Interweave Knits Gifts 2018: A Review

Today we're going to have a look at Interweave Knits Gifts 2018. Hey, as I'm sure you're all saying to yourselves, there's still time to knit a few gifts for the upcoming holiday season!

Belvedere the French Bulldog. This is quite a cute dog, with its little turtleneck and beret, but it also gives me the feeling it might ask me out for a croissant and a café au lait.

Blue Spruce Mittens. Love the Latvian-style pattern on these, and the shape is good too.

Candlelight Mittens. Not such a fan of these. The pattern has a busy look to it. But then the colourway and the "Princess Leia Goes Urban" styling isn't doing it any favours.

Changing Diamonds Hat and Mittens. Nice set!

Dear Snow Cowl. Charming! I do love an adult-appropriate design that incorporates playful motifs like moose and snowflakes. Why should children get all the fun stuff?

Egret Hat and Mitts Set. Lovely. The Sanquhar patterning is beautiful.

Fraser Fir Mittens. These are so-so. I like the idea of evergreen-themed mittens, but this particular pattern isn't all that pleasing.

Frozen Pond Corner. Nice-looking cowl. But those devices in the centre band look like... rolling pins.

See? And don't those tiered shapes in the blue bands look like wedding cakes? Is this a slightly mixed metaphor baking-themed design or is it some sort of Rorschach test indicating that I am in need of my lunch and its attendant dessert?

Garnet Wrap. A very handsome wrap. I can't help thinking that, if made a little wider, this would make a beautiful afghan too.

Geo-Snow Shawl. I like the contemporary, geometric look of this lace. It has the look of a perfect marriage between contemporary and traditional aesthetics.

Herringbone Trail Cowl. An attractive, "go with nearly anything" cowl.

Homestead Wrap. Beautiful, although something this large and bulky is much more likely to be used as an afghan than a wrap.

Lassen Peak Hat. Nice hat. The pom pom serves a functional purpose of gathering the slouchy length of a hat to a point to give it shape.

Lavender Sprig Hat. Very pretty.

Liam the Llama. This is definitely a no drama llama. This is, rather, a llama who will sit about passively, watching you through half-lidded eyes and merely uttering the occasional, "'Sup?" and "Sweet!" and helping itself to your weed when you aren't looking.

Long Johns Hat and Mittens Set. Very nice set! I'm enjoying playing with various possible colour schemes for it.

Murray the Musk Ox. Murray looks like the kind of musk ox who'll resort to head butts when he doesn't get his way. And don't even think about talking about making anything out of musk ox yarn in his hearing.

North Star Flip-Top Mittens. Not bad. Though those loops on the top of the mitten cap, which are designed to button them securely in place when the gloves are in convertible mode, would be a pain when the caps are in use.

Rose Hip Mittens. Very pretty. Love the subtle, warm colourway.

Silent Night Cowl. Classic cabled cowl.

Trash Panda. This doesn't look so much like a raccoon as it does some other indefinable species in a bandit mask. And I'm familiar with the species, given what a pest raccoons are in Toronto. They seem to especially love hanging around my house, where they creep me out and drive my cat mental by sitting just outside the windows and staring in at me by the hour, or, worse, make frantic efforts to get into the house by shredding my window screens.

Warren Cap. Pretty and wearable.

Granny Hap Shawl. This one doesn't appeal. I don't think granny chic is ever going to be a thing, however hard as its purveyors try, and the afghan ripple is an irretrievably dated, homely effect for me.

Woodstove Hat. Another classic cap.

XOXO Mitts. Very smart!