Knit Simple Winter 2019: A Review

Today we're going to have a look at Knit Simple's Winter 2019 issue.

Pattern #1, Cowl/Snood. I've no quarrel with this classic, useful piece.

Pattern #2, Hat with Ties. This style of hat, which is really more of a hood, tends to be difficult for anyone but the young to carry off, but it's certainly practical enough, and I like the texture.

Pattern #3, Zippered Hoodie. A minimalist classic. This hoodie is really a perfect thing of its kind.

Pattern #4, Hooded Cowl. Balaclavas never do quite work in terms of style. They're like the rubber prophylactic of hats: undeniably practical, but not aesthetic.

Pattern #5, Pullover Hoodie. Not bad. The hood does look better down than up though.

Pattern #6, Hoodie Shell. This would be a useful layering piece that could work styled in a number of different ways.

Pattern #7, Yoke Pullover. This is fairly attractive and eye-catching, and would probably be a good starter fair isle project.

Pattern #8, Cardigan. A classic cardigan with a good shape and an appealing texture.

Pattern #9, Cable and Ribbed Hat. Classic cabled cap.

Pattern #10, Scarf. Love the stitchwork on this scarf.

Pattern #11, Socks. These socks are handsome and even a little distinguished. I almost want to ask them out.

Pattern #12, Fingerless Mitts. Pretty basic. But then basic is sometimes what you need and/or want.

Pattern #13, Blanket. Basic but attractive and useful enough in its way.

Pattern #14, Mitered Square Pillow. These are pretty smart, and would be a good way to begin to learn mitering.

Pattern #15, Pillow. I'm inclined to think these need a more interesting colourway.

Pattern #16, Sporty Afghan. This is actually rather visually striking, and it would be fun to pick out a colourway for it.

Pattern #17, Wide Poncho. Nice texture, and I like the overall concept, but I'd be inclined to neaten up the fit on this one. Yes, this is a style that does call for an oversized fit, but my rule of thumb for oversized fits is to go one size larger, not three. Very oversized fits tend to look sloppy and frumpy.

Pattern #18, Fringed Shawl. Classic, timeless shawl.

Pattern #19, Poncho. I'm no friend of the poncho, but even I have to admit that the styling here kind of works. I think I'd still feel as though I were wearing an afghan though.

Pattern #20, Cropped Poncho. I can get on board with this poncho, which I consider to be more of a capelet. It's neat fitting, has a certain smartness, and won't get in your food or caught in a car door.

Pattern #21, Capelet. There's no denying this is super cute.

Pattern #22, Kid's Hat, and pattern #23, Kid's Pullover. This set is rather pretty. I'd just fix the dropped shoulders.

Pattern #24, Kid's Socks. Classic two-tone socks.

Pattern #25, Kid's Mittens. Basic striped mittens.

Pattern #26, Blanket. Not bad. I think the gradient colourway could be better -- but then it can be hard to get the subtle shifts of colour one needs for a gradient knit.

Pattern #27, Hat & Cardigan. Not thrilled with either of these -- the jacket has a rather frumpy, unfinished look, and that hat isn't terribly flattering.

Pattern #28, Kid's Poncho. This is a cute, comfortable, practical piece for a child, which will both give her the freedom to run and play and keep her warm.

Knit Simple Holiday 2019: A Review

Today we're going to have a look at Knit Simple's Holiday 2019 issue.

Pattern #01, Wristers. This is a nice, simple pair of fingerless gloves with some inexplicable embroidered crap on them.

Pattern #02, Embroidered Scarf. I'm a little torn on this one. It's an attractive piece of handiwork, but I can't help thinking it looks too much like a dresser scarf to work as an item of wearing apparel.

Pattern #03, Embroidered Cardigan. This one isn't working for me either. It has a slightly frumpy shape, and the embroidery has a somewhat random look to it -- it's neither adding nor exactly detracting from the overall look, but is simply... there.

Pattern #04, Hat; and Pattern #05, Scarf. The scarf is fine, but the shape of that hat is, um, something. In this season of icy sidewalks, is wearing a bumper pad hat a thing now?

Pattern #06, Lovikka Mittens. More random and crude-looking embroidery. Seriously, a simple stripe or fair isle pattern would be a big improvement on this.

Pattern #07, Embroidered Mittens. This embroidery is supposed to be a "floral motif", but it looks much more like random clots of yarn.

Pattern #08, Snowflake Hat; and Pattern #09, Snowflake Scarf. This is a cute set. The embroidered snowflakes look like snowflakes, and I like the effect of the white on red.

Pattern #10, Snowflake Sweater. Very much like this one. It's simple and pretty and very wearable, and I would totally style it exactly this way -- with a little tartan skirt.

Pattern #11, Snowflake Cardigan. I like actual knitted part of this sweater, but that rough-looking embroidery does it no favours. Embroidered motifs can be dicey on knitwear. It can look really effective, and it can also look like it was done by a five-year-old.

Pattern #12, Purl Stitch Snowflake Blanket. This is perfectly lovely.

Pattern #13, Stranded Snowflake Hat. A very decent hat for a kid. It's cute without being cutesy.

Pattern #14, Striped Shawl. I'm a little meh on this one. I rather like the contempory play of stripes, but it's not as appealing as it should be. I think the problem is the colourway -- that charcoal isn't working with the old rose and pink. I'd do this one in a more neutral colourway for a sharper look and better wearability.

Pattern #15, Men's Scarf. This is a little unpolished for my liking, but the yarn is attractive and I think it works on the whole.

Pattern #16, Capelet. This is a pretty piece on the whole, but I'm not sold on the collar detail, which has an unfinished look.

Pattern #17, Family Socks. These are basic socks. They look like they'd be a good beginner sock for the inexperienced knitter.

Pattern #18, Men's Cap. A very decent basic cap.

Pattern #19 & #20, Cabled Set. Cute, classic set.

Pattern #21, Reindeer Mittens. These are a little cheesy, but I must admit they are the kind of thing that will delight a very small child.

Pattern #22, Headband. The brooch adds such a lot of style and visual interest to this simple headband.

Pattern #23, Long Cowl. Nice simple piece. The recurring bands of garter stitch combined with the gradient yarn give this cowl all the interest it needs.

Pattern #24, Sideways Cable Pullover. I like the looks of this one, but I do have my concerns about how it would hang when the wearer isn't posed for maximum effect the way this model is. This sweater looks as though it would be somewhat bulgy in the middle when left to hang naturally.

Pattern #25, Embellished Scarf. Attractive and wearable. This scarf would go nearly anywhere and with nearly any outfit.

Pattern #26, Lacy Scarf. Lovely!

Pattern #27, Waterfall Cardigan. This looks like it was made out of mesh shopping bags... in five minutes.

Pattern #28, Beaded Fingerless Mitts. Pretty and wearable.

Pattern #29, Fireside Throw. Nice piece, but I can't help thinking it would look better with a border.

Pattern #30, Mosaic Pillows. These have an attractive texture. The colourway is a little uninspiring, but of course that's easily remedied.

Pattern #31, Linen Stitch Basket. Your basic knitted basket.

Pattern #32, Half-Circle Rug. This one's a little too "whipped up" for me. Knitting designs do need to have a little more verve than a random swath of garter stitch.

Pattern #33, Pillow & Lapghan. I like the throw, but the pillow could use a rework. I'd lose the tassels, and either do the entire pillow in the dash and dot pattern, or possibly add a frame of garter stitch to it, as with the afghan.