Fit to Flatter Installment 1: Introduction.
Posted on 11 April 2010
Fit to flatter is a ten-part series of tutorials on choosing and modifying knitting patterns to flatter your shape. These tutorials will be released every two weeks both as blog posts (free) and as separate, professionally formatted PDF files for printing (nominal charge). Should you desire the PDFs, each installment can be purchased from the tutorial page as they are released, or via a “buy now” button at the end of the installment. Individual installments are US$2.00 and at the end of the tutorial series the whole series will be available for $US10.00. I hope you enjoy the series!
This series is not about making you feel badly about what you have already knit. It is not about making you feel badly about your shape or about making you feel like you can only knit certain things, in certain yarns. In writing these tutorials, I want to help you learn basic principles for dressing the figure you have in the most flattering way possible.
Since this is the first installment, please let me repeat that. Every person reading these words has fabulous assets to show off. Likewise, I’d wager that every single one of you has a thing or two that you wish would disappear forever. The fact is this: Though exercise offers a plethora of benefits, it won’t change your fundamental shape. And wearing clothes flattering to your inherent shape will do more to change the way you feel about your body than losing weight or gaining muscle will.
As knitters, we have the ultimate power to create a piece of couture perfectly suited to our figures every single time. Your hand-knits should make you look and feel like a million bucks, and not just because of the skill required to form the stitches. I want to help you get there.
In this first installment of a ten-part tutorial series, I’ll cover the basic concept of a woman’s shape, and the technique of using visual tricks to make any figure look more proportional. The tutorials that follow will cover specific shapes and how to dress them for maximum flattery, with thoughts on mindful project choice, as well as individual sweater elements and their effect on how a sweater will (or will not) flatter your individual shape. I’ll end the series with thoughts on advanced sweater modification and custom sweater design.
First Things First: Some background.
Why am I doing this tutorial series in the first place? The answer to that question is behind my desire to design. When friends asked me to do a design for their book, I figured I would help them by quickly writing up a pattern and then get back to my normal knitting life. But once the first hurdle of pattern-writing was over, I kept noticing the same things over and over again in knitting blogs. And it made me want to design more:
“The knitting process was great, but I wish I’d chosen something a little more flattering.”
“I really enjoyed knitting this sweater, but I’m not giving a modeled shot because I over-indulged recently and need to lose some weight.”
“The sweater is really cute, but I’m a little disappointed in how it fits.”
The non-modeled shots are the ones that really fire me up. What we do as knitters is difficult, often expensive, and results in beautiful pieces of art that should be worn and loved. Why is that so often not the case? Why aren’t we proclaiming to the universe that our handiwork is not only fun and challenging but results in pieces that make us feel beautiful?
I’ve begun to conclude that what makes a pattern flattering (or not) is a mystery for many knitters. Fit for flattery is a topic I feel passionately about, both generally and in particular for hand-knitted items. I am on a design mission, of sorts, to help knitters find patterns that are both fun to knit and flattering to their shape. Because a deep V-neck that looks great on my girls just won’t hang right for you if you’re a broad-shouldered A-cup. (And, incidentally, that thigh-length sweater dress with a huge cable down the front that looks so phenomenal on you? Will make me with my thick, stumpy gams look about 50 pounds heavier.)
Trust me. We’ll both feel like a million bucks when we wear hand-knit items that are both gorgeous and flattering.
Okay, Enough Motivation. What’s a “shape”?
The first thing I want to draw your attention to is your shape. It’s highly likely that you’ve never really thought about your shape, perhaps other than considering a feature you dislike. For some, it’s extra weight they’re carrying. For others, a total lack of chest. (For me, it’s my disproportionally heavy thighs.) But quite aside from these individual dissatisfactions, everyone has an overall shape. There are quite a few common variations in body shape, and your shape is the key to choosing clothes that flatter. It matters much, much more than your size.
We’ve come to the point in these tutorials where I need to ask you, the reader, to take a big leap of faith: Please spend a few moments compartmentalizing all of your individual dissatisfactions with your body and shoving them away, down into the far, dark corners of your mind. Leave them there for awhile—they will only get in the way of progress.
(Is that dissatisfaction on hiatus, for the moment at least? Good, and thank you. I promise, we’ll get back to problem spots and dislikes later.)
The easiest way to start thinking about the shape of your figure, or anyone else’s, is to imagine yourself or someone else reduced to their outline, like in an introductory art class. If you hunt around online, you can pretty easily find a diagram of an “average woman’s shape”. It’ll look something like the figure below.
Her shoulders and hips are of equal width, her waist is noticeable but not extreme, she has slender limbs, and a small bust. The problem with figures like that, of course, is that only a few women actually have that abstract, «average» shape. Actual people come in a wider variety.
