When I first began to design I was more than a little skeptical about modeling my own designs because I am not a perfect (or even a small size). In the few years that I have been producing designs, I have been surprisingly overwhelmed and touched by the feedback I have received from those of you who are happy to see my designs on someone who has some of the same body issues that you do. That has been incredibly empowering and encouraging to me personally so I wanted to take the opportunity to give some of that back to you.

Obviously I don’t know all the secrets but I have a pretty good idea of what works for me. So if you are:  busty, short-waisted, have a curvy hourglass (even a larger one) figure with bust and hips relatively in proportion with a smaller waist, and are short in stature but not petite, you might want to pay attention. Maybe some of my tricks will work for you too.

When I’m looking to design something with myself in mind here are a few of the guidelines I like to follow:

Because I’m busty necklines are super important to me! I like v-necks especially, but U-necks, square necks and scoop necks are good too. Showing some of the skin from your chin to your bust breaks up the line and makes your bust seem shapely and not overabundant. I personally don’t mind cleavage, but when I don’t think it’s appropriate I happily layer that deep v neck sweater over a pretty camisole or tank to make it suit the occasion. Something with a pretty top layer that will be attractive peeking out from behind your knitted item. If I want to play up my cleavage nothing does the trick like a wrap (surplice) top.

Because I am fairly well proportioned in bust and hips I like shaping in a sweater which will allude to an hourglass figure (though my glass is much wider these days than it used to be). I like to mirror and emphasize my curves rather than hide them underneath baggy unflattering sweaters. Also I avoid boxy shapes on top like the plague because they make me look like a linebacker, and empire shapes that make me look radiantly pregnant.

Because I am short-waisted it is important to me that I knit my sweaters to just the right length. I like a sweater to end at or just shy of my hips so it helps to camoflage the tummy that I still haven’t managed to lose after two c-sections.

I have enough going on on top that I prefer designs that are simple with elegant details that focus on yarn choice rather than busy allover patterns or fussy details that add bulk and interest to my top half. The designs I personally prefer most feature a good portion of stockinette stitch with accent detailing in less critical areas like sleeves, hems, and necklines. Sweaters certainly don’t have to be plain vanilla, but if they are splurge on a really luxurious yarn that will make the sweater something special.

I love handpainted yarns in busy colorways but I save them for accents, accessories and socks. I prefer monochromatic handpainted yarns and semi-solids if I’m working on a garment. They add visual interest without making my bust overpowering in the way that a busy colorway would.  I also admit that I’m a big proponent of monochromatic dressing from head to toe. It gives me a cleaner line and makes me feel elegant.

I don’t shy away from color just because I am not a size 6. I love basic black as much as the next girl (and own an alarming amount of that and many other neutrals), but color is so much fun and portrays confidence. It’s important to remember that attitude is half the battle. Red is of course my favorite. If you are color shy, test the waters with muted and toned down colors that won’t make you feel like a blinking stop light, at least until you become used to them.

Layering is a technique I employ since it seems to break up my middle which is where I seem to carry most of my extra weight since having my kids. That said, I cannot have, buy, knit or design enough jackets, and cardigans. I love them, and layering them over different tanks, camis, tees etc, adds versatility to my wardrobe. Sometimes I like the matchy-matchy look of a twinset, but contrasting colors and subtle prints is my norm. I do try to go for fitted pieces with nipped in waist shaping and bust shaping.

Also layering doesn’t have to be confined just to jackets and so forth. A tank when worn alone that might make you uncomfortable because of not so firm upper arms can be transformed with the addition of a great shawl or wrap (lots of opportunity for you lace knitters I think!) and a gorgeous shawl pin or vintage brooch.

I like to knit things for myself mostly in worsted and dk weights. They work best for my climate and are more slimming to my figure. I do occasionally cave (Case in point:Terra) and knit something in a bulky yarn, but it HAS to have shaping and I am more likely to wear it layered over a light piece for running around town.

I prefer to knit everything in the size closest to my actual bust measurement and I avoid wearing anything too tight or too loose, both of which make me seem bigger. Also I have a disturbingly negative opinion of suggested ease. How can any designer really tell you how much ease you should choose without knowing your build? You are after all the best source of info about your own body, right? I know it is often commented on when ease is not suggested in a pattern, and I have suggested ease before, but I don’t really like to. I consider it a very personal matter because it is something that may change with each person’s shape. This is why most of my patterns suggest choosing the pattern closest to your bust measurement as a place to start.

