Second Big Girl Knits Book Announced - Seeking Patterns

Have you seen the rave reviews for Big Girl Knits? by Jillian Moreno and Amy R Singer? Several major knitting magazines are proclaiming it a very welcome addition to the knitting book world…they love it.

Potter Craft [a.k.a Random House], has asked Amy and Jillian to write a 2nd Big Girl Knits.

This time around, the book is getting big with color and texture. Here's a snapshot:
Building on the B3 system (Boob, Belly, Butt), the book will review how to choose or
create knitwear that fits well and looks great. It will show Big Girl knitters how
to use color and texture in a way that looks fab on them (hint: less is more).
It will teach how to adapt patterns that have color and texture using side
panels, and how to wrap their brain around the math for motif repeats, use
decorative decreases, and have a refresher on short rows.

Definitions For boo:
Color = stripes, including self-striping yarn, color blocks, motif work [Fair Isle,
intarsia, mosaic, and embroidery]
Texture = ribs, lace, cables, twisted stitches

Amy and Jillian are looking for garments for women sized 14-24 (chest measurements from 40-54" with no ease) that are flattering, not dumpy.

And since not every size 20 woman has the same physical attributes as every
other, they need designs to flatter each of the different types of big girl body
shapes.

Key points to think about as you work on your designs:
- all designs must have an element of color or texture (or both)
- all designs must be sized from 14 to 24 (we will provide a standard
set of measurements based on industry standards)
- each design must be customizable in some way to accommodate the
differences in body type, focusing on boobs, belly and butt as the
three major areas to flatter [for example, adjustable short rows for
busts, adjustable number of pattern repeats, additional pieces where
required]
- yarn must not be heavier than 4sts/in for garments
- no rectangles; no drop shoulders
- think shaping!
- think vertical -- not necessarily vertical lines, but perhaps the
suggestion of vertical with motifs, patterns, colorblocks, diagonals
that are more vertical than hortizontal, or simply the absence of
horizontals.
- think combinations of texture features to create flattering silhouettes
- selective placement of ribbed panels or color or areas of lace can be very
flattering, which is what we mean by less is more…a lace sweater doesn't
need to be 100% lace

Amy and Jillian are looking for sweaters, vests, jackets, coats, wraps, socks, skirts, gloves, mittens, even knitted jewelry, all designed for curvaceous women
who enjoy standing out and showing off their best assets. As with BGK1, this
book is for intermediate knitters and above.

Submission details:
- Submission deadline: April 14, 2006
- Submission ingredients for each design: full sketch of the item,
including design features, customizable areas and techniques used and
what area[s] of the bigger body it is meant to suit; photograph of one
swatch, with yarn details noted as per the Knitty submission guidelines
[http://knitty.com/subguide.html]; your contact information and a very
brief design resume [for unpublished designers, this means links to
good photographs of your finished work]

Yarn will be provided; this may require you to tweak your design to
accommodate, because all designs are subject to our publisher's approval.
Please specify commercially available current yarns in your submission.

The expected final schedule in place at this time, is for production of the knitted samples to be complete by September 1, 2006. Yarn will for the projects will be sent out by June 15, 2006.

Compensation will be discussed with each designer individually. Designers will
also receive one copy of the book.

Each designer will be instructed to knit a specific size so their sample will fit
one of our professional Big Girl models for photography.

Samples will be returned to the designer once the book's trunk show is
complete [approximately 12 months after publication, which is currently
planned for Spring 2008].

One important note: you need not be a Big Girl yourself (or even a girl!) to
submit designs to this book. All that is asked is that you understand the variety of
ways bigger female bodies are shaped and what makes them look their best.
Jillian and Amy are both big girls themselves and take this project very
seriously.

Early reader reaction to the first book has reinforced our belief that Big Girl
knitters want this kind of design and style information…and this 2nd book will
give them more of what they want.

Please send your submission(s) to this address by April 14th:
thegirls@biggirlknits.com