Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine Fall/Winter 2013: A Review

Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine has released its Fall/Winter 2013 issue, and it does its best to take us from fall through the winter with vintage-inspired knits, clever beadwork, back-to-school, and Christmas patterns. Let's have a look, shall we?

Pattern #1, Cream Jacket. Not sure about this one. It's styled as an evening jacket, and while it looks passable in this professionally styled and modelled sample shot when viewed from the back, I'm inclined to think that on most of us it'll just look like we have our cardigans on backwards.

Pattern #2, Gold Bead Necklace. I'm not a fan of knitted yarn jewelry, which tends to look like something made by a ten-year-old at summer camp, but I'm always hoping to see successful examples of it. This is one of the best attempts I've seen, but it's still not quite a success. It still looks more like a collar than a necklace, although that's an improvement on looking like a lanyard.

Pattern #3, Gold Sweater. I like this sweater, though I think it was a mistake to style it as evening or dressy wear, as they've done here. It's too casual and heavy-looking for evening wear, and would look better done in a non-metallic with some pretty beads, and worn with jeans.

Pattern #4, Pearl-Beaded Sweater. This pearl-beaded Aran is very pretty, though like the pattern above it does look as though it wandered into the wrong photo shoot. It's too heavy to be worn with a sheer floaty skirt. A tailored wool skirt or trousers would be a better complement.

Pattern #5, Beaded Collar Sweater. Love this. It's so severely simple but that beaded collar is all it needs. It has three-quarter length sleeves which can be unflattering on some women, but sleeves can always be lengthened or shortened as desired.

Pattern #6, Ribbed Cardigan. Er. Not sure about this one, though it has its good points. The buttonhold band, which is described as "gently rippling", looks from this photo to be pulling away from the buttons below. The lace peplum hem is pretty but isn't going to be flattering for most women. The ribbing isn't flattering either and doesn't really work with a dressy detail like a lace peplum, especially when combined with a tulle skirt and satin sash. I'd suggest some mods to fix all these issues (i.e., ditching the ribbing for a slightly lacy pattern, finding some other way of edging the button band so it doesn't look pulled), but you'd basically have to rewrite the pattern.

Pattern #7, Sleeveless Dress. Very serviceable and classic sheath dress pattern. The yarn choice was a good one for this design – it's "Milano", which when knitted up passes at a glance for tweed fabric.

Pattern #8, Peplum Jacket. This jacket was inspired by the iconic Bar Suit from Dior's 1947 New Look collection. And it's a very competent piece of work and does indeed look quite a lot like the jacket from that famous Bar Suit, but I think it didn't quite translate into a knit – the lines (inevitably) aren't as crisp and it looks rather blah. And yet I hate to suggest mods because it's, you know, the Bar Suit. Making it in another colour and with some statement buttons might help.

Pattern #9, Boxy Jacket and Skirt. Here we have a valiant effort to translate the classic Chanel-type suit into a knit. Unfortunately that boxy suit style was really unflattering to anyone who didn't look like Gabrielle Chanel and transforming it into knitwear isn't going to help. Even the model isn't working this, though she's giving it a hero's try.

Pattern #10, A-Line Jacket. This jacket is an interpretation of another Dior design, this time from his Alphabet line. I don't think it the most flattering look, but it's simple and a classic and can look good over something quite fitted and streamlined, as has been done here.

Pattern #11, Handwarmers. I'm not a fingerless glove fan, but I must admit these are kind of cute, and probably a good compromise for a parental-child conflict regarding what the child will wear on a nippy morning. And I bet they stay cleaner than mittens do, and are more likely to remain on and therefore less likely to get lost.

Pattern #12, Legwarmers. Legwarmers do look cute on little girls. Do check with the little girl they're for before you knit though, and inquire as to as their current status among her social circle: in or out?

Pattern #13, Satchel. Love this satchel, which has a great shape and seems very well designed. It's an absolute necessity to line a knitted bag of this sort (you may want to add a sturdy interlining if the pattern doesn't call for it) and you can pick a fun, coordinating fabric as has been done here.

Pattern #14, Fox Boot Toppers. I've made fun of boot toppers in reviews before, but I think they were all supposedly intended to be worn by grown women. It does seem like a different ball game when they're on a little girl; they look fun and cute.

Pattern #15, Pencil Case. This pencil case is quite pretty, and I see it's been made to match the satchel that appeared above. Do make sure that whatever fabrics and yarns you choose for this project are machine washable, as pencil cases get grubby and ink-stained.

