Twist Collective Spring 2015: A Review

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

Wickerwork cardigan. Lovely! Great shape and detailing.

Placid cardigan. Hangs badly and has a rather ratty look.

Nephelai socks. Very pretty socks.

Wencelas cardigan. Lovely cardigan with great detailing.

Corallina shawl. Exquisite!

Seawillow pullover. Classic pullover.

Dulcimer cardigan. This is quite pretty overall, but I'm not sure I care for the "pulling apart at the bottom" look, which makes the item look too small.

Auster pullover. Classic and yet still different enough to be eye-catching. Nice piece.

Minthe jacket. Quite like this one, which can be worn at home with yoga pants or while out and about with a skirt.





Zaida hoodie. Who would have thought a hoodie could be this lovely and polished?

Orikata. Can't say I care for this one very much. It's going to look frumpy on most women.

Anemoi cardi. Pretty little summer top.

Airglow shawl. For a shawl with such simple stitchwork, this manages to bring the drama. It hangs so beautifully in the back.

Galatea scarf. This is cute and would be a way to add a bit of fun and femininity to an otherwise plain and practical outfit.

Windley top. Very nice summer top. It's simple and yet has enough detail to be attractive and interesting.

Antares shawl. Gorgeous.

Celosia top. Attractive and useful piece, because it could be worn as an underlayer as well as alone. It's well-shaped and has that little bit of needed detail.

Chartreuse shawl. Another very pleasing shawl. The stockinette and cables of this shawl will go better with modern, casual clothes than a lacy shawl would.

Godetia top. Pretty. I like the offbeat unexpectedness of the medallion design on the back.

Calyx shawl. Just exquisite.

Acanthus stole. The stitchwork is good, but this is an awkward shape and length to wear. Even the model isn't quite carrying it off.

Carajillo shawl. Nice piece. The zigzag stitchwork and edging give it a modern feel.

Fish Isle pullover. Adorable! I especially like that this designer has included some texture and stitchwork instead of just relying on the picture knit aspect to carry the design. It really raises the calibre of the piece.

Friesland blanket. Too gorgeous to be spit up on! I'd make this one as an afghan.

Demipointe surplice sweater. I'm liking this version of the surplice sweater. The use of buttons makes it so practical (i.e., it will stay in place and there aren't any ribbons dangling about) and updates it a bit, as does the use of a gradient yarn rather than the traditional pastel pink.

Quadrille socks. Very well designed cable socks. Look closely and you'll see these aren't just any old basic cables.

Espalier cardigan. Nice piece, and the small scale makes it work even better. Putting such a polished, detailed, ladylike design on a little girl is totally cute.

Elephanteau pullover. Another adorable picture knit. Which I think I would do in another colourway to rid it of that "Republican convention mascot" feel.

Twist Collective Winter 2014: A Review

Twist Collective has released their Winter 2014 issue, and it's the best knitting magazine issue I've seen in quite some time. There's perhaps only one design in it that I wouldn't be happy to make and/or wear myself. Let's have a look, shall we?

The Addington cardigan. This is an attractive piece that any woman could wear. I'm not quite sure what's going on with the closure at the neckline, but then one could use any kind of button or clasp there.

The Elica shawl. Simple, pretty piece.

The Paramo pullover. Simple but smart piece. This is a sweater a woman can get a lot of wear out of.

The Quiver shawl-collared pullover. Love this one. It's classic and distinctive and works equally well on a man or a woman.

The Tupelo cowl. Nice piece with a great texture.

The Hyssop pullover has beautiful lacework and a good shape.

The Bierstadt hat and mittens. Attractive and eye catching.

The Riverdale cardigan. Nice classic look. I'm not sold on the curved front hem, which can look like a mistake.

The Mad Dash cardigan. Beautiful, interesting piece with great back detail.

The Fenwick Scarf and Gaiters. These are nicely designed pieces (it's hard to go wrong with classic cables such as these), but I'm not sure about the whole gaiter concept. These will get absolutely filthy in no time.

The Siffleur pullover. So lovely!

The Nevyn cardigan. Excellent piece. The cable detailing on the back is quite inspired. It's a way to add shaping and visual interest at the same time. And I'm almost wishing I didn't already own a pair of cute rubber boots, because then I'd have an excuse to track down and buy those awesome poppy boots.

The Nishi shawl is an exquisite piece of work.

The Radius pullover. Very solid contemporary design here. I would pass on the built-in fingerless gloves, but that's me.

The Masonry socks. Very smart socks. I do like a sock design with a little restraint. Confining the pattern to the ankle and toe looks much sharper than covering the entire sock.

The Quarry sweater. Another very smart piece.

The Tangent cap and cowl. Very pretty set. Love the Art Nouveau-ish fan patterning on the cowl.

The Hartford design is a classic cabled pullover.

The Epicenter pullover. I'm impressed with this one, which managed to be very contemporary and innovative in a way that will appeal to those of us with more traditional tastes, and is totally wearable at the same time.

The Calinda scarf and mittens. Another lovely set.

The Caldera pullover. I totally want this piece to be on me right now. I especially like that the designer chose to go with a buttoned placket and collar here rather than the usual turtleneck. We can't all wear turtlenecks.

The Fillster cap and mittens. Very much like the intricate cable design used here.

The Leadlight cardigan. A lovely piece. Extending the body's cables through the fair isle yoke is an effective and distinctive touch.

Anaphora cowl. What a beautiful piece. All the stitchwork, but especially that twining floral motif, is exquisite.

The Kew shawl. Interesting and attractive lacework.

The Willerval hat and mittens. This is very decent design, but I think I wouldn't go with a red and green colourway here. It's a little too candy cane-ish.

The Parapet jacket is a very elegant piece of work. The stand up collar is an especially nice touch and adds a lot of style to the whole piece.

The Pelion shawl. Love the combination of contemporary shaping with classic cables.

The Intaglio sweater. Beautiful piece. Love the cowl neckline.

The Skyscraper cardigan. I quite like this design on the whole, though I would do something different with the neckline, such as adding a collar. It looks unfinished as it is.

The Abyss shawl. Lovely combination of gradient colour and graceful shaping.