Cast On Fall 2017: A Review

Cast On magazine has released its Fall 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

A Basket of Posies. Not bad, though with its curling edges and crudely sketched-on flowers, it is a little on the rough and ready side. It's undeniably cute and the butterfly buttons are a nice touch.

A Road Less Travelled. I like this on the whole, but that collar is making me twitchy. It's supposed to be asymmetrical, but it looks merely askew.

A-Tisket, A-Tasket socks. Quite a good-looking pair of socks.

Alpine Hiking Vest. I like this piece, though I do note that the empire-waist level band won't flatter the well-endowed woman. If this vest is for a woman who requires anything larger than a B-cup, move that band down to her waist.

Baby in Basket Hat. At first glance, I thought this was some kind of little drawstring bag. It's not a bad little hat.

Color Block Tunic. I like the basic concept of a colour block tunic, but the execution didn't quite pan out. The look is too visually fragmented.

Diagonal Basketweave Cowl. A useful piece with some textural detail to keep things interesting.

English Diamonds Cowl. Pretty.

Garter Stitch Basketweave. A nice simple throw cushion.

Golden Aspen Texting Gloves. Fingerless gloves usually have a bit more finger showing than this, and the effect is a bit weird, as though the finger tips are showing because the glove fingers blew out at the tips rather than by design.

Green Aspen Arm Warmers. I'm liking these.

Hit the Road Cardigan. Oh, I like this one! Shaping and detailing are good, and those curving front basket stitch panels give the sweater visually flattering lines.

Mosaic and Slip Stitch Basketweave Pillow. That pattern has a smart visual effect.

Mr. Liss. This is supposed to be a fox, but it actually looks more like some sort of fox/anteater hybrid. Foxes' noses aren't that long.

Napoleon + Deseret Jacket. This is the cover look, and deservedly so, because that stitchwork is fabulous. It's impossible to add waist-shaping to a design like this one, but it would be possible to fix the dropped shoulders and make the sleeves neater fitting.

Orange Sassafras Texting Gloves. Here we have a little more fingertip showing, but also bunched up knitting because, I suspect, the fingers were simply too long for the model's hand. This one has a bit of pattern on the back, but it's not especially effective.

Picot Edge Table Runner. Not a bad decorative piece.

Red Maple Texting Gloves. These are just like the Golden Aspen Texting Gloves, only done in a light fingering yarn rather than in sport weight. I like the more polished look of the lighter yarn. I never like my gloves to look or feel like oven mitts.

Rib and Garterweave Pillow. This is a slight variation on the Garter Stitch Basketweave pillow above. I think I prefer the other one, because the smaller scale of the pattern gives the pillow a slightly more polished look.

Roaming Check Boot Cuffs. I can only sign off on boot cuffs when they can pass for the top of the boot. These don't.

Top-Down Market Bag. This is going to stretch all to hell as soon as one puts one's groceries in it.

Wayfarer. This has a dated, frumpy look, and zip fronts look bad when folded back so that the inner edge of the zipper can be seen, as here.

Zick Zack Fingerless Mitts. Quite like these, which are well-shaped and have a pretty colourway.

Cast On Summer 2017: A Review

Cast On has released their Summer 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Baby Fingers Blanket. An attractive and usable baby blanket, but the name of this item does give me a slight case of the heebie jeebies.

Disrupt. Lovely scarf. It's reversible too.

Dropped Petals Crescent Shawl. Some very attractive stitchwork in this.

Fairlane Tee. Interesting piece with a contemporary feel.

Fan Lace Cowl. Beautiful.

Fibonacci Fun Shawlette. I'm not too taken with this one, probably because it strikes me as unfinished-looking. I think it needs an edging of some sort.

Marled Boxy Top. Unflattering and boring.





Pataya. Flattering and pretty. The side detailing is a nice touch.

Quatrefoil Shawl. Exquisite.

Scandinavian Candle Coat (left) and Shetland Candle Coat (right). These are pretty, but the idea of putting any sort of knitted shades on candles (or even other light sources, such as electric lamps) makes me nervous. I've heard a story of an unattended candle -- that was on a ceramic dish -- setting fire first to the table on which it sat, and subsequently the wall the table stood against, and knitted items are surely more flammable than wooden tables and drywall. If you are going to put knitted shades on your candle holders, please be absolutely sure never to leave the candle unattended for any length of time.

Spring at Last. Nice socks.





Swarm of Wasps Top and Swarm of Wasps Skirt. I very much like this ensemble, which has a certain "retro gone modern" vibe, as though a classic thirties knitwear pattern had been revamped to give it a contemporary edge. Though I do have reservations about the fact that this pattern calls for worsted yarn. I'd adjust the pattern and knit it in a fingering weight.

Upper Yosemite Fall Shawl. Fabulous lacework.

Waterfall Cardigan. This looks quite good here, as the shaping is good, the lace is pretty, and the yarn drapes well, but I do have my suspicions regarding how well this cardigan will sit and remain in place on an actual woman in real life.

Cast On Spring 2017: A Review

Cast On has released their Spring 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it.

All Tied Up Skirt. I rather like this one, which is well shaped and carefully finished. The tie detail is rather interesting. I'd consider using a satin ribbon as a tie instead of making one out of the same yarn.

All Tied Up Vest. I'm less enthusiastic about the vest. I don't like cardigan-style sweaters that don't meet in the front, as they always look too small, and those three ties have a kitschy look.

Baby Dots Sweater. This is cute, though that neckline does look unfinished.

Bloom. Wow. This is just gorgeous.

Catalina Cardigan. The lacework and the overall design are pretty, but I'm not entirely sold on how this sits. Notice that the model is pressing the sweater to her in the front with both hands.

Easy Peasy Baby Hats. As the name promises, these would be easy to whip up, and they're also cute. This a perfect pair of attributes for baby clothes, because those little sprogs have a way of growing out of their knitted items at a perversely fast rate.

Gryphon Shawl. What a beautiful piece of lacework, and it sits beautifully as well.

Helena Pullover. A very pretty summer top. There is something about a simple stockinette summer top with a touch of lace.

Infinity Scarf. I don't tend to like a lot of fringe as it tends to get into and/or caught on things, but this fringed cowl is pleasing and looks easy to wear, and also has some interesting stitchwork.

Light the Torches Socks. These are a little too visually busy for my liking. Combining two different stripe patterns and a slip stitch pattern and a vibrant two-toned yarn choice adds up to a little much. I might dial this back a bit by going with a quieter yarn.





Sampler Pillow (top photo) and Seed and Moss Stitch Pillow (bottom photo). I'm not too taken with either of these. The Sampler Pillow's "samples" are all pulling out of shape. The Seed and Moss Stitch Pillow might be a good one to do in a beautiful, interesting yarn rather than in this plain cream, which looks a little too bland for this pattern.

Sitka Tree Ornament. These are really beautiful. The detailing is great, and I love the colours.

Squares Squared. Not bad. One doesn't see so many designs that implement squares.

Viter. A beautiful, classic piece.

Weekend Tea Cozies. These aren't anything special, but I suppose they'll get the job done.