Knit.Wear Fall/Winter 2013: A Review

Knit.wear has released their Fall/Winter 2013 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

This is the Metallic Chevron Pullover. I hemmed and hawed over this one. Was it too afghan-like, as chevron pattern stuff has a tendency to be, or was it not? I think I'm going to come down on the "not too afghan-like" side. The cream sleeves and ribbing help to tone down the chevrons, as does choosing a sophisticated colourway.

The Drawstring Pullover. I like this one. It's simple yet with distinguishing touches in the cowl and the sleeves, and it helps that it's made in a yarn that looks ever so soft and luxurious.





Can't say I care for the Eyelet Raglan. Those eyelet chains are supposed to look like a design feature but instead look like inreases and decreases that shouldn't be showing.




The Textured Shawl is elegantly understated, and this shawl looks good worn several ways.

The Tucked Pullover works because the designer didn't stop with the tucking detail but also carefully shaped the sweater to make it flattering.

I am really not liking the big floppy scarf that is a titular part of the Attached Scarf Cardigan. This is no way to treat a perfectly nice cardigan.





I very much liked the Envelope Hat, until I saw how it morphs into a Bag Hat at the back.





Not a fan of the Asymmetrical Collar Jacket. I do have a definite anti-asymmetry bias, but it can work when the asymmetry is more accomplished than this. These collars just look askew rather than as though they were taking the eye in an unexpected direction.





I love the Askew Vest until I look down at the bottom. I've honestly tried to like the bottom ribbing, and I can't. The narrow ribbing between the askew wider ribbing looks for all the world like those extra teeth that sometimes appear in people's gums above their adult teeth. The back looks great, the collar is nice, I love the diagonal cable, and I'd be finishing off the bottom of the vest with a plain band of cable just like the back.





The Bias Lace Tank is really pretty. It's a piece that would give a lot of interest to a very basic outfit consisting of a plain shirt and trousers or pencil skirt.

I love the Swaying Cables Scarf, which is only garter stitch and cables and yet somehow manages to be a statement piece, look good any way it's wrapped, and also look incredibly warm. You can't ask more than that of a scarf.





The Twelve Cables Pullover is such a terrific piece I just had to include all three photos of it. It's Aran weight but so beautifully shaped it will be reasonably easy to carry off. Those face framing cables are just jaw-dropping.





The Horizontal Cowl Pullover looks pretty good from the front but the back view leaves much to be desired.

The Pocket Hem Pullover just looks like it's on inside out.





The Kite Cardigan looks roughly made and sloppy. Even this professional model hasn't been able to lend it any grace.





I was going to say I wished the Double Knit Scarf had a better-finished edge, but the more I look at it the more I realize that any finishing technique I can think of would ruin its look. It's a conceptual yet minimalist piece, and it is just what it's supposed to be.

I quite like the Ring Collar Pullover, though I'm not thrilled with the way the cream "ring around the collar" is pulling away from the others and showing the underside. If I made this one I'd look for a way to fashion those rings so they'd lie firmly in place.

I like the Lace Insert Pullover except for one thing: the way the collar sags in front. I'd be inclined to put some other kind of collar on this one.





This is the Double Puff Dolman, and my goodness is it unflattering. It manages to look okay on the cover, but just look what will happen when you move your arms. Telling you how to fix it would involve my creating a whole new design, so I suggest you just knit something else.

I think I'd like the modern Shaped-Intarsia Tunic much better if it were in more attractive colours — gray, brown and mustard aren't exactly a colourway made in heaven.

There are several things about Dressmaker Jacket I like: the shaping, the colourway, the silver clasps. But I never can get behind cardigans that don't quite meet in the front. They always look like they are too small, though it's working better in this instance than it usually does. If you feel the same way, you can these jacket fronts wide enough in front to fit, and add in a welt on one side to cover any gaping.





I just love the High-Collar Wrap Cardigan, with its amazing front shaping and exquisite back details, except for one thing, and you can probably guess what that is: that awful pucker where there's probably an inside button. The eye just zeroes in on it. I'm trying to figure out a way to get rid of that. It would be a challenge, unless you want to use double-sided tape or something, and who wants to do that. I'm coming up with sewing a mock button on top of it (though then you'll have to add two or four more buttons down below to balance out the top ones).





