Our last post where we’re compiling a central resource list of knitwear designers who create petite and petite-friendly patterns.
The #KnitPetiteProject plan.
All other #KnitPetiteProject posts.

The #KnitPetiteProject now has a Ravelry group. Join us!

mini survey! Who designs petite (or petite-friendly) knitwear?

…youtube vid coming soon…

This post is an ongoing list: we’ll keep adding to it as a central resource for petite folks to access in order to find information on how Ravelry can help a petite knitter.

Ravelry is a wonderful resource for knitters. It’s filled with folks who have both questions and answers for nearly any aspect of knitting. Chances are you’re already a part of this online community, but if you aren’t yet, I hope this post convinces you to join!

Ravelry is free to join. You have a wealth of patterns with excellent search customization, information on yarns and LYSes, a multitude of forums for nearly any interest and community, and a efficient digital sorting and recording system for your own patterns, FOs, and yarn stash.

Let’s take a look at the different ways Ravelry can specifically help the petite knitter with fit issues.

Forums and Groups

Ravelry is filled with forums and groups of nearly any interest you can imagine. These groups are communities within the larger community of Ravelry.

Every new Raveler is automatically subscribed to the Main Boards:

• For the Love of Ravelry: Ask questions and talk about Ravelry! There is also some general chat about knitting like “your favourite FO”, for example.
• Patterns: A place to post and ask about patterns in general, and in some cases specific pattern questions and ISO (“in search of”) requests. This would be a good place to ask ISO questions relating to petite patterns.
• Yarn & Fiber: Looking for a particular yarn? Have questions about fibre, weight, spin, etc? This is where to go!
• Techniques: It’s all in the name! A place to ask about specific techniques. This would be a good place to ask questions about fitting tips and techniques.
• Needlework News & Events: Here you’ll find general news (including sales, promotions, contests) and any special events (Stitch n’ Pitch, knitting retreats, festivals). This is where I posted to let the Ravelry community know about the #KnitPetiteProject.
• Tools & Equipment: Much akin to the Yarn & Fiber board, but for tools and equipment.
• Loose Ends: A place to post on Main Board topics (ie: Ravelry-supported crafts) that don’t fit in any other boards.

Each forum + group has their own focus and, in some cases, specific rules. Make sure you know what the rules are before posting (you want to make sure you’re on topic). Also, it’s always a good idea to try searching within Ravelry’s forums before posting your question, as it’s possible that someone else has asked the same thing before!

Here is a list of groups that may be of interest for you and your petite fit concerns.

• #KnitPetiteProject: We’re on Ravelry, and always here to discuss petite fitting concerns in knitwear. Join us!
• Petite Plus: This, like most of the other “petite” groups on Ravelry, is not very active (as of this writing, July 22, 2017). It may hold answers to questions you have: the forums history is searchable.
• Shorties: Again, not an active group, but you may find answers to your questions in the forums threads history.
• The Bustline: This is an active group. They focus on “[h]ow do you get clothes that fit and flatter when nothing seems to be made for your body? Let’s share tips, tricks, and resources!”, with a focus on bust adjustments whether large or small. A “sister” group, the Itty Bitty Titty Committee is unfortunately inactive, but may also be a place for you to search for tips, techniques, etc…
• There are a number of groups focused on plus size knitters, including The Curvalicious Sisterhood, Big Girl Knits, and Ample Knitters. These groups are all pretty inactive, but may hold answers to your questions in the thread history.
• As many folks have suggested, Amy Herzog and her CustomFit software is very useful for fit information. You can check out Herzog’s group here.
• Also from Herzog is the Fit to Flatter group, and they are, “… a place to learn, to discuss, and to connect with others on the journey to sweaters that make you feel (and look) fantastic.”

Patterns

Ravelry’s pattern search is great. Each design has the ability to be tagged to incredible detail, making knits searchable from design elements like neckline shape and construction to yarn weight and size range.

These tags are added to the design by the person who inputs the design onto Ravelry. That means that the person is adding tags in good faith, so to speak. For example, when I added TPCT to Ravelry, I tagged it with “negative ease”, “gathers”, “adult (sizes)”, “twisted stitches”, etc… There is also the option to add tags like “petite fit”.

For some of you, searching for “petite” in the patterns tab will deliver you satisfactory results. The person who added the pattern to the Ravelry database may have included the “petite fit” tag because the instructions are modification-friendly, the bust sizes extends to the lower end of the scale (32″ and lower seems to be the general idea of “petite”), or any other such justification for the petite fit tag.

For the purposes of the #KnitPetiteProject, this petite fit tag is one that you’ll have to sift through critically. My own search for this post produced over 5,200 results. Some of the top options include Amy Herzog’s CustomFit (and patterns that have been added to that software, including the very popular Featherweight Cardigan).

A recent addition to Ravelry, Bláfjöll, includes the following note: “The pattern comes in seven sizes from XS to XXXL and contains instructions for petite fit (5’2” and shorter persons), medium fit (5’3” tall to 5’8” tall persons) and tall fit ( 5’9” and taller persons).”

Amazing! Wonderful! This is the sort of thing that is very helpful and useful to petite knitters. Unfortunately, not everything you find under the petite fit tag will produce results like this, so search critically.

The Notebook

Your notebook section includes space for you to fill in all sorts of information about your FOs. This helps you very directly keep track of what worked and what didn’t.

And of course, because this is a community, other folks fill out their own notebooks and what they have to say may be of great use to you!

One way you may access this information is while searching a particular pattern. Within that pattern’s page will be a tab with the WIPs, FOs, and notes from all other knitters who have shared their thoughts and experience with this design. In some cases, you may see a wee life-perserver icon next to their project; this indicates that someone else on Ravelry has found these notes helpful.

Question

How have you found Ravelry helpful with your petite fit issues?

Resources

• Ravelry. Accessed July 22, 2017.
• Ravelry Patterns. Accessed July 22, 2017.
• Ravelry Groups. Accessed July 22, 2017.