Cast On Spring 2016: A Review

I was unable to review the Spring 2016 issue of Cast On when it came out a few months ago because preview pictures weren't available on The Knitting Guild's Association website. The preview pictures still aren't available on the TKGA website, but they have appeared on Ravelry, so now I can do not only the Spring 2016 issue but also the Summer 2016 issue that has appeared since. Let's begin with the Spring 2016 issue.

Clara. I like the top, which has good shaping and nice stitchwork, but that is one unattractively muddy colour.

Eyelet Yoke Pullover. Pretty and useful little summer top.

Helix Spiral Pillow. This is what a helix looks like. This cushion does not look like a helix, but rather like something out of the back pages of a seventies homemaking magazine.

This also does not look like a helix, but rather like something that was stolen from the wardrobe department of a Muppet movie set.

Hourglass Eyelet Socks. Pretty.

Keyhole Pullover. Very simple, but it's well-shaped and the keyhole detail is eye-catching.

Love Bird Jumper. What a sweet little look. I think I'd edge the neck opening and armholes in the contrast colour though, as the top of this jumper looks a little too plain as is.

Love Birds. This is so cute without being so cutesy that a grown woman can't wear it. The shaping is great and the detailed cuffs and hem give it a nicely polished look.

Not Your Mom's Vest. Love this one, which is both polished and subtly sexy. The pictures show it styled over both a little tank and a fitted white shirt, and it looks good either way.

Openwork Pullover. Not a fan of this one, which looks stretched out and shapeless.

Opposing Spirals Pillow. This is very "granny frump", something I would expect to find on a prickly sofa, sitting against a granny square afghan, with possibly an African violet sitting on a doily beside a copy of Reader's Digest on the nearby end table.

Palindrome Headband. Not bad. I prefer silk scarves for headbands, though, as it's easier to adjust them to the needed width or snugness, and they look more polished.





Pleated Linen Shirt. Can't say I find this one appealing. It's so very plain except for the pleats in the back, which aren't really adding anything. They're just sort of... there.

Polka Dot Lace Skirt/Crop Top. The skirt here is actually two skirts: a long lacy overskirt and a mid-thigh length stockinette underskirt, which are knitted separately and then knitted together at the waistband. The lines are good, and this is rather a fetching summer look for the woman who doesn't mind showing some skin. I'd made the underskirt the same colour as the overskirt, though, as making it in white makes it look a little girdle-like.





Spring Cardi. This isn't a bad look, and it's rather a clever piece of modern design, but I don't think I could wear it, as asymmetry always aggravates my OCD-like tendencies and I'd keep tugging on it and trying to "fix it". Also, I wouldn't be able to get past the conviction that I looked as though I'd gotten dressed in the dark. While hungover.





Squiggle Lace Top. I like this one, which has good shaping and some nice side details, but I would wear it by itself rather than over a long-sleeved t-shirt. Putting the long sleeves under it gives it a dowdy, dorky look.

Knitter's Magazine 122: A Review

Knitter's Magazine has released issue 122. Let's have a look at it.

Coral Camo. This is so bathmat, and not even in a good "serene luxury spa" kind of way, but rather in a "let's match this to the toilet paper cosy" kind of way.

Seafoam & Coral Top. This is rather fetching. I'm liking the seashell colourway, the varied stitchwork, and the summery airiness of it.

Seafoam & Coral Skirt. I like this a lot too. The side panel with the vertical stripes is what makes this design. And I would never have thought of putting the top above with this skirt, but they do work very well together.

Fresh Lilac. Very pretty! It looks well from both front and back and will make a very useful summer topper.

Water & Waves. Such beautiful lacework in this.

Little Linen Patches. Another nice one. The linen stitch checks made for an attractive and interesting effect.

Sprouts in Spring. Very pretty cardigan. This is a good design for showcasing a beautiful yarn, and indeed, the handpainted yarn used here is lovely.

Seaglass Stripes. Some good lines and texture in this one.

