Knitting Goes Large: 20 Designs to Flatter Your Figure

by Sharon Brant, Wendy Baker, Jennie Atkinson

Trying to find great knit designs in larger sizes is not always easy. Knitting Goes Large aims to fill the gap by offering a selection of 20 great knits for all occasions and all seasons for larger women with varying figure types. This beautiful collection of plus-size styles will appeal to women who want more generously proportioned garments, and this time, by popular request, the knits go a size or two larger than many other books available.
The key designs are by Martin Storey, Wendy Baker, Jennie Atkinson, and Kim Hargreaves, edited by Sharon Brant, coauthor of Rowan's Classic Knits for Real Women. Sharon, a plus-size woman herself, offers an introduction which explains how to make the right pattern choice for your figure type and size, how to amend patterns, for example, should you lengthen or shorten a garment to make the most of your assets, helpful dos and don'ts and tons of advice on garment sizes and shapes, details, textures, and colors that will complement a curvaceous figure. The patterns come in six sizes, starting from size 16, giving a chance for even the most generously-sized women to find something that will suit their figure type. Included are some great contemporary designs, with an emphasis on softly wrapping shapes, which is ideal for fuller figures.
Whether you are looking for warm winter jackets, comfortable sweaters, cool, summer cardigans or tunics, neat tops to wear under a suit or pretty evening cover-ups, you will find something to suit your figure and your taste, all in popular, classic Rowan yarns. The designs in this book are perfect for real everyday women looking to sport a comfortable, contemporary style that fits their shape.

Genres: Knitting, Plus Size

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Kathie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous knitted pieces. Exceedingly expensive Rowan yarns are used. With few exceptions (there’s a striped chimney-sweep scarf), the projects are for advanced knitters. Love the photographs which I think were taken in Paris.

[Ligaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since this was a Rowan publication, I expected a bit more. I got the beautiful photography and the cute little details (plackets, picot edges, expert and visible shaping) but most of the garments were loose-fitting as opposed to celebrating the curvier figure. Maybe because this was published in 2009 and that sensibility wasn't yet in vogue? Page 98 has a B&W photo of a woman in a long coat - and I realized that wasn't a knit piece at all, but for atmosphere, I guess. Yes, some beautiful pieces, but I didn't flag one single thing as a garment to knit.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a lot of nice patterns in this book. The photos were elegent and properly showed the knitted item. They also had scenery pictures to compliment the pattern. I thought the design layout of this book was done well and it was enjoyable to look through and see all the patterns. I didn't find anything I wanted to knit, but I would still recommend this book.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2010...

[Leslie Jem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh Rowan...your looks are gorgeous and FREAKIN' UNREALISTIC! Seriously, this book was hard-core yarn porn. There were entire page spreads with little or no knitting featured. True, the photography was gorgeous, but I wanted a book of large-size patterns, not pretty Parisian scenes. Only a couple of the patterns weren't the "put a tent over yo' fat self" variety, and size 16 was as high as they went. Overall, pffft!

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Patterns very difficult to understand; too many pictures of scenery rather than of project.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nice designs.