At 31years old I like classic pieces that never really go out of style but I am young enough (and I’m referring more to my attitude and sense of self here than my age number which I think counts for naught) to have fun with some trendy pieces. I hate hearing women say they are too old or too fat to wear something. I guess string bikinis and hot pants aside, there is usually a way for even an older or larger women to incorporate a trendy piece successfully if she does so with taste and a clear idea of her personal style. There are no rules after all and we are only as young as we feel.

See also:

Finding what works -The problem as I see it…
Dishing on my personal opinion and must have for knits that work for my shape.

Stay tuned for:

Finding what works -What will work for you…
Compiling a list of what works for different body issues.

This 3 part post will be added to the Tips section for future reference and I will be addiing any good tips provided by readers (through email, contact, or comments) to the compiled list. If you have any great insight as to what works on your particular body issue I’d love to hear it.

Lately I have noticed a great amount of discussion from knitters who feel that designers on the whole are not really offering enough in the way of patterns. Obviously I don’t mean the patterns in general since the knitting market has many beautiful new designs being released daily by storms of new designers as well as the ever faithful guard of already established ones.

What I’m referring to is fit and the way it is addressed within a pattern. There are a lot of knitters out there who believe that designers are walking around with the insensitive perception that all women are perfectly proportioned and fit into the established sizing standards. This is a misconception that I think every designer has had to deal with at one point in time.  I don’t claim to know what every designer thinks, or even that there might not be some designers who actually think this way, but speaking for myself the proportion issue has not gone unnoticed.

Because I am a woman who is definitely not a perfect size anything I can see where Jane Q. Knitter gets frustrated. She is a plus size woman with small breasts and a small frame.  So when she casts on for that fabulous new sweater she is more than a little bummed when the sleeves are too long, and there is too much room in the bust. It discourages her knitting attempts and more often than not the designer takes the blame for the ill fitting garment.

I wish that the average knitter could actually see what goes into the design process. I confess that while I love designing more than I can say, it is not an easy or quick process and there is no magic wand involved (as much as I wish there were). I do it because I love it, plain and simple. I can say that I don’t believe there is a designer out there who thinks that the currently available sizing standards are going to work on every figure, but without those standards as a guideline the situation would be much worse.

The thing is, I could customize a pattern to work especially well on women with my shape: very short, ample 42″ chest and hips in proportion , and a short waist. Unfortunately that isn’t going  to work for Jane Q. Knitter’s friend, Mary who is also a 42″ chest, but is tall and has a long torso, and smaller breasts. See the predicament?

There is no way to address every woman’s body issues and still provide only 1 pattern, so the key at  least to my mind is to empower the knitter to learn what will work for them. As I designer I am trying to aid in the process by offering patterns with many sizes and more steps in between where the knitter chooses her size based on measurement and not suggested ease. I try as much as I can to incorporate tips and hints that make customizing your sweater as easy as possible because there is no one sweater that is perfect for every figure.

The only real solution is finding your personal key and sticking with it. It may take a little thought and a little work but if it means a perfect sweater every time, then it may be worth the effort. It’s time for knitters to step up and be not afraid of making every design their own.

Stay tuned for:

Finding what works -What works for me…
Dishing on my personal opinion and must have for knits that work for my shape.

Finding what works -What will work for you…
Compiling a list of what works for different body issues.

This 3 part post will be added to the Tips section for future reference and I will be addiing any good tips provided by readers (through email, contact, or comments) to the compiled list. If you have any great insight as to what works on your particular body issue I’d love to hear it.

I’m feeling compelled to watch Grease 2 since I cannot seem to shake that song.

So Ladybug started kindergarten this morning. I went ahead and walked her in today instead of dropping her off partly because of the ginormous bag of school supplies she would have needed a wagon to tote in otherwise and partly for my own piece of mind. For the past 2 years she’s been a trooper with preschool so I’m hoping we make it through the first day unscathed and happy. She had breafast with her class and was chatting happily to them when I finally took my leave. Thank heavens she’s not shy! I think she’ll be just fine.

