Interweave Knits Spring 2015: A Review

Interweave Knits has released their Spring 2015 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Potter's Shawl. Simple little shawl with enough detail to make it attractive. The staging of this photo is a bit of an eye roller, because I can't think of anything less likely to mix well than a hand knit shawl and wet clay. Even Demi Moore managed to be more authentic than this when she mucked about in clay in Ghost (i.e., she went sleeveless and had a shirtless Patrick Swayze draped over her rather than a shawl).

Ribbon Tool Shawl. Pretty, and the shape lends itself to being worn a few ways and to staying in place in general.

Velum Cardigan. I usually don't care for these loose drape front cardigans as they tend to look frumpy on non-model types (which, of course, is most of us), but this one isn't too bad. It lies well and has good texture and detail. I still wouldn't recommend it for a short woman, though.

Beech Leaf Shawl. Not as taken with this one. The rolling inner edge makes it look unfinished, and the shape is a bit awkward.

One Way Tee. Cute little summer top.

Timetable Pullover. The combination of a cropped front hem, lace-trimmed mullet hem, and elbow-length long sleeves just make this one look askew and unfinished.

Five Points Shawl. Nice contemporary-looking piece.

Stone's Throw Socks. Nice! I like the combination of a variegated yarn and a subtle ripple pattern.

Sleeper Car Jacket. This open front cardigan is quite pretty in itself, but it looks frumpy even on the model. I'd be inclined to add some waist shaping and neaten up the fit a bit.

Eastbound Sweater. This shaping is so 1980s, and that's not good. This kind of boxy, oversized fit combined with dropped shoulders does no woman any favours.

See what I mean about this being 1980s shaping? It's so 80s, it's Flashdance.

Second Story Tee. Another nice summer top. The diagonal lines are an effective touch. I do think the piece could use some waist shaping, though.

Union Station Cardigan. Very much like this one, which is pretty and well-shaped, with a visually striking chevron lace pattern. This piece definitely deserved better than to be styled over overalls.

Endless Rose Cowl. The pattern on this is lovely, but the height and stiffness of the cowl does give it an unfortunate resemblance to a neck brace. I'd consider cutting this down a little to suit the neck length of the intended wearer.

Rheya Cardigan. This lacy cardigan is attractive enough, but the fit and the cropped sleeve length is giving it a shrunk-in-the-wash look, and I am having a hard time looking past the pleated shorts they've been paired with. Knife-pleated shorts, Interweave Knits? Really?

Corcoran Pullover. Not favourably impressed with this one. The stitchwork is a little too afghan-like and the model's bra is visible through it.

Miranda Cardigan. Quite like this very wearable, contemporary design. This is my idea of a good open front cardigan that would look good on most women, because the neat shape keeps it flattering and polished-looking.

Gibraltar Henley. Nice looking sweater. I'm imagining it in white or ivory and getting a lot of use as a go-to piece for those occasional chilly summer days or evenings.

Honey Pullover. Great shaping and attractive lace detailing on the sleeves is all this piece needs to make it work. This is one to make in a fresh, bright shade of the intended wearer's favourite colour so she can love wearing it all summer long.

Interweave Knits Winter 2014: A Review

Interweave has published the Winter 2014 issue of Interweave Knits. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

The Fall River Cowl has a nice texture and sits well.

The Quivira Coat. This is a classic Aran coat and the texture is good, but the shaping could do with a little work, such as raising the dropped shoulders and shaping the ribbed neckband so that it sits better.

The Moraine Jacket. I like this one, though I think I'd replace that tied belt with a leather one, or perhaps add a metal buckle to a knitted belt.

The Muir Wrap. I'm not taken with the colours used here, but this is one visually striking wrap.

The Hudson Wrap. This looks too much like an afghan to work as a wrap, but I will say it is quite a nice afghan.

The Bear Lake Cowl. Love the texture of the piece, but not the way it sits. This is one of those "flat tire hung around the neck" cowls.