(There are lots more variations not pictured here, of course!) To understand the differences in the above sketches, and in different shapes generally, start by imagining three horizontal lines on these drawings and on your mental image of yourself (or someone else, if you really dislike how you look and it’s getting in the way): the widest point on top (be it bust or shoulders), the narrowest part of the waist, and the widest point on bottom (be it hips or thighs). “Average” figures tend to have the top and bottom lines of roughly equal length, with a distinctly narrower waist. Those same lines drawn on my set of three look like this:
The first, most basic principle of dressing to flatter is to use visual tricks to make your lines appear to be like those of the “average” woman, no matter what they actually look like when you draw them out.
Let’s grasp the concept of shape on some real women before going into the nitty gritty of how to change the way it appears. For this series, I convinced some of my best knitting buds to head over to photographer extraordinaire Caro’s and try on a variety of clothing. These wonderful women were very generous with their time, wardrobes, and humor in support of the tutorial project. I’m exceedingly grateful for their help. First up, two group photos that include women of a variety of shapes.
(From the left: Erin, me, Beth, Thea.)
(From the left: Crystal, Sarah, Danielle, Jess.)
Although we’re turned slightly to the side to all fit into the frame better, it should still be fairly clear that we’re a variety of shapes. There are some whose lines are pretty exactly proportional already (Jess), some with larger bottom lines (me, for example), and some with larger top lines (Danielle). We also represent a selection of tall/average/petite heights, curvy and not-so-much frames, and heavier and more slender bodies. Different clothes will flatter us differently.
Changing the Appearance of a Shape.
Sarah and Beth are two of the most attractive women I know, but they have opposite shapes and will require different kinds of clothing to look their best. Sarah loved this sweater, which belonged to someone else, and nearly walked home with it. Beth tried it on as part of our exercise in unflattering clothing and couldn’t wait to take it off.
Consider their shapes in these two pictures. They are wearing the same sweater. Sarah, who is a bottom-heavy shape, looks proportional and fantastic in a bright, wide yoke. It visually widens her narrow shoulders and brings them into balance with her hips. If we imagine those three lines on Sarah’s picture, the top and bottom lines look the same width, with a smaller waist.
Beth, on the other hand, has very broad shoulders and narrow hips. The yoke of this sweater exaggerates that imbalance, giving her the visual impression of a shape even more triangular than is actually the case.
Still don’t believe me? Sometimes the best way to grasp the impact of clothing is to look at the same woman in different outfits. The always-lovely Danielle has a top-heavy shape and enviably slender, shapely legs.
She has a figure built expressly for a deep, narrow V-neck. It cuts the width of her top in half and gives a long, vertical line for the eye to follow—all the way down to those $1,000,000 legs.
This same lovely lady, ten minutes later, looks twice as wide on top in a dolman-sleeved sweater. The fact that her legs are still slender and fabulous only adds to the visual impression of imbalance.
Although I’m sure Danielle has had days when she wished for Sarah’s petite shoulders and the ability to wear bare-backed little numbers, there is not a single thing wrong with her figure. Danielle is a beautiful woman with many attractive features. One outfit highlights those, while the other hides them.
What’s Up Next.
So there you have it. In this series, I’ll dive into the nitty-gritty details of determining your own shape, how to choose patterns that will make you look phenomenal, and how to modify existing patterns to be better for your individual shape. In the next installment, we’ll go into shapes in detail, dissecting a range of them and illustrating what the right (or wrong) clothes can do.
I feel passionately that you should have a closet full of hand-knits that you’re proud to wear wherever you go. Helping you understand what your own shape is and how you can choose knitting patterns that will make you look your best are the reasons I’m writing this tutorial series. I hope you’ll enjoy reading them!
(If you would like to purchase the individual PDF of this installment for US$2.00, please click the button: 
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37 responses to Fit to Flatter Installment 1: Introduction.
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Oh!! This is a fantastic idea for a series and you’re already doing a great job at it. I’ve definitely thought about my shape before, but I certainly still learned a few things from this first post. I think it’s wonderful to see such open, positive writing about the variety of bodies we have and how to work with the great things we’ve all got. So – thank you!
What a great idea! I can already tell that this is going to be really useful. I appreciated the tips you gave me when we talked about test knitting and you really know your stuff. Plus, I like seeing photos of my friends here on your blog!
This is fantastic. I feel like I’ve learned something already. The models are great and will be so much better than just line drawings!
You’re the best!
Thank you so very much for making the time and putting in the effort to teach us about that. I had myself measured and so on years ago – it made an invaluable change in my overall appearance (if I choose to follow the advice ;-))
Very well written and explained. The picture are so very helpful. Can’t wait for the next!
So interesting! I’m really looking forward to the next installments. Thank you for putting this together.
This is going to be super awesome! The first installment is already super informative.
