Showing posts with label Noro Magazine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Noro Magazine. Show all posts

Monday 9 March 2020

Noro Magazine Fall/Winter 2019: A Review


Today we're going to have a look at Noro Magazine's Fall/Winter 2019 issue.





#01, Rambler Ruana. This would be fine if it came anywhere close to fitting properly. This model looks like a little girl who's playing dress-up in her mother's clothes.





#02, Turtleneck Pullover. This is better -- it's oversized, but not ridiculously so, and the shaping and cable detailing is good. I'd just fix the dropped shoulders.





#03, Open Cardigan. Love the colourful stripe pattern, but would neaten up the fit considerably.





#04, Long Cardigan. This isn't so bad aesthetically speaking, but I can't imagine wearing something like this. It would be constantly getting into everything and catching on things.





#05, Center-Cable Pullover. I like this one on the whole, but that centre cable does have a slightly not-quite-working look. I think what I would do is work five or six cable repeats, instead of only four. Then there wouldn't be those long uncabled stretches at the bottom and top, which look as though the cable is reaching out its strands to strangle the wearer.





#06, Gradient Cable Pullover. I wouldn't change a thing about this design.





#07, Eyelet Wrap. This isn't a bad piece, but I can't get away from the feeling that it would look better on a couch than on a person.





#08, Tabard-Style Turtleneck. I like this piece in the main, but I can't say I think those sad, skimpy ties at the side are working, visually speaking. I'd attach some actual buttoned tabs, or make a belt for it, or contrive some other sort of fastening that has a bit more polish.





#09, Two-Direction Poncho. This normally wouldn't be at all my kind of design, but I kind of like it. The yarn and the stitchwork are pleasing, and the shaping/size is restrained enough that it wouldn't be a pain to wear.





#10, Pointed Poncho. I'm a hard sell on a poncho at the best of times, but I just cannot even with this mutant poncho. It's so bad that the stylists clearly decided, "Fuck it, let's just dress this model like a clown with an MBA in circus administration." Even the poor model's expression is all, "Look, I'm doing my best here under the circumstances by making sure you can see the one nice thing I've been given to wear for this shoot. JUST LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL RING."




#11, Poncho. Cutting a hole in the centre of an afghan and knitting a ribbed turtleneck into it does not an attractive or practical item of wearing apparel make.





#12, Wave Pattern Poncho. Love the undulating lines of colour in this piece. It would look nice on a couch.





#13, Fiesta Scarf. This is a lovely lace and cable stole that did not need to be tarted up with both pom poms and tassels. (Of the two, I'd ditch the pom poms.)





#14, Wavy Triangle Shawl. An understated, contemporary take on the shawl that will work well with many a modern outfit. Very nice!





#15, Slouchy Hat. Pretty decent cap. I like the vivid play of colour in it.





#16, Cowl. Not bad. The design is dead simple but workable, and the colours would brighten up a neutral outfit.





#17, Hat and Fingerless Mitts. Nice stitchwork and perfect shaping, and the yarn is attractive.





#18, Slip Stitch Cowl. This is rather a nice little piece. I admire the designer's eye for colour. I'm not sure I would ever have thought of pairing a dark coral with a variegated blend of purples, turquoise, lime, and fuchsia, but it works.





#19, Short-Row Shawl. This one is essentially a piece of wearable contemporary art.





#20, Rectangular Shawl. A handsome, classic piece.





#21, A-Line Pullover. This one is a very wearable nice-looking piece. The yarn and the use of stockinette, reverse stockinette, and garter trim give it all the visual interest and polish it needs. It's oversized but not sloppily so, and look, the shoulder seam is in exactly the right place.





#22, Cable Rib Pullover. Love the yarn and the stitchwork, but I'd shorten up the sleeves, neaten up the fit, and add a little waist shaping. This looks a bit dumpy and boxy as is.




#23, Hat. A nice, simple little cap.





#24, Asymmetrical Pullover. LOVE the fun colourway here, and I like the asymmetrically pieced design. I would raise the dropped shoulder and neaten up the fit somewhat.





#25, Stockinette Vest. Not a bad piece at all, but I'm not sure I like the ribbing that runs down the sides, and according to the description, forms the back neckband. I wish there were side- and back-view photos provided.





#26, Fingerless Mitts. These aren't hard to look at, but I'm not sure I would like those bands of garter stitch around my hands -- I think I might find them awkwardly bulky.





