Bergère de France Fils d'exception 20 modèles femme: A Review

Bergère de France has released an issue entitled "Fils d'exception 20 modèles femme", or in my best English translation thereof, "Exceptional Yarn: 20 Patterns for Women". Let's have a look at these twenty patterns rendered in exceptional yarn, shall we?

Pattern 01. Classic cabled pullover, knitted in silk.

Pattern 02. Pullover in a lattice-like lace pattern. Nice looking piece.

Pattern 03. Very attractive piece. The lace work across the shoulders and sleeves really sets what would otherwise be a dead simple cardigan apart.

Pattern 04. A tee with a placket. A very simple but very flattering, wearable, useful piece.

Pattern 05. This cabled cardigan is really chic, like the Chanel jacket of cabled sweaters. The slightly cropped length would be difficult for some to carry off, but could always be lengthened a bit.

Pattern 06. Classic cabled hat and scarf set.

Pattern 07. I'm pretty sure this drape front cardigan would look draggled and sad on anyone but a French model.

Pattern 08. Pourquoi the black stripe with the pointless buttons on it, Bergère de France? It's not adding anything. This sweater did need some more detail, but not that particular one.

Pattern 09. Only the French could make cables look chic. The ballet neckline and the full-fashioned sleeves take this piece to the right level for pairing it with a classic pencil skirt and leather handbag.

Pattern 10. Beautiful colour and pattern, but I would be inclined to let my couch wear this piece instead of me.

Pattern 11. If this piece were more fitted, it might work, but as it is it's making even the model look like a bloated loaf of bread.

Pattern 12. Another smart little jacket, with some really exceptional stitchwork.

Pattern 13. Loving the stitchwork here. This looks like the ultimate in cozy sweaters.

Pattern 14. What a gorgeous scarf. That floral pattern is just amazing.

Pattern 15. I'm on the fence about this one. It's not the kind of thing that appeals to me normally, but it definitely has a certain drama and style, and someone tall who wore it with a fitted skirt or trousers could probably carry it off. It definitely could have used a finishing detail at the neck, and by finishing detail I don't mean that off-centre tie, which looks like an end that should have been darned in.

Pattern 16. A slightly too simple wrap sweater. I'd add a picot edging to the neckline, sleeves, and bottom hem.

Pattern 17. Can't say I care much for this scarf. The very elongated stitchwork looks off-scale. Styling a heavy winter scarf with a summer dress didn't help.

Pattern 18. A wrap with a shawl-collar. I can't think of anything positive to say about this awkward and unflattering piece except that one would always know when it was right side up.

Pattern 19. I wish I could see this one better, but what I can see isn't too impressive. The collar is sad-looking, the sleeves have an unfortunate bell shape and stretched-out look, and the whole thing looks awkward, bulky, and unflattering.

Pattern 20. Cute and nicely polished little capelet. The ruffled edging adds a lot.

Bergère de France Magazine 179: A Review

Bergère de France has released Magazine 179. Nous allons jeter un coup d'oeil, allons-nous?





Pattern #01, Skirt and Pattern #02, Sleeveless Top. Not a bad little simple outfit. I don't know that I would go with the open back detail, as it's a little roughly done and doesn't add much of anything to the design.

Pattern #03, Short Sleeve Sweater. Personally I've never found it necessary to graphically remind a child that the beach is fun. And if it were necessary, I could probably find better designed ways to do it.

Pattern #04, Round Neck Sweater. Cute simple sweater.

Pattern #05, Shorts. The grid effect is also cute done on shorts. I agree with Bergère de France's decision to separate the shorts and the top from above into two different outfits. The grid pattern will be too much if spread over two separates worn simultaneously.





Pattern #06, Short Sleeve Cardi. That's not a badly designed pineapple, but it seems rather strange to plop it on the back of a cardi that's so plain in front.

Pattern #07, Anisette Hair Band. The green hair band looks like something you'd put on your daughter whenever you were dressing her up as Norma Desmond, which I hope is never. The one in yellow isn't terrible, but there are better designed hair bands out there.

Pattern #08, Pineapple Bag. Looks more like a toilet paper cosy than a pineapple, let alone a purse.

Pattern #09, Romper With Shoulder Straps. Not bad. I'd recommend making the rind green rather than whatever colour it is here, which makes it look less like a slice of watermelon than like a slice of pizza.

Pattern #10, Bikini. How does a design manage to be this ugly when there's this little of it? Moreover this bikini will not stay in place, or even on, once it gets wet.

Pattern #11, Pineapple Top. Not a bad little top. I'd move the pineapple image up a few inches as it doesn't look properly centred as is.

Pattern #12, Rucksack. Not bad at all. The bag has a good shape. I think it calls for wider straps, though. I hate to think how those thin cord-sized straps will dig in to a child's shoulders when the bag is full.

Pattern #13, Playsuit. This is kind of cute, but that surfboard does look a little disturbingly like a pair of lips to me.

Pattern #14, Cardigan. Not a badly shaped cardigan, but I don't think I understand the concept of sewing letters randomly across it.

Pattern #15, Short Sleeve Openwork Sweater. Not bad, though it might be a bit bulky for summer wear.

Pattern #16, Playsuit. You really need to put more effort into your "designs" than this, Bergère de France.

Pattern #17, Round Necked Sweater. Here's that simple grid pattern again. If you're concerned it'll be too much bother to fuss around with a second colour, the vertical lines are crocheted onto the finished pieces.

Pattern #18, Openwork Top and Pattern #19, Shorts. What the Ingalls girls wore as winter underwear back in their toddler days.





Pattern #20, Halter-Neck Tunic. Fetching little piece. Which I would want to do in any colour other than oatmeal.

Pattern #21, Strappy Top. Not a bad little basic pattern.

Pattern #22, Sleeveless Dress. Cute simple dress. The stripes make it.

Pattern #23, Short Roll Edge Sweater. Don't like this effect, which looks for all the world like a shrunken sweater layered over a not-shrunken one.

Pattern #24, Crossover Cable Cardi. This is rather squarish for my tastes, but it does have a certain contemporary style to it.

Pattern #25, Cardigan. This one is both squarish and minus the cable detailing that gave the sweater above some interest. Honestly, this looks like a beginner project that a beginning knitter will be really proud of at first and secretly take apart later.

Pattern #26, Hooded All In One. Rather a cute little number. But what I'd really like is the pattern for the blanket this little girl is sitting on.

Pattern #27, Romper. Just the thing for your bouncing baby balloon to wear.

Pattern #28, Rolled Edge Sweater and Pattern #29, Beanie. Not a bad little sweater. The varying stripe widths give it visual interest and a certain smartness. The hat is basic as basic gets and you probably already have an identical pattern.

Pattern #30, Sleeveless All-In-One. Adequate. I do wish the designer had done something more interesting with the meeting point of the two stripe widths.