Vogue Knitting Holiday 2015: A Review

Vogue Knitting has released its Holiday 2015 issue. Let's have a look at the patterns therein.

Pattern #1, Mock-Neck Shift. Can't say this one is doing it for me. It's so coarse-looking and the collar and cut aren't flattering.

Pattern #2, Beaded Shawl. An exquisite piece of work.

Pattern #3, Fair Isle Yoke Pullover. I appreciate the effort to think out of the box, but I don't know if all these studs and beads are really adding anything to this design.

Pattern #4, Beaded Gloves. Love these gloves. They're something unique and special, and yet quiet enough to be worn every day.

Pattern #5, Beaded Wristers. I don't care for these, but it's probably because they're wristers. I'd add hand coverage to this design, because then the result would be a rather rocker chic pair of gloves that would go well with black leather anything.

Pattern #6, Fan Lace Scarf. Another lovely lacy design.

Pattern #7, Convertible Buttoned Scarf. A very handsome and even striking piece.

Pattern #8, Fringed Scarf. This one could easily have been too afghan-like, but the variegated yarn chosen here makes it. Those thin and varying lines of colour elevate the scarf from couch wear to near Missoni levels.

Pattern #9, Lace Leaf Wrap. It's hard to go wrong with a classic lace wrap.

Pattern #10, Oversized Shawl. This is so big and awkward-looking and those slipped stitches look like runs.

Pattern #11, Fair Isle Blanket Shawl. I very much like the design of this one, but that shape is going to be hard to wear. It looks awkward even on the model.

An Evening on the Beach. This pattern and the next two were designed by the winners of the Mohair South Africa/Vogue Knitting "Warmth of Mohair" blanket design contest. This one won the contest. It wouldn't have been my choice. I'm not such a Philistine that I can't see its merits, as it has a certain visual interest in its interplay of texture and colour and it would be the right finishing touch in some coolly and sleekly understated loft apartment, but this kind of post modern abstract design is really not my thing.

Exotic Grace. This was the People's Choice award winner. It's a lovely and striking piece.

Kitali. This crocheted afghan was the first runner up. It's a fairly traditional afghan style but the off-beat colour scheme has made it something unique.

Pattern #12, Batwing Pullover. The overall design isn't bad, but if I were to wear those batwing sleeves, they would make me feel like I was wearing a tent, and worse, leave no knickknack standing and no plate of food unsmeared.

Pattern #13, Oversized Pullover. Unflattering and drab.

Pattern #14, Boxy Jacket. I rather like this one. The texture and the cut give it a smart look. This would be a nice way to top off a simple, fitted outfit.

Pattern #15, Cabled Sweater Dress. This is too bulky to be flattering. I think I'd correct for bulkiness by neatening up the fit and making the sleeves and bodice in stockinette.

Pattern #16, Hooded Dress. Tent-like and unfinished-looking.

Pattern #17, Open-Front Cardigan. I like the overall design, but I'd make this standard fit. Swamping women in a metre of excess fabric is really no way to make them look or feel their best.

Pattern #18, Drop-Shoulder Pullover. All I can say about this one is that it looks like the perfect depression wear. Assuming, that is, that you want to stay depressed.

Pattern #19, Boxy Pullover. This kind of cropped, boxy silhouette flatters almost no one and the sweater looks rather slapped together.

Pattern #20, Cropped Raglan Pullover. Looks to me like the designer of this one was knitting while drunk, accidentally added an extra neckline to the bottom of it, and decided to just go with it because, well, vodka.

Pattern #21, Loose Tunic. This is rather pretty, but it is so big. I'd neaten up the fit somewhat to a relaxed fit.

Pattern #22, Seed-Stitch Cardi. This isn't so bad. It fits and hangs well, it would look good worn over either dresses, skirts, or trousers, and it has a certain understated style to it. If knitted in a neutral colour it could be a nice useful piece to throw on over a number of other outfits on chilly days.

Pattern #23, Cropped Poncho. Not a bad little basic capelet.

Pattern #24, Fair Isle Stocking. This is well designed, if a little country for my tastes.