Pressed Petals. Quite nice. The leaf detail shown in the background photo is from the back.

Basalt Bands. I have a weakness for this kind of textured jacket, and this one is really kind of fabulous. The intricate stitchwork is really impressive. The peplum won't be flattering on every woman, but this is a great piece.

Bark & Branches. Big needle knits aren't usually my thing, but I like this one. It sits so well and has great texture.

Woodland Sunset. I'm not entirely sold on the extra bulk at the shoulders of this one, but the lines are good overall and I like the yarn.

Garden Walk. Not bad, though I would go for a neater fit.

Flippy Ribs. Cute and sporty.

Monarch Stripes. So the monarch butterflies are dying in record numbers and you offer them the final insult of this badly shaped and retina-searing vest, and even put it on the cover? Why, Knitter's Magazine? Why?

Technicolor Plaid Shawl. Very attractive and fun wrap.

Technicolor Plaid Blanket. Fabulous! The stitchwork is excellent and those colours are a feast for the eyes.

Love of Knitting Summer 2016: A Review

Let's have a look at the Summer 2016 issue of Love of Knitting, shall we?

Belle Isle Socks. Quite pretty.

Bright Domino Skirt. This is almost Missoni-esque, which is an excellent thing, but that zigzag of green and white takes the look into "sixties lawn chair" territory, which is not a good thing.

Cable Mesh Blanket & Pillow. That's a very attractive cable and lace pattern.

Canyon Lace Tank. Simple and wearable, yet with just enough detail to keep the look interesting and polished.

Carys Scarf & Wrap. An interesting yarn choice was definitely the right direction for this one, as the basic design needed a lift.

Chloe Cardigan. This is a very smart and well-shaped little piece, though the borderline OCD part of my brain is mentally tweaking it so that it buttons all the way to the bottom.

Circus Train Coal Car. This must be intended to go with the little train engine toy in Love of Knitting's spring issue. I hope there's more of this train set to come, because the idea of a knitted train set is too adorable, and I can't wait to see the caboose.

Crocogator Booties. Cute. And appropriate for the kind of toddler who commonly leaves a trail of destruction in his or her wake. (Yes, I'm aware that's almost all of them.)

Curving Triangle Wrap. This is lovely, and the yarn combination is impressively striking and attractive.

Eyelet Tank. I'm not so enthusiastic about this one. The stockinette stitch upper section looks very good, but the mesh bottom half feels like a let down.

Fisherman’s Hat. I'm a little iffy on this one. Brims like this are apt to become sadly and forlornly floppy.

Hold My Calls Bag. Not a bad little bag, though I'd put in a zipper rather than go with those i-cord handles. It looks to me like a phone could easily slip past them.

Hold My Stuff Bag. I would have named this the Scrub My Dishes Bag, because it looks like a extra larger pot scrubber.

Knotty Scarf. This is quite chic.

Ladybug Swatch Cloth. I'm not sure I would have been able to figure out that this is a ladybug pattern if it weren't for the name of the pattern.

Lazy Daisy Tank. I wish this picture were better quality, but from what I can tell those daisies are very nicely rendered. The shaping is good as well, though I'm not crazy about the mesh sections.

My Mantra Wrap. The yarn is pretty, but this isn't an interesting design, and that oblong shape of wrap tends to look awkward when not being carefully styled and modeled as it is here.





Peek-a-Bunny Cardigan. The concept of a lace-trimmed cardigan with embroidered pockets containing a matching toy was a good one, but man did it not get the execution it deserved. The neckline is really poorly shaped and finished, it looks like there are chunks of lace missing from the bottom front corners, the ruffles on the pockets look like a mistake, the toy bunny looks like a cobbled-together afterthought, and the stitching around the pocket looks terrible.

Rainbow Pentagon Blanket. This one's fun, and looks very well crafted. And it's the perfect baby shower gift for the pregnant gay Wiccan in your life!

Sausalito Shawl. Very lovely piece as to both shape and stitchwork.