Not a jacket really, more like a sweater. This is the third sweater I ever started. I was neglecting seaming it up until Kelly nudged me to finish it already (she knows I need the prodding), and so I did, and subsequently had it confirmed to me that I indeed have a problem I have never faced before. Hold on.
It’s a known fact that many many women blossom at 40. A year ago this past June I found that to be true. I felt empowered. I felt liberated. I felt more like a woman. I was WOMAN!!
What I didn’t know is that some women blossom at 40….physically!! “The boys” must have had a committee meeting and decided to jump up a cup size. Ya I could probably stand to lose 5lbs, but the weight’s never benefited me there, ever! I don’t mind, and my hubby certainly doesn’t mind, but I DO mind when I make a size small sweater and it won’t close properly.
I remember many years ago I saw Loni Anderson (remember her?) being interviewed and she said that when the women in her family turned 40, they inevitably had to have a breast reduction. I don’t know why, but her words seared themselves into my brain. And here we are.
After fiddling around with the positioning of the buttons, which exaggerated the A-line and made me come close to reseaming and CUTTING the inside seams, I found a solution that worked. I placed the buttons a little further from the edge of where the double moss stitch and stockinette meet, put a very tight t-shirt on as a minimizer, and it helped, at least enough to satisfy me.
Pattern: DROPS Asymmetrical Jacket (worsted weight version)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers, colour #2452
Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm
Minor Modifications: Buttonholes spaced 6cm apart instead of 7cm, and used the one row reinforced method (3 stitches)
You look SO pretty in your new sweater. No excessive boobage as far as I can see.
Being almost 40 myself, I do remember Loni. Wonder what she’s up to now? As a kid I remember thinking how weird her hair looked.
I LOVE the sweater!! It is amazing and looks amazing on!! Great job!
Just gorgeous! I love your choice of buttons.
Really pretty. Love the silhouette and the color! Thanks for sharing:)
Oh Heidi, this sweater/jacket is beautiful on you and such a nice color, fantastic job! I don’t see where the tightness is at all…and yeah, at our age we are all diggin’ out the controlling types of under/outerwear…lol.
I too have troubles seeing through projects that require finishing, like my Jane from Perl Grey/Handmaiden and another from the Katia book…I need a friend like Kelly to kick me in the butt too..tehehe. Weird as I drooled over these patterns for sooo long but alas I think I’m so afraid of piecing them together I just freeze up?
I already commented on the sweater on Ravelry (love it!), but I had to comment on the “blossoming” because it made me laugh out loud. I could really use a little blossoming. The biggest I’ve ever been was barely a B, and that was when I was nursing. Most of the time, I’m barely an A. I’m turning 39 next week, so maybe there’s hope for me yet!
Replied privately to Suzanne, but I’m putting this here too:
I’m not kidding, it literally only started just after I turned 40. It’s very weird but after a year I finally realized it wasn’t all in my head and a month ago I bought a couple new bras. I was literally “busting” out of my current ones. Pun intended. ;o)
Yes there’s hope for us small girls to have a second puberty!
Heidi
love that jacket! You may find it “missing” after our next knit date 😉 Beautiful beautiful!
Dropped by your blog for the first time..You knit beautifully!!
The jacket is really pretty =)
Love the jacket and am still laughing at your belated 40th birthday present :).
This sweater is fabulous. It’s on my list – but wow, yours needs to be “favorited” over at Ravelry – nice job and you look great. 5 lbs where? I know, I know – if I could just pick where I lose it….it’s very flattery, nicely done and moving up on my queue!:)
Well the Drops jacket looks amazing on you, be glad for your late bloomer status!!
It looks gorgeous on you!
This is a beautiful jacket and has been on my must knit for a while. I love your version and you would never know that you had to fiddle with the buttons 🙂
Gorgeous!
What a beautiful jacket. The colour really suits you.
This is so interesting about the boys growing when you turned 40. I love the sweater! It looks really good, and you did a good job with the button placement because I really can’t tell that its a little tight.
Hey! I just found your site! I am so jealous! I only wish I could make stuff like yours! amazing! so stylish!
Gorgeous! Looks super warm and cozy and very flattering. Hmmm…maybe I should finish mine…
Beautiful sweater! It looks fabulous on you!
It’s gorgeous and looks great on you!
Boys aren’t they “the girls “, I did notice them , lucky you .
You are doing such wonderful work . Did you hear my big news.
Chris
Your knitting is absolutely beautiful. And it looks fabulous on you as well.. I love the 3/4 sleeve length!
This sweater is fabulous…especially beautiful on your model-like figure!!!
your work is really beautiful. clare has become a knitting addict… i’m going to send her to this blog as their are many things here that’d look great on her, as they do on you.
much love to you and ‘saintly’ hubby. 🙂 x
that’s ‘there’ not ‘their’… oops.