This is the result of dropping a few sizes between the start and finish of a knitting project and a poorly sized pattern. I only lost 4 inches around my rib cage. If you use the right computer program or use the right charts in a design books the calculations will be done for you. No need to randomly do it by hand anymore. It is a simple pattern by Bernat called the Garter Stitch Tank Top. Even if I had not lost 2 sizes the finished object ie the tank top would still not look like a tank top. Please note in the picture that I am wearing a real tank top under the sweater. You might notice a slight difference. After trying it on, the picture is below you can see that it does not resemble a tank top, but rather a sweater with capped sleeves.
After I finished the knitting the pattern and tried it on today I realized that the pattern was photoshopped. Plus it was tucked back around the waist to make it fit the very slender model. Now I have no problem with slender models. After all knitters come in all shapes and sizes. What I do have a problem with is deception in pictures representing the finished hand made item. When I think of a tank top, capped sleeves are not what I have in mind. When it is a simple pattern without shaping, I don’t expect the picture to show shaping in the waist. When I spend as money on yarn to knit 1 tank top as I do to buy 4 or 5 from tank tops from Chico’s or J.Jill, I expect the finished top to fit the description. When I spent hours knitting a tank top I expect it to look like a tank top.
My recommendations would include the narrowing of the shoulder as the sizes get larger. Being a larger size does not mean that we are built like professional football players like linebackers. Never ever photoshop a pattern picture to alter the finished look of knit wear. I have no problem with photoshopping it the background or lighting. Show the finished knit wear in all sizes. For goodness sake eliminate the many colors in the pattern instructions, it does not work well for low vision or older eyes. Also speaking of low vision or older eyes nothing below a 14 pica please. We don’t want to waste money on photocopy blow ups or pull out a magnifying glass just to read the pattern.
Please note my picture was photoshopped to trim out some of the background. The picture of the sweater was not retouched.
If any of this is not clear to the people at Bernat Yarns, please email me and we can talk about this at length. Thanks for listening.
