Real Women Wear Knits

I am Lena Walker Smith, the SWTC stylist and I am proud to introduce my new blog “Wear It!”.

I will use this blog to promote healthy self-image by sharing tips and advice for women of all shapes and sizes who knit. Forget fifteen pound 18 year olds in the fashion mags, because we are talking real women with real proportions.

A woman’s proportions never change whether she gains or loses weight!

Proportions boil down to the length of your middle (or torso) compared to the length of your arms and legs and where your curves fall in between them.

What really matters when choosing a pattern for your body type is to know first whether or not you have a long or short torso.

This is the most important thing to know about your own figure. How? Forget about measuring tape, let’s make this simple.

My favorite fool-proof torso-checker is simple, feel around until you can touch your last rib, and now feel around until you can touch the top of your hip bone. If you have no distance between them or less than two inches you are a short torso.

A little padding in the way? One more way is to put on pants that hit at the natural waist (as in not hip huggers). If they come up to your belly button and you feel like Humpty Dumpty the egg, chances are that you are a short torso. If they don’t feel awkward, and you can still bend at the waist, chances are you have a long torso.

This is SO important because no matter where your curves fall on your figure, all shirt, jacket, sweater and many dress patterns should be chosen based on the kind of torso that you have. Now that you know your torso lets talk curves.

Which flavor are you?

I like to use food names for instant recognition of common body types:

For instance if I say 'pear-shape', most people instantly picture a woman with a curvy bottom half and a smaller top half.

If I say 'apple shape', most people picture someone whose curves tend to fall right in the middle of her figure.

How about a 'lollipop'? Think Dolly Parton and you can see why clothes that look good on her wouldn’t look the same on a pear shape.

'Asparagus' is a totally straight figure with almost no curves.

'Hourglass' is a rare and unusual thing, but I do refer to them on occasion, this is a figure that is equal in measurement around both the bust and the hip. I could call these ladies gourds or squash because these are the only veggies that come in this shape but I fear offending anyone.

Check in weekly and I will talk about each body type and post patterns that work for them. Some women are combinations so I won’t forget them. Also I have suggestions for areas women tend to be self conscious about like upper arms and tummies so I hope you enjoy your weekly serving of fruit and vegetables with me! And feel free to post comments and questions so that I cover the subjects and answer the questions that you are most interested in.

Lena Walker Smith

Comments

[Pinka]

Hey Lena!
I'm happy to see your first post... though you've made me hungry as I try to figure out what kind of body shape I have. So, as I much on my asian pear, I'm off to look at myself in the mirror. :-) :-)

Take care,
Pinka

[becka]

Hello, Hello!
I LOVE, LOVE this post and am certainly looking forward to each one! I had no idea about the torso tricks...very good to know! I will be checking back very regularly for your posts, thanks so much!
Happy Knitting and God Bless
becka

[lena walker smith]

Glad to have you!! I have more tricks up my sleeve to share so please spread the word. Thanks,
Lena