.
Sadly for us, most of their patterns are made for waif-ish people. The latest issue included two patterns that size up to a seemingly snug 2X. We scored a polo shirt and a sleeveless hoodie.
I would be more likely to make the hoodie though I’m not sure how my boobs would work in it. It looks great hanging on the boob-less model (poor girl)! I’d probably have to make it a little longer to make up for boobage or I’d end up with a cropped hoodie. And I would wear a t-shirt under it. I have my personal rule - no-showing of wobbly bits.
I would pick up this magazine more for the other stuff like a Bhudda pillow (chart on this page), some yoga socks and a nice nautical hat.
Plus-Size Patterns from Knit.1, Spring 2007
Sleeveless Hoodie, pattern no. 6, page 37
“A hoodie goodie, this first-string beaut by Lauren Lax has our logo emblazoned on the back in duplicate stitch. (Sub your own saying using the chart featured on our Web site, knit1.com.) The zippered vest, in Lion Brand Yarn’s “Jiffy,” is bordered with garter-stitch stripes.”
Difficulty: 2 out of 4
Sizes: X-Small, Small, Medium, Large, 1X, 2X
Knitted Measurements:
- Bust: 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52)”/81.5 (91.5, 101.5, 112, 122, 132)cm
- Length: 20 1/2 (20 3/4, 22 1/2, 23, 25, 25 1/2)”/52 (52.5, 57, 58.5, 63.5, 65)cm
Stuff Needed to Make It:
- 3 ( 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ) balls in #132 Apple of Jiffy by Lion Brand Yarn, 3 oz/85g balls, each approx 135yd/123m (acrylic)
- 1 ball in #147 Purple
- One pair each sizes 8 and 10 (5 and 6mm) needles or size to get the gauge
- One set (5) each sizes 8 and 10 (5 and 6mm) double-pointed needles and one size J-10 (6mm) crochet hook
- 20 (20, 24, 24, 24, 24)”/50 (50, 60, 60, 60, 60)cm matching zipper
Gauge: 13 sts and 18 rows to 4″/10cm over St st using larger needles (10/6mm)
Polo Shirt, pattern no. 6, page 66
“Giddyup for some polo in a &emdash; there’s nothing else to call it &emdash; polo shirt designed by Vladimir Teriokhin. The princely golden sash is knit intarsia-style on the diagonal. Make it in Jade Sapphire Exotic Fibres‘ luscious, regal ‘mongolian Cashmere 4-Ply.’”
Difficulty: 3 out of 4
Sizes: X-Small, Small, Medium, Large, 1X, 2X
Knitted Measurements:
- Bust: 31 1/2 (35 1/2, 39, 43, 47, 51 1/2)”/80 (90, 99, 109, 119.5, 130.5)cm
- Length: 22 (22 1/2, 23 1/2, 24, 25, 25 1/2)”/55.5 (57, 60, 61, 63.5, 64.5)cm
- Upper Arm: 11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)”/28 (30.5, 33, 35.5, 38, 40.5)cm
Stuff Needed to Make It:
- 4 ( 5, 5, 6, 7, 8 ) skeins in #47 Blueblood Red of Jade Sapphire Exotic Fibres Mongolian Cashmere 4-Ply, 2 oz/55g skeins, each approx 200yd/183m (cashmere) (I did a quick Google search and found this place online that sells it: Knitting Bag. )
- 1 skein each in #69 Tuscan Sunset and Black
- One pair size 6 (4mm) needles or size to get the gauge
- Two 5/8″/15mm buttons, cable needle (for collar), stitch holder and markers
Gauge: 22 sts and 32 rows to 4″/10cm over St st using size 6 (4mm) needles
Do you have a favorite online knitting store? If so, let me know and I’ll try to link to these products there.
I have so many things to post and so little time! I’ve been working on finding some free patterns online for you. If you do a search on 3x sized free clothing patterns at Lion Brand, you get 163 results. There are so many more great free patterns out there. That’s why I had to make a blog! It’s going to take a long, long time to run out of stuff to blog about. Hopefully I never will.
I’ve also found some plus-size sewing resources online like the Clothing for Curvacious Craftsters forum over at craftster.org. I’ll make a list of some more for you this weekend. Let me know if you have any favorites!
Take care and happy Thursday. Today is the Girl Scout “World Thinking Day.” So learn a little about someone (or some craft) from another part of the world. (Am I the only one who thought it meant we were supposed to do some thinking? )
“Do you have a favorite online knitting store?”
That would have to be a tossup between (among?) Webs, Knitpicks, Elann.com, Smiley’s, and Herrschner’s weekly yarn sale. But I think I need to hide my credit card from myself because I have reached SABLE (stash aquired beyond life expectancy)!
As for the patterns, the hoody is cute on the anorexic model (and what’s up with her hair and eyeshadow, or am I just cranky this morning?), but I couldn’t see it on my ample self. Even amped up.
Well, personally I think this mag really targets the 14 and up crowd. They can’t *say* that of course because our country deludes itself believing they can keep companies from targeting children. Anyway, I agree the hoodie looks cool, but if you actually put cleavage inside I don’t think it would be as nice. I think I would actually look better in the eyeshadow! HA!
oh, and my daughter likes most of the Knit 1. Designs…..(when we have looked at it in the store) . Of course she is 7!!!! (and waifish)
Ah, now it all makes sense! It really is targeted at young girls. I would have loved to have something like this when I was 7 or 14. I was still plumpy though, so I still would have been frustrated by the sizing.
And even though I would have loved this magazine way back when, now that I’m a mom it does worry me that such grown-up looks are being targeted at girls. The Washington Post just ran an article about this sort of thing titled “Goodbye to Girlhood (registration required).”