I did finish Cupcake’s socks and started Ladybug’s–I cannot believe it took me so long to cross over to the dark side of sock knitting. I still prefer plain Jane socks for relaxation but at least they’re socks right? I do have to admit that my sock queue has grown exponentially and I’m hoping I’ll be able to get all those promised pairs done by Christmas.

Oh…and I finished Aer-#2 elemental design. Here are a few details to tide you over while the pattern is being tested. The yarn is Rowan Kidsilk Night if you are interested and the hoodie requires 1150 [1300, 1450, 1600, 1750, 1910, 2065, 2215, 2370] yards in case you happen across any great sales.

I’ve been working diligently on Ladybug’s Blithe but it wasn’t ready in time for day 1. When I dropped the bomb that I would be using the original yellow Blithe as a sample to take to TNNA she immediately seized upon the opportunity to squeeze another one out of me for her personal wardrobe. We of course changed our minds on the yarn and color several times, finally settling on Malabrigo Silky Merino in ankara green which is really lovely.

And since I was already ordering why not add some more Malabrigo to the box right? Sandra shipped me these last week some time. I just swoon for Malabrigo. The black silky merino is for something I’m currently cooking up for myself and may offer as a pattern, and the green sapphire is for a Nottingham sample. I love the fresh green color.

Yesterday was meet the teacher night for Ladybug and as we joined the queue of parents and kids waiting outside the school it really struck me how it really doesn’t seem that long ago that it was me waiting anxiously outside the kindergarten doors eager to start my school career.

Things have changed of course as they always do. The school was torn down and rebuilt a few years back so nothing but the old archway that covered the car rider station remains of my elementary school. In my day the kindergarten, elementary, and intermediate schools were all separate. Now Pre K-6 all attend the elementary school which makes Ladybug feel super grown up since she isn’t going to ‘baby school’ any longer. She was pretty excited about going to Mom and Gigga Bubba’s old school.

Her teacher has a puppet show stage and Dr. Suess puppets right there in her room which Ladybug considers the very height of cool. She is psyched over the prospect of art class and music class and was thoroughly overjoyed when she saw the gymnasium (she must get that from her dad).

As we were leaving to go home she slipped her hand from mine and said, “Mom, you don’t have to hold my hand anymore. I’m a big girl now.”

So it has begun…and I’m a little sad.

FYI: That’s me at kindergarten age on top with my head full of curls and Miss Ladybug a few days ago playing makeup to the left.

This is one of those projects that has been a complete joy from start to finish. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with Zen Yarn Garden’s Roxanne Yuen who loves all shades of red as much as I do. She whipped up this truly gorgeous Gemilicious worsted in ‘Rubies’ which is devastatingly lovely worked in an expanse of figure hugging cables.

The sweater itself is simple but not boring and is sized in 18 different sizes so anyone can get the right fit. I’ve also added lots of tips for customization. It is knit entirely in the round for those of you who fiend for all things seamless.

Roxanne will be offering exclusive Curvy sweater kits at www.zenyarngarden.com.

Want to see the details?

So unless you’ve been living under a rock you probably already know that Knotions is live! If you haven’t seen it yet, go and have a look and check out my newest pattern, Terra. Jody has done a really wonderful job with the magazine and I think people are really going to like her approach. Big congratulations go out to her on her new endeavor and also a big thanks for including one of my patterns.

As you already know Terra is the first design in my elemental series. Throughout the course of the next year it will be followed by Aer, Aqva, and Ignis, all of which are also hoodies. A person can really never have too many hoodies. So I’m really excited about the series and wanted to take the opportunity to field some of the questions I am getting about Terra.

When will the rest of the designs be available and where?

If all goes according to plan my goal is to release Aer in winter, Aqva in spring, and Ignis in summer. Downloadable patterns will be available here on jacquelynlandry.com and paper patterns will be available for purchase through any of my retailers.

I’ve noticed the wide range of sizes on Terra, will the other pattern be available in plus sizes too?

Yes, Terra is sized to fit 30-60″ bust. My goal is to provide patterns that look well on the lovely thin ladies and the lovely curvy ladies alike. Depending on the construction of the other designs I will offer the same general size range though there may be more size steps in between. I’m also hoping to add enough information to make them as customizable as possible.

What about yarn substitutions?

