Pom Pom Quarterly Spring 2020: A Review

Today we're going to have a look at it Pom Pom Quarterly's Spring 2020 issue.

Aloft. This photo isn't without a certain charm -- it's hard to resist that model's smile -- but the actual design, with its dropped shoulders, cropped length, oversized fit, and baggy sleeves, will be tremendously unflattering on nearly any woman.

Aperature. A very pretty light shawl.

Aubade. The yoke detailing is gorgeous and I love the way it's combined with stripes, but the cropped length combined with the baggy fit does the design no favours. I'd make this pattern in a standard length and fit.

Cairie. Pretty decent eyelet pullover, but I would fix the dropped shoulders.

Chapman. This shawl verges on granny afghan, but somehow it's basically working in a kind of hip, offbeat way. I can imagine a certain kind of young woman carrying this accessory off just as the model is doing.

Lacuna. The lace pattern is very attractive, but the shaping is awful. God, those stumpy little sleeves, the mullet hem, the general bagginess of the thing -- it's so unflattering on the model.

Niebla. I rather like this one. I like the contrast between the detailed yoke, snug cuff, and hem done in a matte yarn, and the soft body and puffy sleeves in a mohair-silk yarn. I would just lengthen it somewhat -- cropped lengths tend to be unflattering.

Solasta. I'd neaten up the fit of this and nix that mullet hem and long side vent, but I can't help liking the sorbet-coloured yarns used here.

Susurrus. This pullover, with its bands of merino silk lace and mohair stockinette, is very pretty.

Vayu. This latticed crocheted shawl is an interesting and attractive contemporary take on the lace shawl, with its linear rather than curved lines.

Pom Pom Quarterly Winter 2019: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released their Winter 2019 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Acre. The design has an 80s vibe, although the colourway is quite contemporary. I would avoid doing this particular project in fuschia, royal blue, and teal. Come to think of it, I would avoid doing any project in fuschia, royal blue, and teal.

Afield. This a pretty decent design for the kind of neutral cardigan a woman might, say, keep at the office for chilly days. It's neutral and easy to wear, but also has some textural interest to keep it from being too basic.

Alatau. Love the texture in this little cap.

Arete. Not really a fan of the random slashes of colour on this one, but the shaping is good, so if you like contemporary art-like knits, this may be the knitting project for you. I would however definitely recommend that you knit the contrast colour slashes in a colour that doesn't remotely resemble the wearer's skin tone, as that can create an unintended visual effect. I did a double take when I first looked at this photo.

Hypsometry. Another cute cap.

Mafadi. Nice use of brioche and reverse stocking stitch here. This is interesting and polished, yet neutral.

Saltings. Nice stitchwork, and that mohair silk yarn looks luscious (as mohair silk always does), but the mock turtleneck collar and slightly dropped shoulders give this a slightly frumpy look.

Tellervo. A very decent classic cabled cardigan.

Terraform. These are so cute I might just have to make a pair of them for myself sometime.

Waterlands. Nice piece! It's hard to go wrong with a circular yoke design. I'd lengthen the sleeves to full-length, but that's just a personal preference, as I find cropped sleeves are an awkward, unflattering length on me.

Pom Pom Quarterly Autumn 2019: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released its Autumn 2019 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Fata Morgana. Nice classic piece. I like the combination of ripples and lace. The shaping is maybe a little on the boxy side, but that's easily remedied.

Seelig. Fabulous contemporary-style wrap. This one would work well sized up to afghan size too.

Astragal. Some lovely detailing on the yoke, hem and cuffs of this one. It's not a particularly flattering shape -- even on this professional model -- but again, shaping is an easy fix on a standard design sweater like this one.

Aphotic. A very handsome piece. Quite like the texture and fair isle yoke.

Eventide. This one is a little too doily-esque for me, and the shape isn't flattering.

Isobue. This wouldn't normally be my type of design (asymmetry usually makes me twitchy), but I think it works. It's both visually interesting and pleasing to look at, and I like the soft yet sophisticated palette. Do make sure your version fits the intended wearer, though. Gaping button bands are never a good look.

Timbre. A nice cap with some subtle stitchwork. This is a mohair silk blend yarn, and the photo all but gives me the feeling of how soft it is.

Trove. Not bad. I think I'd go with a more lively colourway, and fix those dropped shoulders.

Columella. Classic cabled wrap.

Pom Pom Quarterly Issue 29: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released Issue 29. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Argil. This one's a little on the rough-looking, unpolished side for my liking, though it does have a certain sportiness to it.

Sanctuary. Very attractive. Love the texture.

Rookwood. Such a handsome, contemporary-style wrap.

Earthen. Perfect summer cardigan. I would raise the dropped shoulders, though.

Ogee. Nice camisole. The stitchwork is beautiful.

Faience. Wearable and attractive summer top.

Minton. The stitchwork in this bag is nice but the shape is schlumpy.

Rievaulx. I like the colour block effect used in this top, and am having fun imagining different colour schemes for it.

Tesserae. Nice use of mosaic knitting on this fun and striking summer top.

Pom Pom Quarterly Spring 2019: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released their Spring 2019 issue. Let's have a look at it.

Woodwardia. I'm not too thrilled with the slightly boxy, cropped shape of this turtleneck, but I do like the feather-like garter detail at the seams, which gives an otherwise plain, classic piece a touch of distinction.

Vivarium. The boxy shape and dropped shoulders detract from what is otherwise a decent piece with an interestingly offbeat fair isle design.

Filix. A polished little pair of mitts.

Water Clover. This is pretty, and the shaping isn't bad, although I can't help but fear this top would feel a little stiff to the touch, as crochet tends to do compared to knitting.

Sweetfern. This one's attractive and visually interesting.

Ginkgophyte. A very stylish little tee with a contemporary vibe. That's some really striking detail.

Adiantum. A very pretty sweater with interesting stitchwork, and yet it's not so bold in design that it couldn't be paired up with a number of other pieces in a woman's wardrobe.

Aurea. Such a lovely wrap. The texture's fabulous.

Davallia. This crocheted shawl has a pretty lace pattern that feels modern and stylish -- this is a piece that could so easily have gone in an unfortunate "seventies homemaking magazine pattern" direction, but didn't at all.