Playing with (Color) Blocks



Breezy

Every Sunday morning a new issue of Tahki Stacey Charles yarn company's Newsflash newsletter pops into my blog reader.  TSC is more fashion-forward than many of the yarn companies, so their latest designs are always of interest.  They've been featuring color block designs in Cotton Classic, which, as its name implies, 100% cotton and been in production for many years. 

The design lines of the variations in the color block tops provide a great lesson in figure flattery.  First up is this past Sunday's featured pullover top, Breezy,  with a loose fit, boat neck, cap sleeves and a horizontal line across the bust.  None of those is a good choice for anyone to look slimmer.  Breezy is all horizontal lines, except for the diagonal sleeve line that cuts across the meatiest part of the upper arm. 



Fair Weather

Moving on, we've got the Fair Weather Tee.  With a more fitted shape, scoop neck and the addition of vertical design lines in the centered contrast panel, this top definitely makes the model appear thinner than Breezy.  It also features a cap sleeve, which again is unflattering to anyone with a beefy upper arm.  Fair Weather isn't working so much for me on an esthetic level - I really don't like the contrast of the squared off panel against the rounded scoop neckline.  They seem to fight each other.  Also, the short sleeve length and the scallops at the hem read as a little juvenile.  So, FW is a step up from Breezy, but not all the way there.

Sunrise

So, we've got Sunrise with many diagonal lines in play.  The triangular color block on the body nicely echoes the v-neckline.  The sleeveless trim fit features the form, without clinging to it.  Is it a perfect design?  Definitely not.  The V-neck is a little high, and I don't care for the way the triangle cuts across the bust.  But, this would be a great design for those figures which are more generous in the hips - as long as you keep the darker color to the bottom.  Flip the colors and Sunrise is more flattering to those bodies with broad shoulders and narrower hips.  So, it's not just the orientation of the design lines, it's the color placement, too. 

To purchase any of these patterns, go to: http://www.needleworkunlimited.com/tahkiyarns.aspx