Quick question for the Americans and Canadians

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Is a sweater a cardigan and a pullover (jumper) - or just a pullover?

If I'm not mistaken, you refer to all knitwear as sweaters. Is that right?

15 years ago

General

49 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Yes, I refer to all types of knitwear as a sweater. Cardigan or pullover is just the description of the type of sweater.

15 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Anything that's made from sweater knit I refer to as a sweater, although I am more apt to call cardigans cardigans and pullovers sweaters. Cardigans are sweaters, just a particular kind of them (it's a squares and rectangles kinda thing).

15 years ago

Aida

Veteran

I separate cardigans from sweaters personally, but I think that's just me since cardigans are a type of sweater.

15 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

yes, both a cardigan and a pullover would be referred to as a sweater

15 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

a cardigan that is made of knitwear is a type of sweater, a pullover is a different type of sweater.

15 years ago

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

A sweater is a cardigan that doesn't open and have buttons. If someone says a "sweater" I think of it as a knit pullover.

However, I guess technically a cardigan -is- a subtype of sweater.

15 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

and a jumper is this...

http://www.fabsugar.com/Look-D.....mble-89970

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thank you, ladies. I'm fine tuning a blog post.

I call a pullover "a jumper", and a cardigan "a cardigan" - both items of knitwear. And a sweater is "a sweatshirt", while a jumper is "a pinafore".

Never mind - I'll stick to terminology we can all understand in the blog post

15 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

I've learned from the different English language terms in different countries from YLF

15 years ago

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Angie,
A cardigan is distinct from a sweater, at least around here. The term pullover is never used, ditto for jumper. In Toront, the term sweater covers both those words and applies to any knitted item that goes over the head.
Turtlenecks sometimes get their own breakdown.For instance, today I gave a friend of mine a hug and complemented her on the coziness of her cashmere turtleneck. It was decidedly a sweater, but we'd all still refer to it as a turtleneck in this case. Had she been sporting a v-neck item, I would have said "wow, what a cozy sweater). And had it been a cardy, I would have said something about her great cardigan.
Does this help at all?
Personally I've always found kintwear to be one of the slightly confusing terms in the YLF lexicon simply because I'm never entirely sure what it's describing. Cardigans? Sweaters? Knit standalone tops?

15 years ago

Kari

Veteran

I echo what Michelle said, except that I refer to what you call pinafores (like the link that Kim posted) as jumpers.

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Uh oh. Hmmm. I shan't be able to please every one with the term sweater then

Does everyone understand the term knitwear?

15 years ago

cloud9

Veteran

I think "sweaters" in general is better than "knitwear"... because after the knit vs woven, my first impression of "knitwear" is any types of knit, not necessarily a sweater.

Sweater is a sweater made of fussy yarn. A cardigan is an open front sweater, with or without closure (button, hooks, tie, zipper, or none). Pullover is used for sweaters without front opening. It's used, but only to describe a sweater.

A sweater shirt is a the type of athletic wear, I typically refer to the type that looks like fleece but without the fussy fleece backing, if they did, they'd just be "sweats".

Jumper to me actually is short for jumpsuits, so similar to QM posted, but the bottom part is shorts or pants, I guess it can be a skirt as well.

15 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

I have to agree with Cloud 9. Most Americans know what you mean when you say "sweater" Many would be confused by the term "knitwear"

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

But knitwear is actually the correct technical term in the rag trade - and this is an international site. I'd like to continue using the correct term. Does that make sense?

15 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

Good point Angie... but are your readers in the rag trade or common folk?
I'm not sure I knew the term "knitwear" before YLF.

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

I know what you mean by knitwear, and I think it's a more accurate term, but I don't know if most Americans would understand or not. I think they would understand simply based on context, and if not, they could ask.

Perhaps in the next phase of YLF, a glossary should be considered?

I think the confusion lies in the fact that we do not have a distinct word for what you call a "pullover" but we do for "cardigan." Both are sweaters, but the one that opens on one side has a more specific term while the other does not.

15 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

i didn't really understand what knitwear was until this thread. will you have pictures in the blog post angie? if so, i think that will alleviate any confusion over the terms.

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Kim, rag trade aside, common YLF folk are from all over the world

Thanks, Maya. You hit the nail on the head as to why there is confusion.

No pictures for this particular post Mellls - that might add to the confusion actually

15 years ago

Kari

Veteran

I'm actually still rather confused on what is considered "knitwear" vs. a plain old "knit." Slow student over here, sorry!

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

I think you simply need to write a post on the term knitwear, and then link back to it whenever you use it like you do in all of your blog posts

At least until the glossary goes up!

15 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

i agree with maya!

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh, Kari. You made me laugh.

Good idea, Maya. I think that the post that I'm writing will open up a can of worms. Then I'll write a follow up blog post. Sorted!

15 years ago

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Angie, it's your site, so you can use whatever term you want!!! But I do like Maya's proposal, since I was another one who had never heard the term knitwear prior to reading YLF. *joins Kari in the corner*
You have a post that covers some of this ground already, and it helped me to at least somewhat understand your frame of reference...Perhaps you can use this link too?
http://youlookfab.com/2009/08/.....-sleeve-t/

15 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

True Angie.. I was just thinking that in most every retailers website, the title for their category of "knitwear" is commonly "sweaters" Of course, these are American sites that I am referring to.

15 years ago

Kari

Veteran