Creative Knitting Spring 2016: A Review

Creative Knitting has released their Spring 2016 issue. Let's sit back, tuck our sweaters or afghans more closely about us, sip a hot beverage, and have a look at it, shall we?

Alamere Cardigan. Quite a good example of draped cardigan with some beautiful stitchwork.

Arpeggio Lace Sampler. Some really lovely stitchwork in this one, though it doesn't sit all that well even on this professional model.

Crescent Moon Cardigan. Quite wearable and attractive.

Featurette Cardi. A well-shaped piece with some great lace detailing.

Rainstorm Cardi. The overall shaping is good and the detailing on the sleeves is very attractive, but the collar and front edges look unfinished to the point of rawness.

Harmony Notions Cases. These aren't bad-looking crocheted cases for your knitting notions or makeup or whatever you wish, but those holes are going to constantly be catching on everything.

Mini Scarflette. Quite a pretty little piece. I like the finishing touch of the crocheted edging against the garter stitch.

Buttonhole Pullover. I'm personally biased against any item of wearing apparel with too many holes in it, because I could never stand to have it catching on everything, but as long as I set that feeling aside, I find this isn't a bad-looking summer hoodie at all.

Domino Shawl. Quite like this one. It has the visual impact of an art piece while still being reasonably wearable.

Juxtapose Tee. Oh, is there a new live action Flintstones movie coming out? This must be the costume intended for a new character, Silver Slate, daughter Fred Flintstone's employer Mr. Slate, who has assumed control of the Bedrock Quarrel and Gravel Company and who has to teach Fred some salutary lessons in not being such a loudmouthed boor.

Lattice Scarf. Rather a nice, stylish piece.

Pata Shawl. Lovely, and even rather elegant.

Spring Beauty Shawl. The border is lovely, but the mesh stitch used throughout the body of the shawl is too fish-net-like.

Sundae Shawl. Not a bad design, but the stripes make it look too afghan-esque.

Tilting Blocks Stole. Excellent design. Some very distinctive stitchwork in this one.

Trifoglio Shawl. This impressively patterned shawl can be styled several different ways, one of which ways we see here. I have to admit it looks pretty damn good worn as a top.

Dandelia Tee. This one's not bad. The shaping and stitchwork are good.

Desert Sands. I'm loving the exquisitely dyed "desert sands and sky" gradient yarn used here, but I don't know about that asymmetrical hem. It looks more stretched out than deliberate.

Mandarin Tango Tee. This isn't a bad piece overall, but I think I'd substitute another kind of stitch for the mesh stitch panels in it.

Creative Knitting Winter 2015: A Review

The Winter 2015 issue of Creative Knitting is out. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Contrast Cowl & Cap. The shape of the hat isn't terribly becoming, but otherwise this is quite a smart set.

Scandi Pullover. I like the pattern on this, but it will be a rather bulky and unflattering piece as it's worsted weight and one can't add waist shaping because it would interfere with the pattern.

Take It Anywhere Topper. Nice. The poppy design is quite well worked out.

Mosaic Squares. Some afghan square ideas. Any of these particular squares worked into a full-size afghan would be a little much, but they have started me thinking about what could be done with a pieced mosaic afghan.

Wondrous Wristers & Color Splash Toppers. Er. I'd suggest sticking with the mosaic afghan idea.

Evergreen Cabin Pullover. This is middle of the road, neither bad nor great. A more sophisticated colourway would elevate it somewhat.

Moss on a Twig. Not a bad little topper.

Winter Woods Cardigan. This one's adequate. It's not unflattering or badly shaped, and it's very wearable.

Simple Yet Stunning Cardi. Quite liking this one. The shaping is quite good and it's so flattering.

Stormy Weather Scarf. Nice looking scarf. Though I would not go with those braided fringes, or would at least make them shorter. They're a little too boho for me as is.

Tonal Scarf. Very attractive and polished.

Twilight Stole. The editors have styled this one over a lace dress, which probably means they think of it as an evening wrap, but I don't think it's quite working as one. The pebbled texture and thickness of the yarn give it a casual feel. I'd wear this piece over street clothes.

