Hubert - Customize your knitting: adjust to fit, embellish to taste

ADJUST TO FIT EMBELLISH TO TASTE

Margaret Hubert

2016 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

First published in the United States of America in 2016 by

Creative Publishing international, an imprint of

Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

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Suite 400

Minneapolis, MN 55401

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a subsequent reprinting of the book.

Digital edition published in 2016

Digital edition: 978-1-63159-150-1
Softcover edition: 978-1-58923-886-2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

Design and page layout: Laura McFadden Design, Inc.

Cover Image: Shutterstock

Photography: Chris Hubert; Glenn Scott Photography

Body Type Illustrations: Sharon Hubert Valencia

To my wonderful family, I could not do any of this without you.

It takes a lot of people to put a book together, and this book was particularly challenging because of all the different aspects, from the making of all the garment sections, the photography, the editing, and all the behind the scenes staff. I owe special thanks to:

Lion Brand Yarn Company, who generously contributed the yarn for all the garments and all the step-outs in the book.

Chris Hubert, my son, who did most of the photography, working with me every week for months.

Rita Greenfeder, for her wonderful tech editing skills and diagrams.

Singer Sewing Machine Company, who provided their handy, adjustable dress form, an invaluable tool when making garments.

Guardian Custom Products for providing their E-Z Blocking Board. Every knitter should own one of these.

I also would like to thank Paula Alexander, Jeannine Buehler, Mary Ann Ciccarone, Adrienne Cooper, Theresa DeLaBarrera, Ginger Dutton, Mary OHara, Deb Seda-Testut, Nancy Smith, and Marie Stewart who helped knit all the beautiful garments and Sharon Hubert Valencia, who created the body type illustrations and helped with a lot of the finishing.

Heartfelt thanks to my editor and friend Linda Neubauer.

Most patterns in books and magazines are designed to fit the Classic Rectangle body shape, because almost half of all women fit this body type. In the first section of this book, Customize the Fit, you will find instructions for four different sweaters. Each sweater uses a different stitch pattern, and each stitch pattern has a different degree of difficulty. The original instructions are written to fit the Classic Rectangle body type, and guidance is given for how to adjust the patterns to fit different body types. Once you learn the concept, you can apply it to most patterns. The examples in this book are both cardigans and pullovers. Whatever your size, whatever your body type, the most flattering garments are those that fit you properly. In the section Professional Finishes, you will learn methods for finishing your projects that will give them a neat, flawless look. Aside from the fit, there are often features in patterns that we might like to change or details we might like to add. In Stylish Embellishments, youll find ways to embellish your work, add pockets, or change closures to make your projects truly your own creations.

This book is a guide that will help you knit garments to fit your measurements and your style, then expertly finish them so you will be proud to wear them.

Custom Knitting

The one thing that I hear from so many of my students is that they love to knit, but they only make shawls, scarves, baby blankets, baby sweaters, and hats. The main reason is because whenever they try to make a garment for themselves, it never fits properly.

The first step to making a garment that fits is to understand your body type, and in order to do that you must know how to measure your body correctly.

Included in this section are instructions for four different sweaters, arranged in order of difficulty based on the stitch pattern. After the basic instructions for each pattern are instructions for how to increase and decrease the stitch pattern and how to adjust the shape of the sweater to suit different body types. Once you have determined your body type, read through the instructions, choose a project, and pick up your needles. Be patient, check your gauge, and measure often. You can do this!

Understanding Body Types

There are many different body shapes, but most of us fall into one of four main body types.

Classic Rectangle: The hips and chest are balanced and the waist is not deeply defined. This is the most common body type.

TIPIf you are a Rectangle Shape, you may want to give the appearance of a smaller waistline. You can do this by simply decreasing a few stitches at the waist, working for about 2 inches (5 cm), then increasing back to the original stitch count. Another trick for narrowing at the waist is to use smaller needles through this area. This works particularly well if the pattern is a large multiple of stitches and difficult to increase and decrease.

Triangle (sometimes called Pear Shape): The hips are proportionately larger than the chest and shoulders, and the waist is somewhat defined.

TIPIf you are a Triangle Shape, there are a few things that you can do to balance the hip line and smaller chest. You can add small shoulder pads or add interest, such as a ruffle or other embellishment near the neckline, to draw attention upward