The McTaggert Tweed I used in the sample is listed as bulky on Ravelry. It is super soft and very lofty (210 yards in a 4.5 oz skein) and knits up beautifully at 3.5 sts/inch on size US 8’s. It is incredibly affordable and produced here in the US. In case you haven’t heard of it before check it out! In case you are wondering, I have no affiliation with Beaverslide, I just love their yarns!

I’d suggest substituting a yarn with a good wool content so you don’t loose that lovely loft or stitch definition. A few that come to mind are: Bartlett Yarns Fisherman 3 ply, Malabrigo Chunky, Handpaintedyarn.com Colonia, Dream in Color Fatty, & Cascade Bollicine Victor. In response to those of you who have asked about cotton subs, I think it would be a better bet to choose a yarn with some cotton content but try to avoid pure cotton unless you want it to be as heavy as a suit of armor.

Who did your makeup?

No surprise here…My amazingly talented brother was responsible for my earth mother look. I owe him a hug and a big thank you for all his hard work!

So I hope that covers most of your questions about Terra & the elemental hoodies, but if it doesn’t, shoot me an email and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have for me. Oh, and before I sign off I want to send a big thanks out to Lime and Violet; Terra has been featured as the sweater of the week on the Daily Chum!

So I figured it was about time for my once a month, “I’m still alive” post. I’ll never know how the time manages to get away from me, but so it is. Hurricane Dolly has blessed us with a much needed rainy day so the girls and I are having a Harry Potter marathon today and I had the perfect excuse to sit down and write a post.

We’ve been staying busy and summer is flying by as usual. I finished and seamed my Weasley sweater and tossed it into the wash (hoo boy I love the washable yarns) so it’s even softer than you can possibly imagine. Of course it sheds a great deal after it’s first bath, but considering how soft it is a little initial shedding isn’t likely to put me off this lovely stuff. The earthy brown looks grey next to my cocoa colored chaise, but regardless I love the sweater. Of course Ladybug wants one too, so sometime soon I imagine I’ll be casting on for the next one in Gryffindor crimson and gold. I think Cupcake will be ready for hers in another year or two as well.

I’ve also started the next pair of socks in my queue. I found this shocking pink yarn on Etsy called pinky swear and knew at once that the girls needed matching socks. So sisterly y’know?

I am such a sucker for the names of sock yarn. Of course I look at colors first, but I will totally buy a yarn in not my fave colors if the name inspires me. I must be a nut that way, but it’s probably my fave thing about sock yarns.

The socks I find are the perfect in-between-projects project. They were intended for Christmas, but the girls both discovered the yarn and are positively itching to get their hands on the socks so I doubt they’ll ever make it to the wrapping stage. Eager little tootsies, no?

Also I wanted to mention that you can see a preview of the first issue of Knotions Magazine which will premiere on August 4th, and you’ll be able to find one of my designs in its pages. Terra is the first of four in a series based on the classic elements Earth, Air, Water and Fire. You’ll be able to get the first design free from Knotions and each new design will be released with the upcoming season and will be available here in my shop and through my retailers. RAVEL IT!

…and on that note I’ve cast on for the next design in the series which will be available this winter. It is using Rowan’s Kidsilk Night which I find utterly beautiful.

Last but not least, I’m really excited about my latest design and wanted to give you all a preview. Curvy is a figure hugging top worked in a repeating cable rib. The cables are elongated so as not to add any extra bulk to your frame (good for us fluffy gals). It is knit entirely in the round from the bottom up and would be great for a beginning knitter’s first sweater or cabling attempt. The yarn used in the project is Zen Yarn Garden’s Gemilicious Worsted which was a joy to knit with. The color was gorgeous and saturated but never bled or stained my hands or needles which gives it 4 stars in my opinion, and the semi solid nature of the colors really made the cables stand out. RAVEL IT!

I’m also hoping to get some feedbackfrom you all. My goal has always been to offer a wide range of sizes, but for this pattern I will be going a step further. I wanted to explore offering the same wide range of sizes, but with more steps in between so Curvy is sized in eighteen different sizes ranging from 28-62 inches (bust measurement) and is easily customized to give you a perfect fit. I really look forward to your opinions about the sizing as it is something I’d like to offer in future patterns. Curvy should be in the store in the next couple of weeks and Roxanne will be offering Curvy pattern kits exclusively at Zen Yarn Garden.

