Showing posts with label Knitty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knitty. Show all posts

Thursday 11 October 2018

Knitty Deep Fall 2018: A Review



Knitty has released their Deep Fall 2018 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?





Astronomer's Beret. Neat concept, I love the band, and by the time you're done this one you'll know your constellations.





Alfarería. Great shaping, and that mosaic stitchwork is gorgeous.





Bundle of Joy. Very attractive wrap. The interplay of the two bands of texture and colour is pleasing.





Martesana. Nice cowl. I like the ruffly effect.





Mountain. Very decent little cap with some fun stitchwork.





European Dreams. I'm not so taken with this wrap. It has such a rough look and doesn't drape well.





Parts Unknown. A classic cabled cowl.





Yamadori. The stitchwork on the leg of these socks is FANTASTIC. I don't think I've ever seen a stitch make better use of a variegated yarn.





Ausable. An good-looking classic cardigan.





Lady. The deep, square neckline and flared sleeves of this pullover have a certain flair, but I know I'd hate to have to always wear a top under this pullover (admittedly that problem could be solved by raising the neckline), and that those floppy sleeves would drive me crazy.





Home State. This design needed some more work. I'd add a shawl collar or some sort of neckline detail to balance out that focus-pulling bottom band, and the way those pockets sag down at the top detracts terribly from the look. Some sort of edge finishing on them would probably help a lot.





Lutning. I really like the cute, mod look of this skirt. I think I'd go with buttons or some other sort of commercially made fastening rather than those messy-looking toggles, though.





Bruce, The Great White Shark. Very well-made toy shark.

Monday 18 June 2018

Knitty First Fall 2018: A Review


Knitty has released their First Fall 2018 issue. Let's have a look at it.





Study Hall Shawl. This one has a sharp, contemporary appeal.





Autumn Sunset. The clocks and the fair isle scrolls make for an unusual mix of motifs, but the combination works because the designer has used the same self-striping yarn throughout.





Fenton's Arrow. The combination of this piece's striking pattern and the fantastic yarn is killer. One couldn't not notice this cowl.





Watch It! This designer has figured out a way to both keep her hands warm and keep her Smart Watch visible. These gloves have a flap that can be snapped closed over the watch or opened, as desired. I admire the ingenuity and practicality of the flap feature, and these gloves are also quite attractive with good shaping and Celtic knot detailing. I also like the long cuffs on them, as short gloves tend leave an inch or two of bare wrist exposed.





Wicked Thicket. An attractive and very warm-looking brioche hat.





Mightiest Oak. The heart on this hat is meant to symbolize the designer's nephew's heart condition, but as meaningful as it is it looks a bit silly and I'd leave it off. Otherwise the hat's a good-looking item.





A Fool for All Seasons. This is rather cute and well-worked out. Dressing as a court jester wouldn't be my thing, but if it's yours, you do you!





Shoe or Sock? That Is The Question. The first of these are similar to the very basic style of house slipper that was ubiquitous when I was growing up. The second is a little more interesting, but still look slightly unfinished.





Habiliments. A very nice-looking pair of beaded socks. I do like a sock that keeps its detail for above the ankle. I am most emphatically not a goofy socks person.





Carnivore. A very attractive and wearable vest.





Gibson. I'm not a fan of the rolled edge look as a rule, but this cardigan works. The shape is good, it sits so well, and the lace sleeves look great. I'd go so far as to say it has a certain relaxed elegance.





Prairie Park. I like the overall concept here, but this one could do with some tweaking. The bands of linen stitch around the waist and sleeves work really well, but that rectangle in the centre looks random and awkward. I'd be inclined to work with it some more -- to turn it into more of a pattern and flow it around the neckline as well. And I think the model could have done with a little more ease in the fit.





Millville. This is one of those wretchedly askew, unflattering pieces that give me the vapours. Dropped shoulders, mullet hem, boxy oversized shape... this piece truly has it all. But not in a good way.

Friday 6 April 2018

Knitty Spring + Summer 2018: A Review


Knitty has released its Spring + Summer 2018 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?





Collab. This cowl is so named because it was a collaboration between three of Knitty's technical editors. It has a pretty lace pattern and the gradient colourway is fun (but good luck finding a yarn that's at all similar -- it was hand-dyed and spun by one of the editors who worked on the project).





Charmayne Shawl. A pleasant little shawl.





Arashi. Lovely lacework in this one.





Cliff Walk. I like the contemporary vibe of the stripes in this one, though not the drab colourway.





Legetta Legetto. This is a beautiful piece of work, and it hangs so well.





Marigold. Nice socks. That's an interesting lace pattern.





Escape Reality. These are fun, and they'd be a great way to use up odds and ends of yarn.





Thriambus. Nice cabled ankle socks.





Pip. This item came into being when the designer was asked to design something with a cotton self-striping yarn. She came up with a pattern that is admirably suited for such a yarn, with a horizontally striped yoke and vertically striped body. The shaping is good, and the stitchwork is attractive.





Mila. I think this one would make me feel like I was wearing a beach bag. Maybe I'd like it better if the colour combination was more attractive.





April Showers. I'm not a fan of the open front cardigan -- they always look like they just don't fit, and I don't find it a flattering look -- but that said, this is a cute and well-constructed piece.





Clafoutis. I like the top part of this piece, but find myself unable to like the lower part of it. Those dropped stitch and unseamed panels have a tattered, bedraggled look.





Sea Turtle Stack. These little turtles are unqualifiably cute.

Wednesday 3 January 2018

Knitty Winter 2017: A Review


Let's have a look at Knitty's Winter 2017 issue, shall we?





Fallingbrook. An attractive cabled hat and mittens set.





Kate's Kitten. This is undeniably cute, but I think if I wanted to knit a cat, I'd rather knit a cat that looked like... a cat... rather than a Humpty Dumpty with ears.





Tiina. Nice! I'm liking the diamond cable effect.





Funny Ellada. This looks like something a Home Ec student turned in for the knitting component of their course work after cobbling it together in a few days, because the semester was over and it was either turn something in or fail the class altogether.





Tescherae. This one is absolutely fabulous and a visual treat.





Fylgje Shawl. This is an attractive modular shawl. I also think the basic idea could be used to make a lovely contemporary style afghan.





Isochronal Arc. The use of colour gives a contemporary feel to this lace capelet.





Carreau. Quite like this one. There's a smaller version of this pattern done in black and white, but I think it's the colourway of this one that makes the pattern.





Crusader. This cowl is a little too careless and random in style for my tastes, but I must admit that it works well as styled and worn here. The yarn is beautiful and the colours work well together and suit the model.





Ceibo. This isn't so much a design for a cropped top as it is a scarf with pretensions and sleeves.





Cool Bearing. This is totally cute, and in a way that's sophisticated enough for an adult to wear.





Oberon. Classic cabled cardigan.





Nukumori. These are a sort of abbreviated form of legwarmers -- kneewarmers, if you will. Though they've clearly been carefully designed (check out the shaping), they look a little awkward, as though they're going through a form of hosiery puberty that leaves them stranded somewhere between kneesocks and thigh highs.





Stellen. Love the lacework in these.





Battle of Wills. That is one snazzy-looking cable!





Instant Mash. I like the woven, cushy look of these children's mittens.





Skew Too. Simple, unadorned mitts. This is one of those patterns that would be a good choice for showcasing an interesting yarn.