Love of Knitting Spring 2017: A Review

Love of Knitting has released their Spring 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it.

Bargello Socks. These are fun. I like that the designer took those stripes several extra steps by doing them a variety of ways.

Breezy Lace Tee. Very useful and wearable summer top.

Colorlines Throw. I'm loving this one, with its contemporary vibe and unusual but masterful colour combination.

Elephant Safari Children's Vest. Very cute.

Holmes Shawl. A lovely little piece with some quietly impressive stitchwork.

Interrupted Stripes Sweater. This looks sloppy, unfinished, and in general as though the "interrupted" in the design's name refers to the designer's efforts to finish this pattern.

Ironwood Shawl. A simple and attractive little wrap.

Painted Wrap. I quite like this unassuming but visually pleasing lace pattern.

Pearls Hat. Nice piece, and it would be a good way to use up some odds and ends of yarn.

Planting Cardigan. I like this piece over all, but I'm never much of a fan of cardigans designed to lie open in the front, as they generally look too small and/or unflattering.

Raving Stripes Pullover. I love this one. The flattering shape and and eye-catching striped yoke and cuffs add up to a striking look.

Shift Change Cowl. Oooh, pretty. Love the colours and the stitchwork.

Shoreline Shawl. Nice piece. It seems to drape well, and I'm loving the Celtic cabled border.

Spring Day Raglan. Way too sloppy and unfinished for my liking.

Spring Henley. Classic, handsome piece.

Springtime Mobile. So cute. That is an especially nicely rendered set of little toy animals.

Tuscany Wrap-Cardi. Not a bad little piece, and it would give the wearer a chance to show off a favourite shawl pin.

Valley V-neck Pullover. This is a smart little piece. I note that the neckband is not very well done -- it's puckering at the vee and is pulling the stripe up in the centre -- but if you are careful to make sure to pick up neither too few nor too many neckband stitches when you make your version, your project won't have that flaw.

Vines Swatch Cloth. Nice stitch.

Warm Stripes Set. The mitts are fine, but the legwarmers look a little too much like a scrap yarn project knitted on the fly.

Noro Magazine Issue 10: A Review

Noro Magazine has released Issue 10. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Pattern 1, Boxy Pullover. Love the colours, but would neaten up the fit to make this a Pullover rather than a Boxy Pullover.

Pattern 2, Basketweave Tee. Like the pattern above, I'd fix the drop shoulders, add waist shaping, and make this standard fit. Boxy fits simply aren't flattering on most women. As you can see, even this professional model isn't able to carry this one off.

Pattern 3, Marled Stripe T-Shirt. A nice-looking casual piece.

Pattern 4, Cabled Tee. I like this one on the whole, but would do that front panel in a seed stitch instead of mesh in order to avoid letting the whole world know what bra I was wearing underneath.

Pattern 5, Colorblock Tee. I'm not crazy about the combination of the cabled effect with the gradient moss stitch. It makes this sweater look like the result of a head-on collision between two different designs.

Pattern 6, Side Slit Tee. I rather like this one, and I even think the dropped shoulders work pretty well because the shaping is so good, but I think I might shorten the sleeves a trifle.

Pattern 7, Openwork Cowl. This is kind of fun, but it would make me feel like I was wearing some sort of artsy scarf hanger.

Pattern 8, Pleat and Eyelet Scarf. This looks a little too much like the kind of scrap yarn project that one makes up as one goes along. While drinking.

Pattern 9, Buttonhole Cowl. I'm quite liking this one with its fun and effective combination of colour and texture.

Pattern 10, Garter and Lace Cowl. This one also has too much of a scrap yarn project feel, though this one at least looks as though it was made by a sober person.

Pattern 11, Dimensional Tuck Stitch Cowl. Very pretty. The colours and the tucked effect work well together.

Pattern 12, Crochet Wave Poncho. Even a beautiful yarn and intricate stitchwork can't save a design that has the shape and hang of a Hefty bag.

Pattern 13, Rhombus Poncho. For the late bloomer who needs the world to know she is emerging from chrysalis, and therefore needs a chrysalis from which to emerge.

Pattern 14, Easy Striped Wrap. I would modify this by renaming it "Easy Striped Throw" and placing it on a couch.

Pattern 15, Chevron Jacket. This one almost works. I'd help it complete its transition from afghan to jacket by making the sleeves more fitted and adding front closures.

Pattern 16, Swingy Poncho. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you may know that I hold that items meant to be worn by a human being should not look like afghans. To this I must now add that clothes should also not look like curtain valances from a 1940s bordello.

Pattern 17, Lacy Ruana. This one also belongs on a couch.

Pattern 18, Chevron Throw. The design is fine, though I can't say I care for the colour palette.

Pattern 19, Modular Afghan. Fresh and pretty.

Pattern 20, Patchwork Afghan. This design deserved better than to be rendered in a "Barbie's Dream House Meets Mudslide and Oil Slick" colour palette.

Pattern 21, Patchwork Pillow. This pillow is done in such happy colours that they make me smile when I look at it.

Pattern 22, Origami Pouch. This is a rather nice-looking tote. I would line it with fabric and probably also some sort of interlining to keep it from sagging all to hell.

Pattern 23, Sleeveless Jacket. This design looks too unfinished and crude to be really attractive.

Pattern 24, Short Sleeve Jacket. Very pretty. Love the colour, the subtle lace pattern, and the cute, stylish shape.

Pattern 25, Dolman Sleeve Jacket. This has promise but it doesn't hang well at all.

Pattern 26, Sleeveless Top with Pockets. I'd add waist shaping to this one, and do something a little different with the pockets, such as adding little button flaps, instead of going with the bow shape and the eyelet detail on each one, which isn't working.

Pattern 27, Sleeveless Top. This is pretty. And I would neaten up the fit a little, but only because that's my personal preference. This loose-fitting top does look good as is.

Pattern 28, Cross Stitch Top. Interesting texture but I'm not sure the shape is so good, though it's hard to tell from this side angle photo.

Pattern 29, Vee Neck Pullover. Pretty, though I would make this a little more fitted and add waist shaping.

Pattern 30, Broomstick Lace Shawl. An attractive wrap with a very cool and interesting texture.

Rib Magazine, Issue 1: A Review

Podcasters Eric (from the Sticks + Twine Podcast) and Devone (from the Handmade and Woolen Podcast) have just launched a new knitting magazine called Rib, and guess what... it's written specifically for men who knit and those who knit for them in what may be a knitting magazine first. Vogue Knitting has done at least one special issue for men, but to the best of my knowledge there aren't any English language knitting magazine titles that offer only patterns for men. It'll be interesting to see what design direction the magazine takes, and how it does in sales. Let's have a look at the first issue.

Dragonmoss. This is a handsome, non-fussy piece that I can easily imagine the bachelors of my acquaintance being happy to have on their couches, even though in some cases part of the pillow's job would be to hide the beer stains and broken springs.

Lakeshore Boulevard Pullover. I'm liking this one, which offers a modern take on the traditional gansey pattern.

Metropolitan Hat & Cowl. An attractive and wearable set. I like the lattice stitchwork on both hat and cowl.

Patina Pullover. This pullover couldn't be plainer, but as always with a simple pattern, using a beautiful and/or interesting yarn will give it all the interest it needs.

Stalactite Scarf. This one combines some clever stitchwork with a very cool, interesting yarn.

Urban Aran Mitts. A very nice-looking and wearable pair of mitts.

I'd say this magazine is off to a promising start with its six solid designs, though I am hoping in future issues we'll see more colour and daring in the designs.