BOOK REVIEW: Big Girl Knits: 25 Big, Bold Projects Shaped for Real Women with Real Curves by Jillian Moreno & Amy Singer

After many years of waiting, a knitting book geared to plus-sized knitters has arrived. Jillian Moreno, knit-wear designer for Acme Knitting Company, and Amy Singer, editor of Knitty.com and regular columnist for Interweave Knits, have created Big Girl Knits: 25 Big, Bold Projects Shaped for Real Women with Real Curves. This book is both a style guide and a pattern manual, collecting knit-wear patterns designed by twenty-one leading knitwear designers, specifically with the fashion-conscious, curve-endowed woman in mind.

What sets this knitting book apart is the style guide that comprises the first fifth of the book. Designed to help women with curves learn the best way to dress their body by determining which of the three “Bs” best describe their body type: boobs, belly or butt. Using cleverly designed icons, each pattern in the latter part of the book is coded with appropriate icons, making it easy to determine at a glance if a pattern works with your body type. Each body type is then broken down and the best necklines, shaping and sweater lengths for each is described.

If the authors had stopped there, this would have been purely a helpful guide with some great patterns; however they took the style guide a step further by outlining yarn types and weights that flatter bodies with curves - including gauge guidelines. An extremely helpful section on accurate measuring and pattern adaptation is also included, to help plus-size knitters overcome their fear of approaching their own bodies with a measuring tape. Altogether this invaluable style guide makes Big Girl Knits an indispensable aid and a must-have for every knitter’s reference section.

The patterns themselves are fashionable, practical and incredibly flattering. Arranged in chapters by pattern category, the designers have not forgotten some of the fashion essentials. Patterns are included for a wide range of tops and coats but also yoga pants, four types of skirts, socks and wraps. Having only seen the uncorrected proof of the book, I look forward to getting a better look at the knitted details in the colour pictures.

See the review as it appears at Armchair Interviews - Big Girl Knits. And don't forget to visit the book's website.