Big Girl Knits: 25 Big, Bold Projects Shaped for Real Women with Real Curves

I was in tears over this book. Really, I sat down and cried. Finally, knitwear designs that get it! Big boxy Volvo sweaters make fat girls look ginormous, and they use TONS of yarn. Big girls can have hips too, and if they don't there is nothing wrong with a little shaping to suggest hips. This book tells you that the designs won't make you look skinny; they will make you look GOOD! The patterns in this book are not about making Kate Moss fashions big; they are about fashion for big girls. Rather than covering up your curves with boxy, shapeless sweaters (that flatter no one), Big Girl knits works with the shape of your body. The designs will camouflage what you are not happy with on your body and flatter what you love. The styles are classic, with a twist. No miles of ugly, furry yarn. Instead, the designs focus on worsted and DK yarns knit in becoming shapes. In addition, because the sweaters have shape, they will actually use less yarn than the big box sweater, saving us big girls a little money (or making it easier to buy quality yarns). The designs are not about fads. Rather, they are about what really works are larger bodies. Big Girl Knits has more than just sweaters; mittens for bigger hands, and shawls that actually cover a big girl. There is even a sock pattern that addresses big calves and small feet. A word of warning, the patterns use a lot of shaping. There are revealing necklines, flattering shaped bodices, and interesting textures. None of these patterns are made from simple rectangular pieces. While none of the patterns are challenging, one does need to be comfortable reading a pattern to create these lovely shapes. In all the years I have been knitting, this is the first time my husband wanted to look at the pattern book too. That is a clue to how flattering and sexy these sweaters are. The publisher has already asked for a second book. May I request a book for big men too?

I have been big all of my life. After reading this book cover to cover, I feel like I have an avenue to accentuate the positive and diminuate the negative of my figure. I have a very large bust and booty, but my shoulders and waist are very small in relation and nothing ever fits right. Nothing ever accentuates a small waist if the boobage is big. This book realizes that waists on big girls are important and pretty and there are patterns to knit for those of us who want to adorn bodies in a beautiful hand knit sweater. As with all pattern books and magazines people have to be able to visualize the design, not the color the design was chosen to be knit in. Some people like bright bold colors and others like grey or black. Color is a choice we all get to make and claim as our our very own design feature. The Bombshell is gorgeous, the waist shaping fantastic for a shape like mine. The Stacey Pullover, is another wonderful sweater! I am sitting here with the book and I can't find a pattern I wouldn't knit, it is just a matter of time. As big girls, we just need to get used to the idea that we are big and accept ourselves. I am tired of hiding out in knits that don't show off the gorgeous parts of my body because there aren't any designers who have figured it out. We are beautiful. Even though the painter Ruben isn't alive now to help us figure it out, I am very glad that Jillian and Amy are here to help! The education on body types, the charts, the worksheets, the humor, the LOVE in this book for girls like me, well I thank the authors for their incredible genious. Yes, genious. How many books do you have in your entire knitting library that deal with all of the body issues big girls have, straight on, educating you on what to wear, what to avoid and how to make something that deals with your special body shape needs? Hmmm....I have one. Big Girl Knits by Jillian Moreno and Amy Singer. They aren't trying to change us, they are helping us with patterns to make us look like a million bucks in our clothing. Thank you so much!

Over the last number of years, quality knitting magazines and books have occasionally dealt with the issue of fitting hand knits to the larger figure. Bigger people are proportioned differently; knits made to fit need to be designed to accommodate necklines, bust, shoulders, arms. The design has to be customized to flatter a round or curvy figure; these knits are not hanging from rake-thin shoulders draped over a flat board of a chest. As a biggish sort of person who is tall as well as large, I welcome "Big Girl Knits" as a great help to anyone who wants to knit something that fits a big girl. So how well does "Big Girl Knits" fit the bill? There is an introduction by Wendy Shanker (author of "The Fat Girl's Guide to Life") about her own difficulties finding ponchos to fit her 18-20 size body. Then the first section deals with considerations when knitting for someone who is generously sized. For example, you are going to be using more yarn, in some cases, a lot of yarn. So, consider how heavy that yarn is because the weight of the garment may not be pleasing. Likewise, yarn is not inexpensive, so using extra amounts of a pricey yarn may be a bad idea for something you don't plan to wear for years. The section goes on to explain the "B3" system (boobs, belly and butt) and how to choose a design based on what is emphasized in your figure. The authors discuss hemlines, flattering lengths, good necklines and hiplines. There is a section of top ten list of things you might want to knit: 1. Sweaters that skim the body, flattering your curves 2. Wrap sweaters (again, they show off pretty curves) 3. Fine gauge yarns, reduce bulk, skim the body 4. V-necks--great vertical line to distract the eye and flaunt the cleavage if you choose, 5. Shaped sweaters (see 1 and 2) 6. Sweaters that end before or after the widest bits. (If you land ON the big bits, it makes them seem bigger.) 7. Vertical elements--again, draw the eye up and down not round and round. 8. Details that emphasize the "parts of you that are excellent." 9. Colors that make you happy. Black is good for chadoors. Black does not make you look thin--a myth. Choose a color that flatters you or that you love. 10. Knit what you love--if you want a corset sweater, knit it. If you hate cables, don't knit them! The first chapter ends with a comprehensive measurement section on how to measure, what to measure and how to adjust patterns based on your measurements. Much space is given to short rows, partial rows of knitting that add shaping much the way darts on sewing do--and make a flat piece become three-dimensional to fit your shape. Now to the patterns. The book is sectioned into: Pullovers Cardigans and Coats Tanks and Tees Bottoms (pants, skirts) Accessories (bags, socks, gloves) and there is a reading list, abbreviation list and shopping guide to follow the patterns. What ABOUT those patterns? There are 25 of them, and I am going to ding some of them--I didn't like them all, but don't despai

I'm almost ashamed to think of how many sweaters I've knitted for myself over the years with boring, boxy shapes! Knitting something that actually fit my (extremely wide) shoulders would inevitably hang over my (relatively flat) chest. Never a good look! No more... Big Girl Knits is brilliant...it's got all the shaping information you'll ever need to make yourself flattering, fashionable handknits. Whether you have a big chest, a beer gut or a booty like mine, there's something for you in this book. Jillian Moreno and Amy Singer's clever writing and excellent technical data encourages knitters of all skill levels to take off the tents and knit things that really fit! (Added bonus: it takes more yarn to knit a tent than it does to knit a shapely sweater. Less money spent on one project equals more for the next one!) I can't wait for the sequel!

This is the best knitting book I have ever owned. Being a "big girl" myself, I usually knit sweaters for other people. Alot of the sweaters in my size are very basic. To upsize a pattern, you need alot of experience and math skills. But wait until you see these patterns....va va va voom! Tons of theory about contruction. A whole explanation on body type AND short rows. Built in places to "tweak" the pattern for you and your body type. ( boobies, butts, and bellies) The models are very pretty real sized plus models, (think size 22, not 12 ). The sweaters and coats and skirts are wearable. Most of the yarns are lush and pricy, but if you spend the time to knit one of these beautiful sweaters in a big size, you might as well have something absolutely fabulous. I think this book might well make smaller women want to try to "tweak" these patterns DOWN for a change. Well worth the money, and will probably stay within arms reach for a long, long, time.