I have been a knitter for over 20 years. I have worked in a yarn shop. Until very recently there were VERY limited knitting patterns for fat people. That's right, I said fat. Because I'm fat.
But over the last few years, that has changed. Some designers are finally recognizing that fat people deserve the beautiful sweater. They are realizing that fat people have money to spend and spend it wisely when it comes to their knitting. Plus size options have gone from simply adding an inch to every measurement as the sizes went up (bad) to ones that make recommendations where to alter to make it fit your shape, your size, your preference (GOOD).
Things are getting better.
Jonquil is my first adult pattern. I worked almost a year to make sure I had the right measurements, a lot of ways to alter, an easy-to-read pattern, and sizes that don't end at 54". I think it is a success if I do say so myself.
But I could not have done it without the hard work of those who came before me. The people who took the time to gather information - you can find some links at the end of the post.
I recognize, as a knitter and as a designer, that not everything can be in a pattern. The keys for me are when a designer can guide you with notes, inserts, or links, to find your perfect fit. It's not always about being the biggest bust measurement. It's about making sure the biggest size looks as perfectly fit as the smallest.
I am new to this adult designing. I enjoyed it immensely and I will be doing it again. I hope you enjoy my journey.
Ysolda Teague's women's sizing chart can be found here.
Jacqueline Cieslak has online classes on fit that can be found here.
A great Instagram account that deals with size inclusion in knitting design is Jen Parroccini's @jp_knits_things