Request for all you knitters

[fattiemumma]

Would anyone be able to do me the hugest favour?
My dad is a very large man (about a 52 chest) and he really wants a thick knitted cardi.

I have hunted high and low but we just can't find one that will fit him.

Woudl anyone be able to knit one for me so i can give it to him as a xmas pressie? of course i will pay for your effort...just let me know how much.
and if you need any specific measurments i can get my mum to try and get them.

i know its quite a big ask but figured hey...if you can get knitted wombs then someone somewhere must be able to knit a cardi lol

fm, im sure someone can do it for you.
however, just thought id point out a few things.
1 it wont be cheap. the cost of the yarn is the main factor.
2 it takes ages, unless you are a really fast knitter!
3 do youhave a pattern, or some idea of what you want it to be? that would make it much easier for the knitter.

if no one comes along, then i will be happy to do it for you. however i am not as fast as i would like to be, which is why i think you need to see if any of the experts come along first. years ago i used to know a lady who knitted orders. i can see if i can get holdofher number for you if you like.
i think its a lovley idea for your father.

Thick knitted = faster, but more expensive. (If you knit in 4-ply, it knits up slower, but the yarn is cheaper.) The yarn will cost a bomb, particularly if you want wool, rather than synthetics.

I knit a lot, but only really make hats and flat things.

You will find the whole process a lot cheaper and easier if you buy a machine-made one. What are you looking for? 52" chest, cardigan, what colour? Is he tall?

How about this one? . That shop is v good quality, pretty pricey, but still miles cheaper than getting something handmade.

nqc, i was hoping youd see this.
my dad is also quite big and also likes cardigans, and they are ver very difficult to find. especially wool ones.

Oh, and a 52" chest is a 2X in their sizing, so they go much bigger than that. I've been in Rochester Big and Tall (opposite Harrods in London) and there are really really really big clothes in there. DH is 6'4" and not skinny, and he's in their smallest sizes.

That particular cardi is cotton, though, and I feel obliged to tell you that wool is warmer, if warmth is what he's after.

This one is only £9.99. But acrylic, and you can't see it very well. Does claim to be cabled.

I have to agree it would cost a small fortune in yarn, even cheap yarn. I'm awfully sorry but whilst I wouldn't mind making something small for someone who was desperate I just don't do big blokey things because I get so bored.

This shop also has cheap ones.

I do recommend Rochester, their products are expensive but actually good. They're a very American shop, hence the good quality and large sizes.

Ooooh, I think I've found it. This shop does one with a 58" chest - they say, though, to get the measurements, you want to be checking the measurement from armpit to armpit on some knitwear you're happy with - obviously you don't want a cardi that fits beautifully with nothing underneath. Anyway, it's wool, it's machine washable, it looks alright (as do some of their others), and it's actually quite cheap, too! £39!

(I did assume your dad wasn't looking for a young hip person's hoodie really? And steered towards, ahem, more traditional styles?)

Goodness, I think we've frightened her off!

Hope that link is useful for you, too, lazybluealien! (tamum is the real knitting expert, not me.)

Thank you for those links.
your right in thinking he doesn't want a hip one lol.

what he really wants is like an old fishermans jumper...with the realy thick cris cross type [attern on the front (can't you tell i have no idea what im on about lol)

I knew it would be expensive, i just got fed up of hunting loads of stores. the thing is he is also really tall 6'9 as well as rather robust so i either get it to fit length way or width ways but not both.

there were a couple in High and mighty but they seemed quite thin.
will check out rochester's....as it will be a xmas pressie i dont mind spending that little bit more.

Thanks girls

Hmm, then Rochester are your thing, they do tall + big. I think you're looking for a cabled sweater, by your description.

Wait, found this . Wool, lined and cabled. Not cheap.

It sounds as though he might want something like this , but it's very expensive. I can't see any indication of sizes on there, maybe they do them to order? It would take ages and ages to knit something big with that pattern, so in a way it's good value.

Mine were more expensive, tamum - yours looks better. (From £125 does sound like they might want to charge more for this bloke, though.)

Oh, wait, I found the sizing, they only go to 48", but I bet you could email and ask for bigger.

yes those two are perfect.

I think the ROchester one would be best as theys eem to do HUGE sizes.

i think they are about the same price...i think its tsill about $2=£1 isnt it?

Thanks for your help

Ah, good point- I hadn't noticed the "from". The thing is it would cost about, what 80 to 100 quid for the wool if you were going for no-synthetic stuff, wouldn't it? I remember on a blog someone was trying to work out how much to charge for knitting a jumper, paying herself the minimum wage, and she said she stopped counting when she got to £100 and had just about accounted for half the time it would take

They weren't asking much more for the 48" size, and they might do a special order.

I hadn't realised Rochester was a US site. Are you near London? I'd visit the shop, tbh. Or at worst phone them, see if you can do an order that way. You don't want to do an international order if avoidable.

The shop is nice, and the staff are helpful.