Knitty Deep Fall 2015: A Review

Knitty has released its Deep Fall 2015 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Pierrot pullover. Simple but effective design. One could have some fun picking out the colourway for this one.

Sticky Note Pullover. Classic sweater with a bit of a twist. I'd totally make this for my man. If I had one, that is. Since I don't, I guess I'll just have to fall back on making more beautiful things for myself.

Autumn Rain Cardigan. Nicely detailed piece, though the too long and rolling button and button hole band is detracting from the overall look.

Rail Yard Cardigan. A classic and very wearable cardigan. Can't you just imagine how warm and comfortable this would be and how much you'd wear it over the years to come?





Cirriform cardigan. I'm a hard sell on this sort of draped style. It doesn't tend to present that well in real life unless you're in the habit of towing a wind machine around behind you, and it isn't all that flattering. But I must admit this is a good example of the kind. It's got great texture and the back looks very well.

Brick Wall Waterfall Pullover. I was on the fence about the centre cable on this one when I first saw it, but now I think I'm going to come down on the side of approval. This design works aesthetically and is also quite wearable.

Spaziergang mit Emil vest. A design can hardly get any simpler than this halter vest has, but the skillful shaping makes it work and lends it all the style it needs. I would want to go with a more attractive yarn choice, though.





Hopoholic sweater. This isn't appealing much. I can never get past the conviction that clothing ought to either lie smoothly or drape gracefully, rather than flapping and bulging and rucking up. I do quite like the yarn used here.

Caught in the Rigging cape and cowl. Rather a nice, polished pair of pieces, and the idea of making a matching cape and cowl set is really ingenious. The owner of two such pieces will get so much more mileage out of both of them when she has the option of wearing them separately.

Ghost Ranch Scarf. This scarf is woven. I don't weave and I don't know how many of you are weavers, but it is a very pleasing piece of work.

Tartessos shawl. Lovely bit of lacework.






Urban Tribe cowl. Oooh, this one's just plain cool. I love the concept of putting a different pattern on each side of the cowl, which will allow the wearer to change up the look of it. And the design is excellent on both sides.

Serendipia scarf or wrap. Very handsome stitchwork here.

Interlock sock. These are cute. They have a neat retro appeal, as though they are the reincarnation of a vintage sweater vest, and they'll be a great way to use up those odds and ends of fingering yarn.

Floki sock. I'm not liking these much. The texture in the leg is too afghan-like.

Penrose Toes Socks. Very nice! Loving the yarn used here.

Droste effect hat. Nice classic cabled cap. The interlaced horizontal cables are a nice touch.

Candy Kane gloves. Very much like these. They have great detailing and a vintage feel to them.

Resonator gauntlets. Classic cabled mitts.

Strong Arm cushion. In the accompanying description the designer writes that, lacking a boyfriend and with the weather getting colder, she designed and made this cushion so she could have a warm, strong arm around her. It would make me feel like I was in bed with a dismembered Popeye, but to each her own.

Knitty First Fall 2015: A Review

Knitty has released its First Fall 2015 issue. Let's have a look at it. This is the Baker Street scarf. It's run-of-the-mill classic, but of course because it's such a classic, it's a handsome piece of work.





Pub Crawl Cowl. This is very college/university student, but I have to admit it's cute and fun.

Dragon's Breath cowl. Pretty!

Damascena cowl. Love this one. It's both retro in a 1920s collegiate argyle sweater kind of way, and contemporary, because the variants in the argyle pattern are a new twist.

Jamestown pullover. Nice piece with an effective combination of cable and cross hatch stitches. I'd neaten up the fit a bit.





Desert Belle. This drape front cardigan was made with an optional striped bottom panel that can be zipped on or off. It is an interesting, creative concept, but this is one of those times a good concept didn't get the execution it deserved. I like the sweater much better without it.

Saint Rémy pullover. Simple and striking.

Nelina. Wow. This is really a terrific piece of design, with an unusual bias-knit construction, great shaping, and lovely stitchwork. It's flattering, wearable, attractive, and interesting. Very well done!

Stereo Echo Shawl. This one looks for all the world like a giant dish rag when seen flat, and it doesn't look much less so when on the model.

Ridge and Furrow shawl. Pleasing classic shawl.

Atomic fingerless mitts. Cute modern take on the snowflake mitten.

Knit Stitch Felted Tote. This designer created a stockinette stitch-themed tote to hold her knitting. Now that's meta. And it's a well-shaped, well-constructed, and rather snappy-looking bag to boot.

Vanilla Cake Table Scarf. This scarf is woven, not knitted, but I'm including it in the interests of having a complete review. And also because I like that fringe, which could be replicated for a knitted item.

Circles Within Circles Beret. Nice hat. Really effective, attractive stitchwork in this one.

Rhode Island Red Hat. Oh my goodness, these hats are so, so cute! And I don't even like chicken-themed stuff!

Knitty Spring & Summer 2015: A Review

Knitty has released their 15th issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

The Hybrid Vigour. The designer of this piece came up with it as a way to answer her frustration with the fiddly, slippy nature of shawls: the shawl is connected at the ends, creating an item that is part shawl and part poncho. I hear you on the frustrating nature of shawls, sister, and I like this item. The lace is pretty and the piece hangs attractively.

Peppermint Bay Shawl. The lacework and the construction of this piece is impressive, but it does look more like a throw than a shawl to me.

Lawton Wrap. Another very pretty piece of lacework. A shawl pin makes it possible to don this oblong item with some style.

Nahant stole. The designer of this item tried fractal spinning and then designed this scarf as a way to use up the gorgeous result. Lovely piece, but good luck finding yarn this special in any store!

Crane Hill Tank. This piece combines crochet and knitting to good effect. The shaping is decent and the result is a simple, pretty, wearable top.

Myliu Lino Pullover. Not so taken with this one. The lace work is pretty and the yarn used here is lovely, but it doesn't sit all that well and isn't terribly flattering.

Mia Tank. Not bad. It has some interesting detailing and decent shaping. I think I'd make this to sit a few inches shorter on the wearer and in a more interesting yarn choice.

French Smock Sweater. This looks like a baby blanket with straps attached.

Lorinda sweater. This is a pleasant-looking cardigan, but I would run the buttons and buttonholes all the way down the front.

Geek socks. Cute socks. The slipped stitch technique has been used to give what would otherwise be plain stripes a more interesting vibe.

Evangelina sock. The ribbon drawstring on these pushes these into "too twee for me" territory, but the stitchwork is interesting and appealing.

Stars and Stares eye pillow. This pillow is designed to be filled with rice, buckwheat, or flax seeds, mixed with lavender, herbal tea, or mint, etc., and heated or cooled to be used not only on the face but on any tired or aching muscles elsewhere. The designer has come up with a few designs for the eye pillows, but if you've ever wanted to find a way to terrify your small children into not disturbing you when you're trying to take a nap, this one would your best route to doing that.

Victorian Mash-Up Hat. For this creation, Franklin Habit tried out knitting a couple of squares from a Victorian-era counterpane pattern, stitched them together, and topped them with Victorian-style knitted fringe. I don't think I'd actually put this on a baby. It looks like one of those novelty hats rabid sports fans wear at sports arenas, along with chest paint and giant foam fingers, in an effort to get on the Jumbotron. Since this child is too young to be a fan of anything except perhaps milk and cuddles, putting such a hat on this baby makes it look like a very small mascot for Team Yarn.