The Ozark Wrap. Nice piece, but again it's too much like a blanket to work as apparel.

The Tanawha Wrap. This one is just small enough to work as an oversized wrap. Interesting texture and nice colour.

The Zuni Cardigan. Good design. The shawl collar sits well (a lot of shawl collars don't), and the colourwork is subtle and interesting. I wouldn't include the tie belt, though, and I'd advise against knitted tie belts for most people. It's a difficult look to pull off. It isn't even doing this professional model any favours. Waist shaping is a much safer bet.

The Bozeman Hat. Nice slouchy tam in a beautiful colour.

The Trapper Cowl. Very cleverly done knitted tartan pattern.

The Ice Rink Pullover. Love this one. The shape, texture, and cowl neckline are all very well done and make the sweater both comfortable and comely.

The Kittery Point Cardigan. Very pretty new take on the fair isle cardigan.

The Siobhan Blouse. I like this design but would replace the tassel with another cable device. Including the tassel makes this look like something Lady Mary Crawley of Downton Abbey would wear in order to save herself the trouble of actually having to rise from her seat in order to ring for her maid Anna when she wants her hair combed.

The Cocoa Cardigan. Lovely simple cardigan with some distinctive detailing.

The Quadrille Pullover. Nice little pullover with terrific latticed cabled texture. I don't think the choice of a three quarter sleeve length is working that well here, but they are easily lengthened.

Pearl Lake Mitts. Very cute fingerless mitts.

The Caterpillar Cowl. This lace edged cowl has that sad flat tire look when it's worn single, but it looks ever so pretty when worn doubled.

The Modest Pullover. Nice simple pullover, though I think there are better yarn choices for this design. I'd go with a flecked rather than a variegated yarn.

The Wind at Your Back Pullover. This one has good lines and good texture.

The Matalina Pullover. Love this one. The texture's attractive and interesting and as you can see this sweater is unusually flattering for a cabled sweater.

Make It! Knits 2014: A Review

Interweave Knits has just released a new publication called Make It! Knits, which is a compilation of patterns that have previously appeared in Interweave Knits and Knitscene. Let's have a (second) look at them, shall we? Some I've reviewed before, and I'll be referring to my original reviews for those patterns, because if Interweave can recycle their work, so can I.

The Alameda Cowl. This is a cute, casual accessory, though there are more interesting yarn and button choices for this look.

The Lodi Cardigan. This is a smart and wearable little piece.

The Victor Shawl. When this came out in Knitscene's winter 2013 issue, commented that it "looks to me more like a really big scarf. Nothing wrong with that, of course, as large-scale accessories can be fun and this one has some clever stitchwork". I stand by that. I like the way they've styled it here.

The East Hale Cardigan. I like this one. The zipper and the minimal shawl collar give the classic shawl-collared men's cardigan a modern twist. This would look good on a man of any age, from this very young model to my 76-year-old father.

The Brazel Beret. Nice hat with some good cable detailing.

The Grand Palais Shawl. This isn't unattractive at all, but it's so big and bullky that it looks a little too much like an aghan for me.

A Sign of Affection. When this pattern appeared in Knitscene's Accessories 2013 issue, I wrote that this hat "has one earflap. I don't think I quite understand the name, or the concept. Is there a sign of affection on the one ear, such as a hickey (query: can ears get hickeys?) and is that why it needs to be covered? Is the wearer of this hat so constantly having her ears nibbled that she only needs to protect the other from the cold? I am but a simple and single reviewer and do not understand. All I can think when I look at this design is that the asymmetry would drive me crazy, that I don't find the hat particularly flattering, and that this is not a hat that has ever visited Toronto in the winter. It probably winters in some little love nest in New Orleans."

The Manganese Cowl. When this design appeared in the Knitscene Winter 2013 issue, I wrote, "The Manganese Cowl isn't bad. It has a modern feel to it. I think it would definitely need to be paired with the right kind of coat." To which I would now add, "...and the right kind of hair. Which this isn't."