Hmm. As you may already know from past reviews, I'm not one to give dropped sleeves and oversized cuts a pass. I'm inclined to let it go in the case of the Turtleneck Jacket, though. The slim sleeves keep the silhouette from looking sloppy, and the back does look so good. I think this is a piece that can work over a fitted outfit. It's the 2013 version of the swing coat.





And we end well with the Cabled Bands Pullover, which I quite like. Though I do think the cuffs need detail, but to be fair it's difficult to say what. Cables like those around the bottom and neck would be too heavy. Bands of the reversed stockinette that is used at the seams might work.

Knitting down at Fraggle Rock

Here, in honour of Jim Henson's birthday, are the Doozers from Fraggle Rock, singing a knitting song. They might enjoy their knitting more if they'd take off their little hardhats so they could see what they're doing.

Knitting Needles in Spaaaaaaace

International Space Station Expedition 30 astronaut Don Pettit took some knitting needles into space with him, but not because he was planning on knitting himself some boot toppers for his space boots. He uses knitting needles and water droplets to demonstrate physics in space for "Science off the Sphere".

Creative Knitting Winter 2013: A Review

Creative Knitting has released their Winter 2013 issue. Let's have a look at it and its many cowls.

This is the Beefeater Pleated Cowl. It isn't bad. It's rather too much on the rough and bulky side for my tastes, but it has a bit of texture and will be warm. It's an easy beginner project that doesn't look too much like a beginner project.

I very much like the Fair Isle Fleur. It's simple yet striking, and the woman who owns this sweater and cap will get lots of wear out of them.

The Faux Fur Ribbed Cardigan. Sometimes when I know I wouldn't ever wear a design myself, I mentally try it on family, friends, and acquaintances. If I can come up with even a few people who could rock it, that means the design is fine. I can picture this one on a few of my friends with a modern dress sense, but I'm still going reserve judgment on it because I haven't seen the back and the description says there's a peplum involved.

This is the Guadalupe pattern. The description says it can be worn at least two ways, "crossed and draped around the neck, or simply hanging loose in a loop at the front". I'm not sure which of those this view is. It's not a bad pattern. I do wish it weren't a cropped length, but I suppose that making it standard length would have interfered with the whole free form structure aim.

This is the Mocha Hoodie Hat. Which I actually kind of like. But I would advise if this is intended for anyone over 25, that you nix the pom poms on the bottom edges (and possibly the one on the peak) and finish it off with some I-cord instead.

I like the concept of the Wrap It Up piece, but the execution isn't quite there. The front draping isn't flattering even on this model, and I cringe to think of what it will do to a woman with an average figure.

The Braided Brim Beanie is cute and wearable. Love the Celtic knot-style cabling.

The Pretty Peaks and Valleys design. I rather like this one, which is unusual and interesting and reasonably wearable, but I do have two criticisms: the neckline looks unfinished and the fastenings used here don't look right. They're unusual (to the point that I've never seen anything like them), and really kind of cool, but I don't think they quite work on this design.

The Romantic in Ruffles shawl is lovely. I love the colour and the very simple yet carefully finished design.

The Tin Whistler's Mitts. This is a design that elicited an "Ooooh!" from me when I took a good look at it. They're pretty and very eye-catching. I will say I don't think it needs that odd ruffled effect on the edge ‐ just the basic cast-on edge will be sufficient for fingerless gloves that already have so much detail.

Can't say I care for the Wrapped in Ruffles design. The front ruffle is just so awkward looking. The yarns used here look beautiful and they deserved a better fate.

The satin ribbons used here as a tie don't suit the Chunky Ruched Cowl — multi-strand braid or braided I-cord would be a better fit. And a cowl should actually serve the purpose of keeping one's neck and chest warm, which this won't.

I like the Graphite fingerless gloves, with their striking mod stripes.

The Mitered Squares Kimono is a beautiful piece of work. I can never stand to wear anything this oversized, especially when it has sleeves that wide, but if you can, this is your pattern.

The Multidirectional Curved Scarf. This is an interesting piece of work. I don't happen to personally care for the yarn used here, but I think if this piece were done in a hand-painted yarn in one of the colourways I love, I'd be gaga over it.

This is the Norse Neck Warmer, which uses traditional Nordic patterns on the relatively new cowl. The result is a piece that will look right for years to come.

