And thanks to my blog, I can dump it on you.
You've probably caught on by now, I knit a lot of gifts for people, and will often take requests or discuss ideas with someone before knitting, to avoid giving presents that someone won't like (and therefore won't wear, making it a massive waste of my time and money). Okay. So what do I do when someone requests something I KNOW is unflattering?? Knit it anyway? Refuse? At the moment I'm trying to find something similar-but-flattering, but... I dunno. Should I just knit it anyway? It'll get worn, I know that. It just won't look good. I'm at a loss.
Anyway. Comments? Suggestions? Sarcastic remarks?
Edited to add later, around 8:30 PM, EST:
I had a request for detail on why it's unflattering (and thanks for the feedback!) so here goes...
In a nutshell, it's someone with a generously figured size, who wants a traditional knit that involves Large. Broad. Very Contrasting. HORIZONTAL STRIPES. Or what will look like horizontal stripes at a distance of over three or four feet. (Plus the dropped-shoulder thing is SO unflattering, but I'd fix that, regardless.)
Instead of full-on, all-over patterning, I'm thinking a Swedish style yoked sweater with lots of action around the neck line (to call attention to the face) and a nice, calm, solid color (with waist shaping!) down over the rest of the bod. And no ribbing at the hips. Ever. (There should be a law.)
Or else I try to knit something with vertical patterns (sideways fair-isle?) and go insane.
6 comments:
Ok, so what makes it unflattering? The style? The color? Some people have no sense whatsoever of the type of clothes they should wear (or no sense, period!). If this person is going to point proudly to you and say "SHE made it for me!!!" then it absolutely, positively MUST be something that looks wonderful - if not on them, then on it's own. Is thie person open to a little "what not to wear" discussion? That's always a possibility - or, you could take the easy way out, buy something pretty but useless, and claim that you "just ran out of time." LOL
And here I was thinking it was about the squid hat.
You need to make that for me btw.
You know you want to
I KNOW the squid hat will be unflattering. There's no dilemma in that. It's a matter of finding time to do all that knitting, ya geek.
AHA! Know we know - some people just self-destruct when they request a sweater. What about a nice aran-type sweater? One with a big cable pattern down the middle front, and some smaller, less-dramatic thingy on the sides - like, maybe a honey-comb pattern? And not too long. If they insist on bright colors, possibly make it something bright and cheery, or change colors for the different aran patterns? At least that way, it'd be verticle, not horizontal. BTW - being rather "substantial" myself, I try really, really hard to not wear (or request) horizontal strips. Thanks for the update!
I didn't ask for a horizontal striped sweater...I wanted a BAG!!!
And if it WERE me, you'd have the guts to say, "They don't make enough yarn for that project...they'd have to import more sheep!"
Trish, if it were YOU, I'd just say 'no horizontal stripes, babe' and you'd say 'oh, right'. And I'm SURE I have enough yarn in this house to knit you ten or fifteen sweaters. (But I'm not gonna. You've gotta do it yourself. Hahaha.)
debs, the cable-knit idea was what I went with last year, so our minds definitely are on the same track.
I'm thinking solid color with shaping.
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