The Amplified Cowl. When I first looked at this picture for this review, I thought, hmm, good texture and it lies gracefully. Then I searched the archive to see if I'd reviewed it before, and found that when this cowl appeared in the knit.wear Spring 2013 issue, I wrote that it lies gracefully and the texture is interesting. Hey, at least I'm consistent.

The Solstice Scarf. Not a bad oversized lacework scarf.

The Waved Wrap. Very much like this one. It'll be warm without looking too heavy.

The Mountain Ash Pullover. When this pattern appeared in the Knitscene Winter 2013 issue, I wrote, "I quite like the Mountain Ash Pullover, which uses solid and variegated yarns in similar tones to create a striped effect. It's a subtle and fresh way to wear horizontal stripes, which can tend to look not only unflattering but rather juvenile." This sweater still strikes me as very attractive and visually interesting.

The Oana Shawl. This is quite a pleasing shawl. Nice shaping and lacework.

The Knuckle Down Mitts. These have a certain casual appeal aesthetically speaking, I suppose. They don't look very practical to me. It's my fingers that get cold, not my palms.

The Big Thompson Scarf. This is a nice oversized piece. The name amuses me, because in Thompson, Manitoba, a city located 739km (459 miles) north of Winnipeg, where my nephew used to live and work in the mines, you'd definitely want a scarf like this. As I write this on a late September morning, Google tells me the temperature is 8°C/46.4°F in Thompson.

Wavy Lace Capelet. Not a fan of this one. The bottom and end edges look too unfinished. It kind of looks like someone was making a sweater, found out the gauge was way too big, couldn't stand to rip it out, sewed some buttons on it, and called it a capelet.

The Veronica Slouch Hat. When this appeared in the Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts issue in 2013, I wrote, "Quite like the Veronica Slouch, even though I don't normally like non-functional buttons as design elements. These ones, however, have been turned into an integral part of the design and would be an excuse to splurge on some really beautiful, interesting buttons." This is definitely a hat that deserves a more interesting yarn and button choice.

The Leadville Cowl. This is another design from the Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts issue in 2013, and at that time I called it a beautiful piece that sits well. It still strikes me as a lovely pattern.

Three's a Charm Tam. Nicely textured classic tam.

The Ambrosia Cowl. Not liking this one. It looks rough and slapped together.

The Flamboyant Shawl. This is ever so simple, yet so carefully finished and shaped that it looks polished and terrific.

The Mixt Cowl. This is one of those cowls that hang around the wearer's neck like a sad flat tire.

The Overdyed Ragg Scarf. Not liking this one much. The basic pattern is okay, but this looks like an unsuccessful scrap yarn project where the knitter just added colours at random to get them used up.

The Amstel Hat. Nice textured hat.

The Nederland Circle Scarf. Basic cabled cowl.

Amy's Slippers. These slippers, which have a needle felted lining, look to be the ticket to ultimate warmth and as though they'll stay on, which are both excellent qualities in slippers. Besides that, they're quite nice looking and don't at all suffer from the clunkiness that can be a problem with slippers.

The Emerson Hat. Not a bad-looking hat for the younger, hipper kind of guy, though this particular model was the wrong choice for this item.

The Bryony Cap. Classic cabled cap with a ribbed brim. I bet we've all owned hats just like this one at some point in our lives.

The Ribby Slipper Socks. These, like the Amy's Slippers design, will be warm and stay on, but they do leave something to be desired in terms of style. However, they're not unattractive, will be very comfortable, and will be a quick knit.

The Flash Mitts. These are really basic (to the point that they are entirely lacking in the titular flash), but they'll do the job of keeping your hands and wrists warm.

The Tweed Scarflet. This one's.... okay. It's practical and wearable, and it does have a certain utilitarian appeal.

The Insignia Shawl. Simple yet polished shawl.

The Serpentine Cowl. This is a nice little cowl, though one does have to look past the completely ridiculous outfit it's been paired with.