#27, Cowl-Neck Pullover. I don't like the sit of the cowl neck and the sleeves are too short -- this sweater looks less like it was designed to be the way it was than it appears to be the result of several technical mistakes.





#28, Textured Vest. Not a bad open front vest -- it sits well.





#29, Horizontal Cable Cardi. Handsome and wearable. I would just fix the dropped shoulders.





#30, Textured Panel Pullover. Not bad, though I'm not quite satisfied with the sit of that neckline. I might rework the neckline, and I would add a little waist shaping.





#31 Poncho/Shawl. The play of colour over the stockinette stitch is attractive, but this style of wrap has never made much sense to me -- such pieces tend to look like an unfinished project.

Wednesday 22 May 2019

Noro Magazine Issue 14: A Review


Noro Magazine Issue 14 is out. Let's have a look at it, shall we?





Pattern #01, Raglan Sleeve Top. Love the colourway; would neaten up the fit considerably.





Pattern #02, Simple Ruana. An opening in the centre of a beach blanket does not a wearable item make.





Pattern #03, Crochet Dress. This is one of those designs that, at first glance, I think I'll pan, but wind up liking upon closer study. This one requires an underlayer, of course, which makes it not so wearable as a summer dress, but it would make a cute beach coverup.





Pattern #04, Sleeveless Hoodie. The colour's a little dreary, but the lines are good.





Pattern #05, Fringed Dress. I'm looking at the mesh bodice, flap pockets, and fringed hem, and thinking that they really do not belong on the same dress because they don't work together at all. Pick your least favourite and second least favourite of those three features (protip: one of those items should be the flaps on the pockets), eliminate them, and let the third design element carry the dress.





Pattern #06, Triangular Shawl. This needs an edging of some kind as it looks a little unfinished as is.





Pattern #07, Origami Shawl. Beautiful wrap.





Pattern #08, Offset Cable Tee. Nice top which the styling isn't doing any favours -- all the other details are simply distracting. If I were to style an outfit around a piece made from Noro, I'd let the Noro item do the talking.





Pattern #09, Dropped Shoulder Tee. Cute, but I'd scale back the sizing to a relaxed fit.





Pattern #10, Tank Top. Delicately pretty.





Pattern #11, Round-Yoke Top. Not bad. I'd lengthen this, as cropped length tops flatter very few women.





Pattern #12, Raglan Poncho. I'm a hard sell on ponchos, but this one has good shaping and sits well.





Pattern #13, Honeycomb Stitch Top. Nice lines and stitchwork.





Pattern #14, Brioche T-Shirt. I rather like the idea of an off-the-shoulder neckline and the ruffles at the end of the sleeves, but I would neaten up the fit a good bit.





Pattern #15, Brioche Tank Top. I like the straps but this looks so square through the bodice. I'd add waist-shaping and lengthen the bodice.





Pattern #16, Brioche Wrap. This sits unexpectedly well. I'd make it in a non-dishwater-like colour.





Pattern #17, Chevron Cowl. This is so cute that it manages to visually hold its own against the model's hat.





Pattern #18, Modulation Cowl. Ripple stitch wraps tend to look afghan-y, but this one and the one above don't, probably because of their smart shape.





Pattern #19, Mosaic Cowl. Beautiful colourway and stitchwork.





Pattern #20, Mitered Blanket. Lovely and contemporary.





Pattern #21, Sequence Stripes Blanket. Nice in a very neutral, unobtrusive kind of way.





Pattern #22, Titled Blocks Scarf. This one does look more than a little afghan-y.





Pattern #23, Wavy Stolette. This one looks a little awkward, as though it's trying unsuccessfully to look like a sweater draped around the shoulders and tied by the arms in front.





Pattern #24, Leaf Band Hat. Cute!





Pattern #25, Mock Neck Capelet. Everything about this piece is adorable.





Pattern #26, Buttoned Vest. Pretty yarn; nondescript, even frumpy, style.





Pattern #27, Half-Sleeved Top. Interesting and rather effective style.





Pattern #28, Sleeveless V-Neck Top. I don't like the way the neckline lies. It looks unfinished and a little awkward.





Pattern #29, Cap-sleeved Top. Pretty in a classic way.





Pattern #30, Eyelet and Garter Top. LOVE the stitchwork. Would neaten up the fit.





Pattern #31, Lace Raglan Pullover. Very decent piece.