Knitscene Winter 2017: A Review

Knitscene has released its Winter 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it.

Bearly There Cap. This is cute, and even better, it's cute in a way that's adult-appropriate.

Bridges Scarf. This is an easy knit and it's attractive enough. It is big, but then you can always knit it to whatever scale you like.

Checkers Scarf. This is such a smart scarf it even looks fairly well worn over a sequined dress.

Dancing Deer Hat and Mittens. A nice interpretation of the classic reindeer pattern.

Dejlig Sweater. I can't help but feel that these visible seams are seams gone wrong.

Enkel Cowl. I rather like the stitchwork in this one.

Flette Blanket. A handsome and cozy throw.

Flurries. This is the nicest cowl I've seen in awhile. The pattern is beautiful, and it sits so well.

Hoppers Cowl. The design's nice enough but I don't like the way this cowl sits. I think my favourite cowls are, like the previous one, knitted tube-style, or at least reversible, so that the wrong side isn't visible and there are no limp edges.

Hvile Poncho. Love the cables on this. I'm a little hesitant about the shape, but I think it works fairly well. It would stay in place and allow movement, and it hangs fairly well.

Kostbar Cowl. Not a bad little lacy cowl, and that is a fun t-shirt. Its message has a special resonance for me, given my chronic fatigue issues.

Lone Buck Vest. Oooh, I like this vest, which presents as a re-invented Christmas sweater for millennials. The fair isle buck and the bands on the sleeve are nice twists.

Lykke Sweater. This sweater has a very early eighties feel to it. It's not bad, but I think I'd do it in a more interesting yarn than a plain cream, as it needs a little something.

Night Birds Sweater. Very nice! Love the motifs in this one, and that colourway really pops.

Rivers Cowl. I'm liking the Art Deco look of the cables in this cowl.

Tyk Cardigan. This is the little afghan that wanted so much to become a cardigan that it magically sprouted sleeves.

Vinter Poncho. This is another afghan that wanted so desperately to be an item of wearing apparel that it developed a neck hole. I do love the stitch used in this one, though, and it drapes so well, but this piece would swamp most women.

Knitscene Fall 2017: A Review

Knitscene has released their Fall 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

All Spice Cardigan. Sometimes in my reviews I say an item looks like it belongs to an exhausted and depressed homeschooling mother of seven. This is definitely a design from that look book. In this case, mom has not bothered even to dress, but simply threw a shapeless, stretched out, baggy sweater on over her nightgown, and by the end of the day it'll have pablum and peanut butter smeared on it somewhere.

Arkins Poncho. I'm not a big poncho fan, but this sits fairly well, and that stitchwork is fantastic.

Ashes Cardigan. This looks like a not particularly happy marriage between an 1980s Shaker knit and 1990s grunge style.

Blake Shawl. And here we have the cover design. The texture's great.

Brighton Hat. Cute cap.

Chili Pepper Cardigan. The stitchwork around the front edges and cuffs is lovely, and it's pretty well-shaped, but it does concern me that the model is pulling or holding the edges in place in every shot.

Cranberries Cardigan. This has such an awkward, lumpy look.

Fleet Cardigan. This looks baggy and as though the knitter who made it didn't quite have enough yarn to knit a full-length band around the front edges and decided to make do and pass it off as a design feature.





Hills Cardigan. This sweater, which is worked in two flat pieces, presents as combination of a shawl on top and a cardigan down below. And I like the concept, but I do wish the lower half of the cardigan fit better.

Logan Mitts. A simple, useful pair of mitts.

October Cardigan. This one looks as though it was pieced together out of scraps of knitting.

Seeds Cardigan. This one wouldn't be so bad if the dropped shoulders were fixed, but it's nothing special either.

Walnut Cowl. I like the texture on this, but don't like those unfinished, curling edges. I'd put a seed stitch border on this cowl.

Weston Socks. Classic pair of ankle socks. Which I would not pair with a pair of ankle strap stilettos.





White Smoke Cardigan. Some beautiful detailing on this one. The back looks great. I still wish the body were a bit better shaped, but out of an issue of inexplicably frumpy cardigans, this one is the best.

Wynkoop Cuffs. These boot cuffs aren't bad so far as their cables and ribbing goes, but putting fringe on boot cuffs will make the wearer look as though she's recently been wading shin-deep in a swarm of rats.

Knitscene Summer 2017: A Review

Knitscene has released its Summer 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it.

Blocker Tank. Wearable and sporty little tank. Though I would not wear it over a t-shirt as it is styled here.

Coney Island Shawl. I'm not sure the striped garter section and the lace section really work together in one wrap, though I like them when I consider them separately.





Crossover Tank. Not a bad little piece for summer, though I'm not sure this drab colourway is doing much for the design.

Fern Stole. A lovely piece. And the stole size is so useful, as it can be worn as either a wrap or a scarf.

Foglia. This is my kind of design: a simple, flattering shape with just that little bit of an unexpected twist in its details that makes the look interesting and distinctive.





Hannah's Racerback Tank. And this is very much not my kind of design. It's baggy and saggy and unflattering. I would have given this piece a much less dashing name, such as "Hannah's Butt Curtains".

Jammer Shorts. If I had been told in advance that someone was designing a pair of knitted jean-style shorts for this issue, I would not have had high hopes of them, but these aren't bad at all -- in fact, I am even considering making a pair for myself. They've got some good detailing and shaping and they look good in all four of the photos Knitscene has posted on the pattern's Ravelry page.

Joni's Lacy Cowl. Not bad, though that mesh would make me feel as though I was wearing a grocery shopping bag around my neck.

Kricka Top. I absolutely love the stitchwork, which is apparently a stitch called Indian Cross-stitch, but an oversized cropped pullover is going to work on very few women -- it's not a happy look even on this professional model.

Meadow Tank. I love the idea of knitted lace being made separately and then applied to a knitted body, and this is a very attractive execution of the concept.

Pivot Tank. I like this one, though I'd suggest just one tweak, which is to finish the neckline with ribbing as has been done with the other edges. It looks unfinished as is.

Rau Sweater. Very pretty. The leaf detail makes it.

Reed Market Bag. Rather a nice shoulder bag for summer. I'd interface and line it to keep it from sagging.

Sara's Cabled Hat. Cute little cabled cap.

Spearmint Shawl. The dropped/twisted stitch effect in this one looks a bit too much like runs for me.

Time-Out Tank. This one's eliciting a "meh" from me, but I think the problem is the styling. The pale pink shorts worn over mint green tights are definitely not helping this design (although for that matter I'm at a loss to think of a knitwear design they would help). The yarn choices are also a little blah. This would be a perfectly good tank done in a fresh, crisp summer colour combination and worn over jeans or khakis, or a print skirt in the same colours.