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Book Review: Go Big Knits

November 10, 2016 by Sarah White

Go Big Knits reviewIt can be really difficult to find nice knitting patterns that are designed for larger women. Sometimes patterns that were originally designed for smaller sizes are graded up to fit a wider range of figures, but that conversion isn’t always successful. A larger chest measurement doesn’t guarantee proportionally larger arms, for example.

Go Big Knits: 20 Projects Sizes 38-54, collected by the editors of Marie Claire Idées magazine, eliminates that problem because the designs started out with larger sizes in mind. The book was originally produced in France and uses Bergere de France yarns, but there are many options more widely available in America if you do a little hunting.

The projects are sweaters, vests, shrugs, ponchos and cowls. About half the patterns are shown on one model and half on another. It might have been nice to see the projects on a wider variety of bodies. Most of the projects are pretty simple, straight sided garments without waist shaping, but many are also designed to be closer fitting than is often seen when patterns are upsized to fit larger figures.

Some of my favorites include a boatneck sweater worked in garter stitch; a long tunic worked mostly in Stockinette; the long cardigan, featuring an easy dropped stitch pattern;the open front collared jacket, which uses a fun fuzzy yarn; and the jacket with square collar, which has a ribbed eyelet pattern.

This book has a lot of great wardrobe staples for larger women, many of which are easy to knit and look great. If you’re plus sized (or even not plus sized, since the projects start at a size 36 or 38) and want to knit yourself sweaters and other great garments that will look and feel amazing, this book is a great choice.

About the book: 96 pages, paperback with interior flaps, 20 patterns (8 of the patterns are flagged as “easier to make”). Published July 2016 by Trafalgar Square Books, retail price $18.95.

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

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Have you read?

Krampus Sweater Knitting Pattern

Santa and Saint Nicholas generally get all the good press, but Central European kids know you don’t want to just be good so you get presents from St. Nicholas; you also want to avoid the ire of Krampus. (He’s depicted as a human-like figure with horns and usually hairy or furry who gives birch rods instead of gifts to kids who are bad.)

If you’re the type to embrace the naughty side (or you just want to scare the children into good behavior over the holidays), maybe you’ll want to knit a Krampus sweater.  

This one, from Sofie Amalie Laulund, is a top down circular yoke sweater with Krampus faces at the top and cavorting Krampuses further down the body, with some traditional Scandinavian snowflakes thrown in for fun. 

Because of the large motifs there’s not a lot of room for adjusting the fit, but it is available in five sizes (the Ravelry page doesn’t say what the sizing is, and it says its worked with no ease but the photo looks like the sweater has a bit of positive ease, so if you decide to make this one just check the measurements and your own comfort level for ease when picking a size). 

It also uses five colors, but there’s very little red and brown so you can probably use scrap yarn for those parts. It calls for DK weight yarn. You’ll want a background color that helps the creatures stand out. You could also work the snowflake bands in different colors if you want to mix it up. 

The pattern is available in both English and Danish, and you can find it on Ravelry. This is the designer’s first pattern, which kudos to them because it’s such an ambitious (and fun!) project I’m happy to add to my collection of whimsy-filled knits. 

[Photo: Sofie Amalie Laulund]

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