Vogue Knitting Holiday 2014: A Review

Vogue Knitting has released their Holiday 2014 preview! Let's have a look at VK's idea of festive knitwear, shall we?

Pattern #1, Black Lace Shawl with Pearl Beads. This is... nice enough. It's hard to go wrong with a lace shawl, but I'm not all that taken with the change of direction in the lace stripes. The pearl beads are a nice touch and look very elegant against the black lace.

Pattern #2, Beaded Scoop-Neck Tee. This is definitely an original take on the horizontal stripe sweater, and it's kind of cool, if probably not for the well-endowed woman, because that narrow band of beading will not sit well on bosom of size. And do not adjust your knitting, as it is supposed to look this way, but I can't help staring at this design and waiting for it to come into focus.

Pattern #3, Lace Pullover. This top is quite striking (the lacework is gorgeous and the black trim on the white makes for a stand-out look) but it is wretchedly unflattering even on this professional model. If you want to make this, I'd suggest you make it in a standard fit, ditch the mullet hem, and add waist shaping.

Pattern #4, Directional Tunic Top. I'm surprised to find myself writing this, because I'm a hard sell on this sort of modern, conceptual design, but I love this. It's a very dramatic and lovely and even quite wearable as it's well shaped and would suit most women.

Pattern #5, Lacy Batwing Pullover. This top is very 1930s in style, which normally I would love, but this isn't doing it for me. I think the problem lies partly in the colourway, which isn't quite working, and partly in the shape. Replace the dull gold yarn used here with, say, a silvery gray, and neaten the shape up a little, and this top should look much smarter.

Pattern #6, Bow Cardi. Totally cute, with excellent shaping and texture.

Pattern #7, Double Seed Stitch Pullover. This one was the cover look, and I don't know why, because it looks like a beginner project from Knit Simple's back files.

Pattern #8, Shawl-Collar Jacket. Great texture, and an elegantly relaxed look. I would want to scale down the size a little. There's relaxed fit, and then there's sloppy, and this is on the borderline.

Pattern #9, Cropped Moto Jacket. I think this pattern was stuck to the back of Pattern #7 when it was retrieved from Knit Simple's files.

Pattern #10 Oversized Turtleneck Pullover. Another simple one, but this one looks luxuriously comfortable and pretty. It's the yarn choice that makes it.

Pattern #11, Cabled Coat. Don't much care for this one. It lacks the shaping and details that would make it look like a coat and instead looks like a sweater made by someone who got too into binge-watching The Good Wife to remember to measure the length from cast on edge to the armholes.

Pattern #12, Ribbed Sleeve Pullover. This looks like something slapped together out of pieces left over from other projects.

Pattern #13, Belted Cardigan. Now this is more like my idea of a knitted coat. Great texture, good shaping, and the belt is the perfect finishing touch.

Pattern #14, Cable and Garter scarf. Not taken with this one, which looks like it was begun by a beginner, taken over by a well-meaning experienced knitter, and then finished by the beginner. The combination of garter and cable stitch just isn't integrated. Gorgeous yarn though — it looks luscious.

Pattern #15, Textured Tote. Lovely classic tote bag, but I would nix the pom poms.

Pattern #16, Hooded Waistcoat. This has some good points, but I am really hating the cutaway shaping, which is too costumey a detail for a hoodie. I'd knit this to be the same length back and front. And be warned, this is a sweater that will hug the wearer's every curve, so it'll pay to do something advance thinking about whether the wearer will want her curves to be hugged. (By a sweater, that is. Other types of hugs may be quite welcome.)

Pattern #17, Hat. Pretty hat. Rest assured, however, that matching one's eyeshadow to one's hat is optional.

Pattern #18, Cable-edged Vest. Nice little vest. I'd want the zipper to zip more of the front however, as this very abbreviated one looks a little silly.

Pattern #19, Faux Fur-Edged Cowl. I like the concept of a faux fur edged cowl, but I don't like this one, as the fur here looks a little on the skimpy and ratty side. Beautiful cabled work here, but I'd edge this one with a fringe or a picot edge or something similar in the main colour yarn.

Pattern #20, Cable and Chevron Top. Nice top, but I would neaten up the fit a bit.

Pattern #21, Fair Isle Cardigan. Love this one. The fresh, bright colours used and the hearts in the fair isle yoke make this an appealing new take on a classic style.

Pattern #22, Fair Isle Poncho. Quite like this shoulder cape. It's neater and smarter looking than most examples of this style.

Pattern #23, Modern Fair Isle Raglan. Very pretty. And you can have fun playing with the colour combinations for this one.

