Knitscene Spring 2018: A Review

Today we're going to have a look at Knitscene's Spring 2018 issue.

Aberdeen Pullover. Not bad for a casual look. I'd fix the dropped shoulders, neaten up the fit a little, and probably add waist shaping.

Bonn Vest. I see beauty in the delicate, diaphanous texture of this piece, but perhaps not wearability given that I have questions about how well it sits. I'm finding it pretty suspect that there isn't a single front view photograph of this design on its Ravelry page, and am inclined to think that this design isn't a flattering vest so much as a beautiful lace curtain with armholes.

Broome Turtleneck Vest. A classic ribbed turtleneck vest given a fresh look with some young, contemporary styling.

Carollton Top. A basic tee. The cropped length won't be for every woman but that's easily corrected.

Cherry Blossom Cardigan. Poor shaping can make the difference between a frumpy cardigan and an attractive one. I'd fix the dropped shoulders on this and neaten up the fit and shaping.





Cotswold Sweater. I like the design twist of putting the beautiful lace work on the back of the sweater, making the front plain, and adding triangular sections of garter stitch. It gives this attractive sweater a touch of the unexpected.

Fullteron Sweater. I'd fix the dropped shoulders on this one, and neaten up the fit a touch.

Heckerling Pullover. I'm liking the texture of this one, and the neckline and raglan sleeves. I'm not a fan of the boxy crop length, but if you would also prefer a more fitted shape and standard length, it would be easy to fix that.

Hillwood Sweatshirt. This is kind of fun in its way. It mimics a kid's sweatshirt but isn't too childish for a grown woman to wear. Ordinarily I'd advise fixing the dropped shoulders, but in this case they kind of work with the colour blocking.

Lea Mills Thermal. This pullover was inspired by thermal undershirts, and I must admit the designer recreated the waffle pattern of a thermal undershirt to good effect, while adding some flattering shape. The result is an attractive and wearable piece.





Midtown Pullover. I quite like this one, with a few minor quibbles: I would make the sleeve stripe some combination of green and light gray rather than merely green; and I would work the v of the v-neck differently so that it doesn't look like it has a run in the centre of it.

Palouse Top. This has such a pretty, airy, graceful effect. I love the shaping and the lacework.

Provence Wrap Sweater. The lines of the wrap effect on this sweater work really well. The seam in the middle of the sleeve is striking me as awkward, but I don't see how one could fix it without interfering with the wrap effect. Instead, I think I might just leave the sleeves elbow length, and finish them off with a rib cuff.

Savannah Pullover. I'm really not liking that unfinished-looking, off-the-shoulder neckline, or the awkward bracelet-length sleeves. I guess I like, um, the lace detail at the bottom?

Verona Top. If you would like a sheer mohair pullover to wear over a pretty camisole or other lingerie-turned-outerwear type top, this isn't bad. I'd fix the dropped shoulders though.

Wilmington Pullover. Knitscene has really gone all out on the boxy crop top designs in this issue. I don't happen to think it's a length that flatters most women, but if you agree, it's easy enough to lengthen a sweater design to the desired length. This is otherwise a quite attractive, classic sweater.

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.