I really love this post and the idea! I notice that in all of your projects you generally modify a pattern to suit you better and choose things that are great for your body type. I find it hard to do that sometimes because I want to wear clothes that don’t suit me!
I’ve read through all of your archives and I’ve really enjoyed reading about all of your projects and the interesting goings on in your life (btw your sons are both adorable!)
keep up the great work, with good wishes from Australia :)
Well, you know I’ll be back for more of this! Knitting something I can’t or won’t wear makes me crazy.
I am so glad you are doing these tutorials Amy! This is one of the reasons I have been shying away from sweaters- still have weight to lose and not sure what will look good on me at this point. I’m looking forward to the following installments.
This is fantastic, Amy!! I’m looking forward to reading more.
I’m just now seeing this and I’m so glad you have put this together. You were so helpful at SPA! I want you in my bedroom every morning when I’m getting dressed, you’re a pro! Good luck! Love it!!!!
Great idea for a topic, and great post! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of them.
It’s a very interesting subject! Looks like we are all going to learn something! Your introduction is so right!
What a great idea for a series! Thanks for putting this together. I’ve been trying to do better with picking knitting patterns that will be flattering to my shape, so that I’ll actually LIKE what I knit once it’s off the needles…it’s difficult! Looking forward to the next installment!
So looking forward to this :)
What a phenomenal idea! this is great, Amy! Very much looking forward to the next installment.
I’m very excited about this series, although I want it all NOW NOW NOW. I think it may convince me to finally try making myself a sweater.
Yay! Lots of excited peeps. It’s looking good up here!
Thanks for the blog comment. All this time I’ve been reading, I never realized you were a mathematician until I followed your Blogger profile link! What kind of math do you do?
This is such an awesome series you’re doing!
LOVED reading this installment, and I can’t wait for the rest. I know that I’m more comfortable in some clothes than others, but have never really figured out the pattern.
Wow – feels like What Not To Wear only with more explanations of why things work/don’t work for different people. Nice work!
Thanks so much for this great tutorial!! I learned so much just in this first installment, and I’m glad there will be ‘breaks’ between installments so I can ‘digest’ what I’ve learned!!
this is totally awesome! i definitely plan to buy the pdf once all ten installments are released :) fantastic idea!
This is a wonderful and helpful piece. Thank you.
This is awesome, and I love how you highlight the beauty of each of these women (and each of your readers).
P.S. I found you through Petchy.
Oops! Lolly! Lolly! I found you through Lolly Knitting Around. ~Bleck on the brain slumber.~
This is wonderfully helpful – thanks for creating it. I think I gravitate toward sock knitting because I don’t have to worry as much about fit. Yes, I have my sock fit tricks, but they seem so much more manageable than sweater fit tricks. Smaller project, less risk…
I can hardly wait for the whole series! I just bought some beautiful MCN and I can’t wait to make something FLATTERING – waiting until the series is done? Ack! I hope I can be so patient as I need your knowledge soon – lol.
Your blog was recommended by a fellow knitter on Rav (in a group) and I am glad I took the time to look
THANKS for doing this!
Cheers from Deb in New Zealand
I’m so excited about this series! Thank you!! Using ‘wrong’ pictures is a great idea – they seem more instructive than the ‘right’ pictures, somehow.
[...] 2. Take your knitting to another level via the Fit to Flatter series [...]
[...] Amy Herzog over at stash, knit, repeat has just started a series of tutorial posts called “Fit to Flatter,” a guide to knitting items that flatter your shape. Her first tutorial has already prompted [...]
[...] 4 of 10 and already has the makings of a well put together and extremely informative tutorial. It begins by showing you different body types and how clothes flatter (or don’t) based on body type and [...]
This is absolutely great stuff! I’m short with a pretty big bust and even though I’m a “medium”, I’m well aware that some things fit well and look good , and others do not. Can’t wait for the next istallment!
Fantastic!! Thank you thank you thank you!
Thank you for your articles. I’m up through necklines, and already have learned about a thousand things about myself that I didn’t know. I’m bottom heavy! When I wear boatnecks, I feel pretty. Aha! (I’ve been so busy camouflaging my budda belly that I forgot about neckline, length, sleeve, everything else in my quest to find things that don’t cling.) It’s really extremely helpful to see these pictures of lots of gorgeous women with different bodies in both the flattering fits and the less flattering fits. Please thank your models for me – I have learned so much from this set of articles and am recommending them to all my girlfriends.
P.S. I don’t even knit! (Though with all the gorgeous sweaters you guys model, I’m sorely tempted to try!)
How fun, this is an exciting adventure. Being very visual this will really help me with figuring out what flatters me. Sweater Design in Plain English just opened my eyes to this concept and I love that your going to go into detail with examples. Although no one I know is shaped like me I’m sure this will so help me understand the principals to best flatter my figure.
very useful, and the photos help a lot