Pattern #16, Purse. Now this is a pattern that can be used to advantage by females of all ages. Very cute, and it should hold your coins or what have you securely.

Pattern #17, Jacket with Pattern Border. I very much like this pattern, which is a fresh use of fair isle patterns and would suit most women and most wardrobes. Make this in your favourite colour combination and you'll be able to slip it on over a number of your outfits.

Pattern #18, Boxy Jumper. I love the pattern on this sweater, but not the shape. The name of this design tells you everything you need to know, doesn't it? The inclusion of the word "boxy" in clothing description never bodes well. It's like the time I was couch shopping with my mother and she insisted we check out a store we happened by called "Excellent Furniture", even though I told her no good could come from our visiting a furniture store named Excellent Furniture. Nothing, that is, but in-jokes that are still funny 12 years later.

Pattern #19, Brocade Jacket. I was just complaining the other day in the last post of my Twentieth Century Series about the lack of intricate patterning in today's patterns compared to those of the nineties, so it's lovely to see something like this, with a rich pattern and great finishing details. I'm not crazy about the colourway, but that's just personal preference. I think it's a smart idea for Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine to style it this way, to encourage people to think out of the box in terms of what can be done with colour.

Pattern #20, Kelim Sweater. I am so not finding this appealing, but then the colourway is unfortunate and the shoulders are dropped, and both of those can be changed. Surely we can enjoy intricate colourwork in our knitwear while leaving dropped shoulders back in the nineties where they belong, along with some other unfortunate fads, such as Vanilla Ice.

Pattern #21, Elf Onesie. This is cute, but do you really want to go to all that work to make something your baby can only wear for the month of December? I suppose if you plan it right you can have it fit baby as a Halloween costume as well as for Christmas events (though it looks a little Christmassy for Halloween), but even so that seems like a lot of knitting for a special occasion outfit.

Pattern #22, Reindeer Onesie. I like this even better than the Elf Onesie, but again... that's a lot of work for an outfit that won't get worn very much. I'd say get a crazy indulgent childless aunt or uncle to knit it for your baby, but I am a crazy indulgent childless aunt, and I wouldn't do it.

Pattern #23, Holly Wreath. Now here's an item worth the work it will take, because you can use it Christmas after Christmas for years. This really looks fantastic, and I'm especially impressed by how real it looks to a glance.

Pattern #24, Christmas Chains. I can't say I care for pattern, but then I don't like paper chains either – they're the kind of things grade school students use their decorate their Christmas trees because it's easy and inexpensive and traditional rather than because they meet any kind of aesthetic standard. I can't see putting all that work and expense into that inelegant kind of decoration.

Pattern #25, Santa Dog Coat. Oh boy. I'm going to have to try to put aside my bias against knitting for pets for this one. This is a very clever design that's obviously been made with great care and I suppose it will amuse all your Christmas party guests no end, but be warned that your dog will know it's being laughed at, and that he or she may not like that at all, which may cause some retaliatory peeing.

Pattern #26, Heirloom Christmas Stocking. Cute stocking.

Pattern #27, Christmas Tree. This is cute. I think it would work best in a country/craftsy type décor.

Pattern #28, Entrelac Hot Water Bottle Cover. This will come in handy for those Christmases when the furnace breaks down. If you regularly use a hot water bottle and care to take the time to knit it its own sweater, I'd recommend a different colourway so it can be used all winter long.

Pattern #29, Cabled Cravat. I was going to say I didn't like this, but I think I'm put off by the way this casual, heavy scarf has been thrown on over a suit, where it really doesn't belong. I can easily imagine it working over a sweater and khakis, or with a pea coat and jeans.

Pattern #30, Double Breasted Coat. I'm not sold on this design, which though it has a certain classic appeal is a bit shapeless and too blah to appeal to a child, and won't look good when worn open.

Pattern #31, Contrast Band Sweater. This sweater is fine except for the two-tone colourblocking at cuffs and hem. It just looks as though the knitter ran out of yarn. I'd do them in a single colour.

Pattern #32, Cabled Scarf. You'll have to wear this "scarf" pinned, or it will fall off almost immediately. And I suppose it's nice to have a chance to wear one's shawl pins more often, but honestly this looks just like a scarf for which there wasn't enough yarn. I'd make it much longer and/or turn it in a cowl.

Pattern #33, Paloma Scarf. Classic textured scarf. I'd be inclined to fringe the edges, or crochet a border on them, because they do look a little unfinished as is.