Ribbed sweaters on curvy fuller figures?

I have a question. What do you all think of ribbed sweaters on curvier, fuller figures? I've been debating knitting this sweater (photos 1-3), but I feel unsure about the all-over ribbing. The sweater is actually 1x1 ribbing but it's knit in a worsted (8ply) weight yarn--so heavier yarn, also a stiffer, firmer gauge. The knit just feels much stiffer. I'm not sure if this would be adding too much visual heaviness, width, and thickness to my own body type?

Compare the potential heaviness of it to the lightweight red sweater (photo 4). Or the soft drape of brioche rib (photo 5). That to me somehow feels less bulky in appearance, probably due to the drape.

I know for a lot of people it doesn't matter. But my health issues really affected my body confidence, and while I'm slowly healing, I kind of care about adding/avoiding unnecessary visual weight and heft.

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3 months ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Ket, I find that if the ribbing isn't tight - rather skimming, fluid, or oversized - it looks great on any figure

Ket

Veteran

Angie, so helpful to hear that!! If I do proceed with this sweater, I’ll be sure to add some fluid ease, or perhaps work with a slightly looser gauge so it isn’t stiff or snug on me. Thank you <3

Cee

Knock 'em dead, Ket !

Jaime

Angie's advice sounds exactly right.

RobinF

Agree! That's a great looking pattern.

Joy

You look wonderful. Sometimes the ribbing pulls apart and does not keep its shape. This emphasizes the curves. It does not seem to be doing this in your photos. The heaviness of the fabric probably helps.

Anonymous

In my experience all over ribbing inevitably adds bulk because it's all over ribbing.

As much as I like the look I know from purchase fails that I won't wear it because I'll feel dumpy,(harsh, I know, but true) and also because all of that extra yarn is heavy and often too warm. Sometimes ribbing rides up on curvy figures too.

My own medical challenges have caused me to deeply love every atom of my physicality and I wear nothing that might prompt a negative response to my reflection.

Of course you will still be an unusually beautiful woman no matter what you wear but doubt can be so unpleasant. I might try on a few all over ribbed sweaters before committing to making one.

Cee, Robin, thank you so dearly!

Jaime, she always has the best advice

Joy, thank you so dearly! The photos are the stock photos, not me in the photos But! I think your eye is picking up on good points nonetheless! I'm actually not sure how much ease it's worn by the model, the designer doesn't say. (Some designers will tell you how much positive or negative ease the model is wearing.) But it looks to be a more close fit -- maybe 2" ease either way?

Cate, I appreciate another experience and opinion! I haven't found a good all-over ribbed sweater yet to try on. I do have some all-over ribbed camis that I don't particularly love and have been slowly replacing with stockinette/smooth camis. So maybe that is answer enough? I can always knit the entire sweater in stockinette, to be honest. I like the sweater enough that I am actually considering that tweak. I hope you are continuing to heal and are doing well <3

Janet

Angie makes a good point about the quality and fit. I generally avoid ribbing because it tends to expand over my chest, emphasizing something that needs no additional emphasis! I mostly notice it after a little bit of wear. A very fine, not very textured ribbing can work, especially if it's not terribly stretchy and has a littl ease -- wider types with more stretch are trickier. I feel like that style in #4 would be harder to wear than the others.

Janet such good points! I think the red sweater in photo 4 feels safer to me because it’s a very fine weight knit, and I feel it doesn’t read as textured as the purple sweater photos? It’s also worn with a bit of ease, so the ribbing isn’t pulled out to cause extra width.

The purple sweater is a much heavier weight of fabric and yarn. And the ribbing feels really heavy and textured to me for some reason. I also don’t like stripes that much, and the ribbing in this feels more like stripes to me. So I’m struggling. I’m tempted to forgo the ribbing and knit the whole thing in smooth stockinette. Ha!

Aquamarine

Along with Angie’s on-point thoughts, I think it depends on how fine a gauge or weight of yarn. A bulky or worsted weight might add inches, whereas a DK or fingering probably would not. Might take you forever to knit, though!

One of my favorite sweaters (it’s survived years of closet clean-outs) is a very fine gauge ribbed v-neck. I feel good in this no matter what I’ve weighed. It’s not hand knit, but it is 100% wool and I’d guess fingering or sport weight.

DonnaF

Some ribbing, especially of the heavy and stiffer variety, can skew a bit masculine. I think of you as very yin/feminine, so you may want to add that into the mix.

April

Ribbing is, for me, something our old YLF friend Beth used to call "enboobening", for the reason that Joy described and that I heard Stacy London describe: if the ribs pull sideways, it can look like the top is straining to contain what is within. As always, Angie says it - size up to a fluid fit and all will be well.

Aquamarine, Donna, and April: you all named my deeper fear!! this is knit in worsted weight, so the I can see it adding some weight and heft. I have owned a very lightweight sweater in ribbing and loved it. I could easily knit this in a sport weight. (There are ways to adjust for the change in yarn weight.) But I just don't know yet if I'm feeling it or not?? I will have to sit with it for a while and see what feels like a good fit.

April, enboobening oh my gosh!!! LOL! Such a good term and way of putting it.

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