I don't care for the Peppermint Sticks fingerless gloves. They just look crude.

This is the Uncommon Path Cardigan. And wow, is it ever different and striking and interesting. I don't usually care for cutaway shaping or floppy cuffs, but here because of the way the colourway is worked they really add to the piece. I will say that it's never a good idea to have sweater fronts pulling apart between buttons as they are here. If I were to make this one, I'd make sure the front edges overlapped a little when buttoned to avoid the gaping.

This is the A Touch of Luxe Cardigan. It's really a nice piece, though I would want to know how it looked worn open and to be sure the person for whom it is for has enough neck to be able to carry it off.

This hat is pare of the Polka-Dot Hat & Striped Leggies set. I don't see the Striped Leggies, but the hat is cute enough for a child or teen. Although I'm suddenly having Polka Dot Door flashbacks.

I was prepared to give the Soft Drape Cables vest a positive review until I noticed the uneven hemline. The mullet hem (short in the front, longer in the back) is one design concept I just don't get at all. But then it's easily fixed. I would also add a little waist shaping to this pattern.

Speaking of design concepts I don't quite get, the Two Sides to Every Story cowl is definitely one. It's so rough looking, as though it's on inside out and and all the nuts and bolts are showing. Yet for some reason Creative Knitting chose this as their cover pattern. Even the model looks slightly stunned by it all.

After some deliberation on the Two Toned in Tangerine cowl, I've decided I like it. It has a certain artsy craftsy appeal. I would, however, vary the colour of the little flowerets from the sections they are attached to (i.e., peach flowerets to tangerine sections and tangerine flowerets to the peach sections), and firmly affix them to the scarf instead of letting them dangle. Done tone on tone and allowed to dangle, they look more like the aftermath of an unfortunate cat clawing incident than an intentional design element.

The Chameleon necklace. I'm hoping the chameleon part means this "design" is somehow magically going to turn into an actual necklace. Because it isn't one at present. Worsted I-cord has many uses, but jewelry is not and will never be one of them.

The Corona sweater. It's a Nicky Epstein design, and it's as awesome as her work usually is, both intricate and original. Though one needs to be small-breasted to wear it. I'm sitting here pining for what can never be mine and roundly cursing the boob fairy.

I don't care for the Folk Art Cowl & Cuffs. I'm not against the embroidered daisies, green edgings, or the offbeat colourway at all, but I wish they'd been integrated into the body of the cowl and gloves rather than attached via a superfluous ruffle. And I hate that "rustic" stitch along the top edges. It looks like basting stitches that the maker forgot to take out.

The Northern Lights shawl is pretty, but I can't say I especially care for that line of big holes running down the centre. I know it's a natural result of the big needles and the shaping used, but they look like a mistake.

I like the concept of the Raised Ridges Jacket, but there are too many competing directions here and the end result looks rather muddled and over busy. I'd work the bottom of the jacket in the same vertical ridge pattern that is used in the upper body, and just keep the accenting honeycomb pattern collar and waistband.

I quite like the Wedges Scarf. It's arty in a really playful, fun way. And check out the model's expression. She's all, "This is not the Two Sides to Every Story Cowl. YES."

Special Candy: a Knitting Fable

Mimi had been told she was going to her friend Cathie's birthday party, and that it would be fun, but when she got to the party she found everything was lit with a weird red light, she couldn't find Cathie anywhere, and that there was a terrifying clown present who kept telling her she had to marry him.

Two of the other children at the party, Jenna and Alex, hadn't seen Cathie either, but the dancing scarecrow hypnotized them into believing that they were having a wonderful time.

Richard and his little sister Juliet had been told that the donkey piñata was full of an extra special candy that would make them feel very, very relaxed and very, very happy.

Brenna and Scott thought the Cat Man was probably joking when he told them he'd eat them if they stopped smiling, but they weren't taking any chances.

Meanwhile, birthday girl Cathie was in a strange blue lit room with her older sister Ava, playing a weird game of "hide the carrot" with the Bunny Man. She would never have forgiven her parents for this birthday party but for the fact that the "special candy" from the donkey piñata was to erase all memory of it.

Pingu and the Knitting Machine

Pingu and the Knitting Machine is a stop animation short about a little penguin and his mother's new knitting machine.