Know yourself
I have been reading Sweater Design in Plain English by
Maggie Righetti because I am determined to make my own patterns if it kills me. She spends at least a chapter or two discussing knowing body shapes of different people, and knowing what shapes do and do not flatter each type. Another chapter she spends talking about knowing what colors do and do not flatter the person you are knitting for according to their skin color. I am going to be honest and tell you that I skimmed through these chapters. I know my shape! I know what colors flatter me! I don't need no Maggie telling me nothing (yes I do - but I was rebelious).
Maggie Righetti because I am determined to make my own patterns if it kills me. She spends at least a chapter or two discussing knowing body shapes of different people, and knowing what shapes do and do not flatter each type. Another chapter she spends talking about knowing what colors do and do not flatter the person you are knitting for according to their skin color. I am going to be honest and tell you that I skimmed through these chapters. I know my shape! I know what colors flatter me! I don't need no Maggie telling me nothing (yes I do - but I was rebelious). When I saw this jacket, I just fell in love with it. The style was current, the shape was so fashionable, the model looked so adorable in the pic, that I knew that if I made the jacket, I would look adorable in it too! right?!
I dunno. I think if I was not so curvy this would fall better, or maybe the sleeves are too short? I have no idea what it is - it is just missing something for me.
I love this jacket. I am proud of the work I did on it, I am proud of my nice even stitches, and the fact that I lined it, and the fact that I bribed Olga with Guacamole and Coronas to do the piping - whatever works :). Now, I am not fishing for compliments, (although- please, feel free) but I just don't know if it flatters me.
Usually I cannot wait to wear a new garment to work and show it off and have people tell me that I did a marvelous job with it. I LOVE the attention.(In fact I do love the fact that one coworker thought I had sewn the fabric together - she thought my nice even stitches was store bought fabric - gasp!) But with this one, I just feel ..ehhh. I tried it with all three buttons and I looked like a clown - not cute like the model in the pic, so I decided to do one button and then snaps, but when I close it, it gathers at the top. I do not know if I want to remove the snaps all togehter and leave just one at the top, or just add mroe snaps so it closes better. Maybe it should have been longer, maybe the color combo is just too hard to match with other clothes in my closet. I dunno. What do you guys think? Check out my flickr account for more pics. There are ALOT because I was not happy with any of them, and I wanted to play with my new camera. 
Labels: finished objects, phildar swing jacket
posted by lomester at 12:48 PM
18 Comments:
I think it looks beautiful on you, and I'm not just saying that (though now you've made me paranoid about my curves --my giant rack, really which never helps me on anything flared). I just did a similar swing coat and I also felt as though the arms were too short for my liking.
Palomita, it's gorgeous,I love it on you, I just hope it will grow on you and you will wear it a lot!
Great photos!
Kudos!
Wow! I think that it looks wonderful on you - and I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. Hang on a sec.... okay, I checked the other pics, it still looks good - but I see you don't look comfortable with how it flares out at the bottom when undone - maybe it's because it's a style you're not used to?
Anyway, going to put that book on my wishlist...
I think it looks great! And I think the color combo is really interesting, I'd wear it over a white top with jeans. If you end up deciding you really don't like it I'll take it off your hands! ;o)
Paloma I´m clapping my hands here! Awesome! Congratulations!
Well great minds think alike - because I agree with Knotology that it would look great over a white T and jeans.
Your workmanship is fabulous - and you look really nice in the pictures, but if it doesn't feel right to you.....I do hope it grows on you though. But not in that pregnant sense that we discussed. Or maybe we do - I don't know? Can you tell that it's early in the morning and I had a big cup o' coffee?
Anyway - not fair that they show the jacket on a model with no boobs or bum. We have lots of boobs and big bums! Okay, well at least I do. But still I can see how breasts would change how the jacket falls and make the fit look very different than the picture.
Anyway (again) - I think the jacket looks amazing and you did a great job (as always!!)
Ah, a topic near and dear to my heart. Personally, I have boy-shaped stick figure (no boobs whatsoever), and lots of styles that look great on you curvalicious babes make me look like a ten year-old in my mother's outfit (except that my mom is also a stick figure).
I like the colors on you VERY much. Your workmanship (workswomanship?) is amazing! The style is probably *bestest* for a less curvy figure, but you are making it work well with the jeans & tee. I'd also suggest wearing it over a plain, tailored dress that hits you below the knee (think leeengthening styles). Also, how would you feel about doubling the number of snap closures down the front? Since they are invisible, I think it would smooth the front line and stop the gaping that your boobs are causing (damn boobs! always in the way - even my mini ones).
I hope this comment didn't sound critical because the jacket is incredible and looks quite good on you. I like the 3/4 sleeves a lot! You are so cute in the flickr pictures. Your faces always reflect exactly how you feel about the garment (I'm also thinking of your glorious expression in the Gatsby Girl photos...). You must be terrible at poker! ; )
I really think it looks flattering on you. Maybe using 5 closures instead of 3 would help the gaping? I dunno... I've never knit up an entire garment before - this is my first. Just a guess. If you make any changes - please post again. Would love to see anything.
I can see how you don't like the gaping when you do all the snaps and the button, but it looks great with the button only, and also with it open. I think if you got rid of the snaps and just used it as a blazer that is meant to be open, it would be an incredibly functional, attractive garment. There really is so much about it that's spectacular that I think you should wear it the way it seems to want to be worn.
I think it looks great on you! Wear it with pride! :)
It looks incredible! I love the colors, too! Ah, I'm just repeating what everyone else said, but it's all true!
If it were my jacket, I would leave the single button on the top, or have no closure at all - great for layering.
Aw, I think it looks GREAT on you! Beautiful color choices. Maybe it's just such a different silouette from what you're used to wearing that it'll take some time? You did a fantastic job.
BTW, thanks for the comment about Cinder! He IS sort of ruining our hardwood floors, but they were in need of refinishing before he joined the family, so it's not too bad....
What's all this crazy talk? The jacket it so PURRdy! I totally understand being disatisfied with a finished knit. It's so hard to judge what the garment will look like on YOUR body and not some gorgeously styled waif in a fashion spread! A lot of a-line tops out there are not kind to boobs, but seriously - This looks just as cute on you as the French, blonde, stick-insect in the Phildar catelogue! (oh - and I vote for 1 button!)
That is a totally absolutely gorgeous jacket and you have surpassed yourself on the details and quality. I think it looks really cute on you and the fit looks great, too. For that style, I don't think you need the snaps- I picture the bottom sort of swinging out hence, "swing jacket", which it cannot do if harnessed in. The top button is enough. I have a sweater I made that I wear like that (with a white T and jeans, no less) and get complements every time because it's so unique. Go ahead, embrace your inner 60s Carnaby Street Go-go goddess!
I think it looks great on you too! Good job!
I agree with Rachel -- go with the one-button, which looks fantastic. It's so great it makes me want to finish mine!
I think it looks great, but next time, you may want to make the next size up.
If you look at the picture of the model, it's skimming her body if it's touching it at all. However, yours doesn't appear to skim as much. So to get the same look as the model, you'll probably have to go up in size to get the same look.
The negative of this will be that it will need to be tweaked to fit right in the shoulders and you may not like the looser fit if you like things more fitted.
That said, I think it looks fine...and I agree with the white shirt and pants. That would look awesome with the jacket!
yes yes yes- It's beautiful- I can sympathize with the ehh feeling and have been reading the same book. I think that it's not only necessary to read her book but "experience" what she's saying both to my advantage and when not fully understanding it, to my disadvantage. The mind has to more than understand. It must absorb. That isn't so fast for me!
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