Pom Pom Quarterly Issue 16: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released its Spring 2016 issue. Let's have a look at it.

Striated. At first glance, I thought this cowl was shaker knit. It's actually a shaker knit-like lace stitch. It's quite a handsome, useful piece.

Unfold. I like the mitered texture of this piece, but I see from the extra photos on this pattern's Ravelry page that it doesn't sit all that attractively when the model isn't pulling on it.

Riveret. This isn't a bad-looking piece, but the cropped, squarish shape of it will make it unflattering on many women. It isn't doing anything even for this professional model.

Right Angle. Great texture, but I am not thrilled with the dropped shoulders or the boxy fit.

Rhombille. Love this one! It has an unusual construction and great stitchwork.

Perpendicular. Simple shawl with just the right amount of interesting detailing.

Imitation. These are... okay. They look a little too much like the tacky mesh half-gloves that were trendy in the eighties for my tastes. I think I'd like them better in a colour.

Delineate. I quite like this one, which is sexy without being too over-the-top about it. Nice shaping and the back has some great stitchwork.

Equilibrium. Not liking this one much. It looks as though the designer put some effort into its construction and detailing as it has a saddle shoulder, decorative eyelets, and side vents, but the end result is ill-fitting and askew.

Pom Pom Quarterly Issue 15: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released its Issue 15. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Avalon Ballroom scarf. What absolutely gorgeous stitchwork.

Callas bolero. This is one of those items that doesn't hang well even on a professional model, which augurs poorly for any average woman who tries it on.

Carlu pullover. Strikingly pretty. I rather like the added touch of the buttoned cuffs, especially when they're colour-coordinated to the contrast colour at the neckline.

Cicely pullover. I love the slit neckline and decorative beads on this one, which gives it a slightly dressy evening feel to the design without making it something that can't be worn at any time of day. The length does feel a little off proportionally -- even this model isn't quite working that wide waistband and cropped length. If you don't have a waist you care to show off and/or feel your upper body can't handle the visual foreshortening, I'd make the sweater a little longer and decrease the height of the ribbing by several inches.

Deco City shawl. Nice little wrap with an unusual linear lace pattern. I also admire Pom Pom for committing to the deco theme in the photo shoot (as well as throughout the entire issue). They went to the trouble of finding an art deco-esque couch and styling the model in a very late twenties way.

Hulanicki socks. Nicely and even smartly patterned.

Suffragette hat. This is one of those patterns that didn't quite get where it deserved to go. I quite like the rhythmic effect of the welts that circle this cloche, but the side slit isn't a happy effect. It makes the hat look unfinished, or even as though it burst open, sending flying whatever cool finishing ornament had been added to that side.

Theda cowl. Nice piece on the whole, though that edging does look a little unfinished.

Turnberry pullover. This is one really distinctive and gorgeous piece of stitchwork. I think this one might have supplanted a pattern I had picked out for a cotton sweater I intend to make myself this coming spring. I will be making these sleeves full length though. Those bracelet-length sleeves usually don't look right to me.

Wilding. You know, I'm actually kind of on board with the cut outs (cut the sleeves back to the wrists and give this sweater a better shape and more interesting texture, and it'll be a rather sexy look), but not in combination with the built-in gloves. It makes the sleeves look as though they were trying to make a run for it and pulled a "didn't do it, wasn't there, can't prove a thing, we're really gloves" when someone noticed the bare skin at the top of the arms.

Pom Pom Quarterly Fall 2015: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released its Fall 2015 issue. Let's have a look.

Woodland Tales. Pretty and lacy and well shaped. I love the yarn used here.

Maude pullover. This looks rather heavy, unsurprisingly, as it is both cabled and worsted weight, but then sometimes one does need something super warm. The shaping is pretty good, though the sleeve length looks a little awkward to me.

Abram's Bridge cardigan. Love the stitchwork on the back, but the shaping (especially whatever is going on in the front hem and the dropped shoulders) make it look a bit weird and off-kilter.

North Toque. This is a little too afghan-y for me.

Magdelen stole. Definitely a statement wrap.

Oak Crest cap. Intricately detailed and looks good on.

Jean pullover. Very much like this one, which hits that sweet spot of being wearable, flattering, and polished-looking. Excellent cowl neckline shaping on this piece.

Pianissimo scarf. Very decent ribbed scarf.

Karusellen hat. This one's cute and even manages the no mean feat of being a dog hat that an actual adult can wear.

Hitchcock sweater. Not a bad-looking henley, though I would add waist-shaping to the woman's version.

Pom Pom Quarterly Summer 2014: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released their Summer 2015 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Michelada. Good stitchwork, but this isn't terribly flattering. It looks wider than it is long. Making it a longer length should fix that.

Palila. A shaker-knit, dropped shoulder cardigan. It's unflattering and unattractive, and also looks like something that came out of a recently re-discovered warehouse of remaindered clothing from 1986.

Talavera. Not a bad little lacy sleeveless top, though I might have made the cowl at the neckline a little larger.

Manzanilla. This barely there lacy cowl isn't bad, but I'd like to see it worn doubled. It has that "sad flat tire" look styled this way.

Greco. Boxy, cropped striped top with dropped shoulders and alternating solid and lacy stripes. I'd reshape this to a hip-length, waist shaped, standard shoulder number, keeping the stripes and the style of the sleeves.

Azulejo. Not a bad-looking little clutch.

Alcomar. Lovely piece. The shape is good and the lace pattern on the back is beautiful.

Pomelo. Nice piece! The u-shape stripe pattern is really eye-catching and original, and the shape is good. I'd be lining and reinforcing this piece to keep it from stretching and sagging too much.

Pom Pom Quarterly Spring 2015: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released its Spring 2015 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Vitsippa Hat. Nice work! This design would be effective in any number of colourways.

Tambourine cardigan. This is a nice piece as well, with a certain vintage charm. The cropped length won't work on every woman, but that's easily remedied.

Swedish Pancakes mitts. Attractive and polished. They'd look good in any colourway, but this old rose is very pretty indeed.

Mysa tunic. I'm on the fence about this one. It has a clever construction and some visual interest, but it does come across as a little on the frumpy side. It's not doing this model any favours. I'd consider neatening up the fit a bit.

Mångata pullover. Nice texture and love the striped edgings, but the cropped, boxy shaping of this is going to be hellishly unflattering on most women. I'd do a reshaping and also skip the top stitched triangle at the neck, which looks like an unwise afterthought.

Lysende top. Another one for the "frumpy and dumpy" category. This looks like something one of the Golden Girls would have worn.

Lus top. There isn't a really clear shot of this piece available either in the preview or on Ravelry, but I've got my doubts about how well this sits around the torso. However, it has its good points (i.e., the sleeve detailing, the neckline, the second colour stitch pattern), and, as long as it isn't baggy or boxy or cropped, could be a young, fetching style.

Fika socks. These are on the plain side, but they'll do perfectly well. Not all of us want elaborately detailed socks.

Elske socks. How cute are these? If your answer is something along the lines of "verging on adorable", then you like these socks approximately as much as I do.

Blommande shawl. Pretty little thing, as lace shawls tend to be.