Vogue Knitting Fall 2015: A Review

Vogue Knitting has released its Fall 2015 issue. Let's have a look at what's currently en vogue, shall we?

Pattern # 1, Cabled Wrap. We begin this issue with a selection of teal-coloured designs, which (being that teal/turquoise is my favourite colour family) I applaud. This a good-looking wrap. The shape gives it a contemporary appeal. I do question how it's going to stay in place, but then I suppose that's where a shawl pin comes in handy.

Pattern #2, Raglan Pullover. A lovely classic with some fantastic distinctive detailing.

Pattern #3, Scoop-Neck Pullover. This isn't a bad design aesthetically speaking, but it will bulk up the wearer's figure.

Pattern #4, Travelling Cable Mitts. Very pretty and well-shaped.

Pattern #5, Seamless Cap. Nice cap. I like the way the cables from the ribbing have been integrated into the design.

Pattern #6, V-Neck Vest. This one made me decide that I really ought to have a classic cabled vest in a beautiful shade of teal in my wardrobe.

Pattern #7, Simple Pullover. Uninteresting and unflattering.

Pattern #8, Open Cardigan. Quite liking this one, which looks like the perfect thing to keep at the office for those chillier than expected days.

Pattern #9, Arrowhead Top. Interesting contemporary piece that's also really versatile. This one will look good with jeans or a wool skirt.

Pattern #10, Ribbed Vest. Er. Are we looking at the right side of this?

Pattern #11, Ribbed Turtleneck Cowl. Simple and wearable little topper.

Pattern #12, Cocoon Vest. This isn't a bad-looking piece, but it's going to ride up maddeningly every time the woman who wears it raises her arms at all. She'll wind up looking like a woman who was trying on something in a shop change room, got stuck with it half-off and half-on and, in her search for a sales associate who would help her out of her jam, accidentally wandered out on the street

Pattern #13, Striped Raglan Pullover. I'd want to neaten up the shaping of this, but it's pretty and pleasing enough.

Pattern #14, V-Neck Pullover. This looks like a scrap yarn sweater that the knitter made up as she or he went along, all the more so because the stripe across the front is being pulled out of shape by the ribbing at the neck. The yarns chosen for this piece do work together quite well, so there's that.

Pattern #15, Crew-Neck Pullover. This is very "eighties-era yarn company knitting pattern freebie pamphlet".

Pattern #16, Open-Front Cardigan. This is very "seventies-era Carly Simon concert wear".

Pattern #17, Waterfall Cardigan. This is very "upcycled thrift shop bathrobe".

Pattern #18, Colorblock Pullover. This is very "little-used Sesame Street character named C. Squared who is obsessed with pointing out the difference between squares and rectangles to children".

Pattern #19, Fair Isle Toque. Nice classic cap.

Pattern #20, Fringed Vest. For those days when you can't decide between business-like houndstooth or sherpa-style fringes and shapelessness.

Pattern #21, Graphic Sweater. How sharp is this terrific little piece?

Pattern #22, Round-Neck Sweater. I'm not really buying the visible colour changes as part of the design in this one. It just looks amateurish.

Pattern #23, Textured Pullover. This looks pretty good here, though I'm not crazy about the full side view aspect of it (shown in the other picture Vogue Knitting has of it on the preview page). The tapering side inserts don't look all that well-shaped.

Pattern #24, Kimono-Style Pullover. I just can't get on board with house-sized sweaters. They don't look good on anyone, even professional models.

Pattern #25, Winged Triangle Shawl. This is very Games of Thrones in the best possible way, i.e., in a cool emblematic way, not in a medieval-style brutality and misogyny way.

Pattern #26, Segmented Shawl. I'm finding this one has such visual buzz that it's bothering my eyes. The lace part of the shawl looks great, but the chain-stitched style panels are too over the top.

Pattern #27, Semi-Circular Knit Shawl. I've finding this one a little busy side too, though at least I can look straight at it without my eyes twitching. I'm not saying it's a bad design, mind you. It has a certain architectural appeal. As a matter of fact it looks so like a belfry in the black side version (shown on the right) that I keep expecting to see bats come flying out from under it.

Pattern #28, Double Knit Beanie. Cleverly designed reversible number.