What TO Wear Review of Interweave Knits Fall 2010

One of my goals for this blog is to guide knitters though current issues of the major knitting magazines in search of patterns which best obey the rules of dressing to look longer and leaner. I’ve been slow to get this going since I’ve spent most of this summer away from home with no access to a scanner, but with the fall issues arriving, and my return imminent, I will attempt to pick up the pace. So, we jump into the fall issue of IK in search of designs which are not crewneck pullovers . . .

Florence Cardigan from Mission Falls Silhouette pattern book, page 15

A great, great classic sweater which will flatter lots of different bodies. It hits all the key points for my body type – curvy, broad shoulders, short-waisted. The design is simple – a fitted v-neck cardigan - with mostly stockinette stitch. What makes it sing is the lace which wraps around all the edges, creating a very flattering vertical panel in center front.

Cloisonné Jacket by Deborah Helmke

This is a practically perfect design for the inverted triangle body – broad shoulders and narrow hips. The shoulder line is a plain stockinette in dark brown. Just above the bust, is a lovely organic color work design in the brown and a bright blue. At the hip line, there’s a strong strip of brown and then a band of lace in the bright blue. All the emphasis at the hip to balance the shadowed wide shoulders. And, add to that a v-neck which fastens with a single hook and eye just above the bust. So, you get a diagonal neckline to visually cut the shoulder line, and it fades into a body-lengthening narrow open front. See? Perfect.

Arching Cables Jacket by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark

Soooo cute! And what fun to knit! This short, shaped jacket begins with a cabled belt which is turned on its side. Stitches are then picked up from both sides to knit the cabled top and ribbed bottom. And, expecially clever is the v-shaped increase panel in the center back to create additional shaping. The short sleeves are right on trend for fall. This style would work on many different body types, but perhaps not the busty. If one of those girls with plenty were in love with this design, I would highly recommend adding short rows to create a bust dart. This would also not be my first choice for bodies proportionately bigger on top, since the drop shoulder creates excess fabric, which means visual weight!

Cardigan in Tilli Tomas advertisement, page 117, design by www.jenniferknits.com

The disclaimer is that there is only one view of this sweater, and a rather arty one at that. But, I like what I see, and the hidden problems can be addressed with simple alterations. This is a great design for the A & B cup gals, as well as those who need to balance out a larger bottom half. The tuck pleats across the upper chest , as well as the ruffle at the v-neck add volume, but in a very modern way. Since I can’t tell from the photo whether there is waist shaping, I will HIGHLY suggest it be added if missing.

Forest Vest from the Classic Elite Woodland pattern booklet, back cover

Just like the Cloisonné Jacket (above) this is a great design for the inverted triangle. It’s got a v-neck – and double-breasted at that – and plain stockinette stitch at the shoulder. From the low hem to just above the bust are body-lengthening cable panels. They are not so dense as to add visual weight to the torso. The fit is close to the body, and possibly a little A-line (it’s hard to tell from photo). With a lot of attention at the bust, as well as the double-breasted closure, it’s not a good choice for the full figured. But, all those inverted triangles should take a long look.