Pattern #24, Icelandic-Style Pullover. Another nice pattern. And I think there are better colourways for it, though admittedly this one is quite Icelandic.

Pattern #25, Sideways Turtleneck. This is another interesting, modern take on the fair isle. I'm finding the colour scheme a little retina scarring, but of course you can knit this sweater in any colours you want.

Pattern #26, Fair Isle Stole with Pom Poms. Not a bad design at all, but I'd nix the pom poms and instead finish this item with a simple fringe. I'm not anti-pom pom, but I do think they have their place, and that's usually not on anyone over 25.

Pattern #27, Brioche Lace Stole. Absolutely gorgeous lacework here, though I can't say I care much for the yarn employed to make this item.

Pattern #28, Winter Whimsy Cap. Cute cap. Bobbles are a grown-up's alternative to the pom pom.

Bergère de France Magazine 173: A Review

Let's have a look at Bergère de France Magazine 173, which features spring and summer knitting patterns for children.

Pattern 01, Shawl-Collar Cardigan. Not taken with this one. The exposed armhole seam and single knit collar make it look unfinished.

Pattern 02, Cap. Simple and classic newsboy cap.

Pattern 03, Embroidered Sweater & Pattern 04, Crochet Cap. Not a bad simple little sweater. There are better colour schemes for this design. The cap's kind of cute, if a little snood-like. And that open weave will catch on everything.

Pattern 05, Embroidered Sweater. I rather like this one, though I am not sure those random-looking lines add anything and would probably leave them off.

Pattern 06, Embroidered Sweater & Pattern 30, Short. Not a bad simple little outfit.

Pattern 07, Zip-Up Hooded Jacket. This one looks rather slapped together, the embroidery looks amateurish, and that hood looks like it's way too big.

Pattern 08, Top & Pattern 09, Shorts. This is cute but I'm uncomfortable with the idea of dressing a child this young in such a revealing look. I'd reshape the top to provide more coverage.

Pattern 10, Pinafore Dress. Enough with the wobbly embroidered decorative lines already, Bergère de France. These look just plain terrible. I'd touch up this dress, which does need a little something, by working the drawstring, sleeve, neckline and hem edgings in a contrast colour.

Pattern 11, Scarf Cardigan. The shrug/scarf isn't at all a bad idea, though it's perhaps more practicable when done in a less open stitch and for winter.

Pattern 12, Shawl Collar Sweater. Nice design overall, though I am not liking that mesh front pocket.

Pattern 13, Long Sleeved Sweater. Quite like this one, with its pleasing arrangement of textures.

Pattern 14, Playsuit. Not bad, but I'd do the mesh part of this in the contrast colour — and in another stitch for that matter, such as a slightly lacy pattern.

Pattern 15, Dress With Openwork Top & Pattern 16, Drawstring Bag. This is actually a great dress, but I would make the mesh part of it in stockinette. The mesh gives this dress too mature a look for such a young girl. The bag is super cute.

Pattern 17, Long-Sleeved Openwork Cardigan. Not a bad basic sweater.

Pattern 18, Dress With Openwork Back. Bergère de France tends to get hold of an idea or two and work them to death. In the two spring 2014 issues, one of les idées fixes is mesh. Mesh has its place, but this design isn't one of them. Though I do like the particular mesh stitch they've used here, it isn't working on this dress. I'd knit a plain back in the contrast colour and also nix the drawstring, which looks rather ratty.

Pattern 19, Short-Sleeved Dress. Very cute and smart little dress. I'd consider not including the drawstring.

Pattern 20, Criss-Cross Wrapper & Pattern 21, Shorts. Cute little summer outfit for a baby.

Pattern 22, Playsuit. Sweet little look. I like the cross-over effect.

Pattern 23, Sundress. This is a nice item over all, but I am not liking the bra-like cut for a toddler. I'd knit that neckline straight across, from strap to strap.

Pattern 24, Fringed Jacquard Cardigan & Pattern 25, Crocheted Hat. I'd reshape this cardigan and ditch that fringe. This looks poorly made as is. The hat is a bit on the shapeless side. I'm skeptical as to whether that brim would stay turned up as it is here.

Pattern 26, Halter Neck Top. Another bra-like top, this time on a young girl rather than a toddler, and I'm still not liking it. Again I'd shape it in a straight line across the top.

Pattern 27, Sleeveless Top. I think a better colourway would make this one.

Pattern 28, V-Neck Sweater. More random embroidery. This is a nicely finished sweater, and I'd go with either some embroidery that made some visual sense and added something, or else just add some stripes around the waist and wrists.

Pattern 29, Sleeveless Waistcoat. Very basic pattern you could probably just improvise yourself.