The lull in designing while I wait for yarns to arrive has been good for a quick project or two. I’ve gotten one pair of Christmas socks done, but no pictures until after Christmas. I am quite addicted to the two at once toe up method, and what they say about the addiction factor of sock yarn is too true. I’ve been stashing like they are going to quit making the stuff-mostly indie lines, and all very pretty.

So I finally cast on for my Harry Potter Weasley sweater a week or so back. I’ve been coveting one since I first saw them in the movies and you can’t very well be a dedicated Potter-ite and a knitter and not have one. I liberated some of my stash of Shokay Shambala for the project since the sweater is all about coziness. I decided against the dark and tweedy background in the films in favor of the heathered Earth color (which looks oddly grey in photos) with a Cranberry letter. I was really torn on the initials. I mean Harry is Harry after all, but Ron has had me from the beginning, and I do have something of a thing for the red heads y’know. After much deliberation I decided on the obligatory ‘H’ since I’ll probably tackle Ron’s ‘R’ raglan the next chance I get. I’ve only got about a third of the second sleeve, the collar, and side seams to finish.

How do you like my little house elf? I can’t keep her out of the knitting baskets!

It is getting HOT where we’re at but I’m still knitting. My project with the gorgeous Gemilicious Worsted in well underway and I’m hopeful it will be available for sale in mid to late July. That’s the plan anyway. We’ll all just have to wait ans see if fate decides to cooperate or not.

I’m not going to show you everything but I will give a sneak peek as to the progress of the project. I love the way the yarn and the cables are working together so I’m really excited to get this one done.

Swimming lessons are underway for Ladybug who is a little fish already and is loving her swim class. I have gotten a few odd stares and some curious comments from other parents and grandparents either because I’m knitting outdoor in the blazing sun or because I am knitting at all. Unsure of which but also amazingly unconcerned.

And for completing my first whole pair of socks, I got the sweetest thing in the mail from my dear friend Samm who has been cheering me on to  slay the sock monster. It is gorgeous Cherry Tree Hill in Old Rose and it is mine, mine mine!  Who would’ve known that knitting socks would come along with so many neat surprises. Thank you Samm! Hugs!

I don’t know what it is about my genetic makeup but I never seem to get sick during the fall or winter, but ever since I was a kid I always seem to catch a spring or summer cold. I have been curled up on my couch for the past week with nary a needle in sight. The only thing I was up to doing other than tending to the kiddos was re-reading the Harry Potters so at least my time wasn’t wasted. Before I started feeling like I’d been hit by a bus full of snot I did get most of the second sock done. I managed to finish them up night before last. Somehow I made one a bit larger than the other but considering I’ve conquered the sock monster I am okay with that. I really dig the whole toe up thing and short row heels seem easy enough. I will confess that I think I would prefer really plain patterns. The sock yarn out there is so pretty it hardly needs much in the way of embellishment and I think socks make excellent TV knitting. I’m hoping to find a handful of really great plain-ish patterns to do over and over as I think My stash is about to get an infusion of sock yarn which it has heretofore been lacking. Now if I can master 2 at once I’ll be golden.

Remember a few posts back when I mentioned a neighbor’s run in with one of the legless nasties that call my part of Texas home? Well, yesterday we took an excursion to purchase yarn for Ladybug. She mentioned that she was tired of knitting with her ever faithful ball of pink yarn and wanted to make a scarf. She has a bit of difficulty with the first stitch in every row (not sure why exactly) so I mentioned that she might like to knit a scarf in the round. She quickly decided that she was in need of the 1st year version of the Hogwarts scarf in Gryffindor colors so we went stash diving. I had the necessary crimson but we were without the gold which brings me back to our outing. She found her yarn and I came home with a few with a few new wind chimes for the house. I go outside with a step ladder and hooks to hang the chimes and I am just about to walk to the back of my flowerbed where I would have brushed by my camellia bush when I happened to see this:

It took me a full body shiver and all of 3 seconds to throw it in reverse and take my butt back inside where I got these pictures from my den window. Sicko that I am, I continued to watch that nasty creature until I went to bed. It was still in it’s perch well after midnight. This morning it was gone. So, I really don’t like snakes but up until now I have been really thinking the threat was on the ground. After a bit of internet research I’m pretty sure that thing was a rat snake though most people around here call them chicken snakes. Fortunately not venomous but creepy nonetheless.