Chromatic Earflap Cap. This would be cute on a child or on a teenager. It's a little too goofy for a grown man, and judging from the model's sheepish expression, I'd hazard a guess that he feels the same way.

Harlequin Hat & Mittens. If I were going to go with a harlequin pattern, I'd want one more sophisticated than this one, which just looks like a series of blobs.

Loops & Ladders Skullcap. Not a bad simple cap.

Slip It On Headband & Mitts. If it's so cold as to require a yarn this thick, maybe it would be a good idea to actually cover the entirety of the wearer's head and hands rather than only half of them.

Tradition Meets Modern Slouch Hat & Mitts. Love this very pretty and eye-catching set! It was definitely a good pick for the cover look.

XOXO Mitts. I'm really not seeing the benefit of the cross stitch embellishments on these. These mitts did need a little something, but it wasn't that.

Berkshire Cardi. I'm not a big fan of the swing silhouette, but I have to admire this rendering of it. The fitted, detailed bodice, collar, and sleeves make it work. This will look nice and even stylish over a fitted outfit.

Botanical Shield Pullover. Pretty simple sweater.

Crossover Cardigan & Scarf. The cardigan is quite nice, though I would add buttons or a zipper to the front, but I'd nix the scarf. The shaping of the scarf ends make this woman look like she's sporting a python.

Diverging Paths Pullover. Solid classic design.

Wandering Walk Pullover & Cowl. I've seen matching cowl and sweater sets once or twice before, and it is such a great idea.

Creative Knitting Autumn 2015: A Review

Creative Knitting has released their Autumn 2015 issue. Let's have a look at it.

Zig Your Zag Hats & Mitts. The hat is super cute, but I can't say I care for that (slipped stitch?) effect used in the mitts. I'd just use the stripe pattern used in the hat.

Cable & Rib Romper. Nice texture!

Morning Glory Hoodie. A little too plain and undistinguished for my liking.

Baby blanket. Looks soft and cushy.

Sweetly Stripes sweater. Cute, and a great way to use up those odds and ends of yarn.

Woodland Sprite. I've seen better-shaped knit dolls, but this is cute and looks cuddly and any small child would be glad to have it.

Knitted from the inside out afghan. Eyecatching and attractive, with an interesting construction.

Mix and Match Charity Hat. Very simple, but then it's designed specifically to be used for charitable efforts, and it's just as well to keep such an item simple and useful so the knitter can concentrate on volume.

Chain Link Tee. This design is very seventies-era homemaker magazine. No, that's not a good thing.

Fallingwater sweater. Not a bad piece. I'd make the shoulders a little narrower and the piece a bit shorter.

Outerbanks tank. Not bad on the whole. I rather like the vertical lines and the stitchwork. I think I'm even on board with the pieced hem effect in front, but I see a mullet hem in the back, and I definitely can't go for that.

Cable and Lattice sweater. Nice stitchwork and the shaping is okay. Those short sleeves look awkward to me, but that's easily corrected if you feel the same.

Painted Desert Design. Neither attractive nor flattering. Those raised ridges look just plain lumpy.

San Francisco Blues. Rather pretty. I don't think I'd layer a long sleeved t-shirt underneath it. This looks like a summery piece to me.

Boneset Vest. Rather pretty stitchwork, and the style is serviceable enough.

Briarcliff. Not a bad piece. The stripes are very well-designed and this drapes quite well. I would fix the dropped shoulder, though.

Crossing Paths. Classic celtic knot with ribs design. For the woman's version, I'd fix the dropped shoulders, add waist shaping, and neaten up the fit a bit.

Falling Leaves. Quite a pretty and striking design. I'm imagining this done in cream and variegated green yarns.

Hudson Valley Tunic. Asymmetrical graphic designs should be actually designed, not merely mismatched. This presents like a slapdash project made by someone who simply couldn't be bothered matching the patterns at the seams.

Pine Meadow jacket. Cute little jacket, and the intricate pattern on the body gets even more beautiful the longer I look at it.

Sleepy Hollow shawl. Nicely textured wrap.

Warwick Clochet & Mitts. Polished-looking hat and mitts.