Twist Collective July 2018: A Review

Twist Collective has released their July 2018 issue, and it so happens to be their tenth anniversary issue. Let's congratulate them and have a look at it, shall we?

Metropolis. Not a bad little jacket. The collar sits well and the cable and pleat detail on the back make for a finished look.

Rockefeller. Nice, wearable piece. A sleeveless knit top with some interesting detail is such a useful piece for summer, because it can be dressed up or down, worn with nearly anything, and go nearly anywhere.

Heliotrope. Not bad. The ribbing detail gives the piece a contemporary feel.

Greenwich. This is quite a vivid, interesting piece. I'd put this shawl over a simple outfit.

Intrepid. Classic cabled cardigan.

Bellflower. Beautiful lacework in this one.

Alinea. This one's a rather interesting, modern-looking design. And though it has dropped shoulders, I think this is one of those rare exceptions when the dropped shoulders work so well with the design that it's unnecessary to fix them.

Deloraine. Pretty little lacy cardi for the warmer seasons.

Primp. This is cute, and has a couple of interesting twists. The ribbed cuffs and bottom are a nice touch, as is the way the triangular buttons echo the triangular lace motifs.

Concourse. Fabulously punchy. I couldn't not notice this one if I saw it on someone.

Windjammer. A crisp and lovely take on the classic Breton-stripe sweater.

Osculation. A very appealing contemporary-style wrap. I've used a photo that shows the entirety of the shawl, but as you can see from the other photos on the design's Ravelry page, it looks very good on.





Liminal. I like the back wrap detail, and the eyelet edging, but I've got my concerns about how flattering that A-line shape is likely to prove.

Eigengrau. That fair isle pattern is fantastic.

Aerial. This one has a certain minimalist appeal.

Solaris. Rather a nice piece with some pretty lace detailing.

Glint. What a darling little capelet.

Donastia. I would work the lace pattern in the sleeves all the way to the top of the raglan for this one rather than having the top part of the sleeve in stockinette, which creates a dropped shoulder effect.

Awelan. This is a rather graceful, flowy, layering piece.

Casablanca. Another eye-catching, contemporary-style shawl.

In the Bag

Last week I posted a selection of clutch and wrist bag patterns; in today's post I offer my picks for handbag/purse designs. I've also done posts on selected tote bag, messenger bag, and backpack designs.

The above photo is of the mini-backpack and handbag of the Tensity pattern, designed by Talitha Kuomi. Having scrolled through 65 pages of handbag designs on Ravelry to find the eighteen patterns for this post, I can tell you that I definitely recommend using commercially made handles, buckles, and other hardware to finish off a handknitted bag. It elevates the look from "homemade" to "polished". These bags simply wouldn't be nearly as smart-looking without their straps and buckles. Since selection of straps, handles, and hardware can be limited, I also advise purchasing them before you begin your project -- perhaps even before selecting your yarn -- as it can be such a letdown to finish one's bag project and then not be able to find complementary hardware. I also advise lining your bags whenever possible, even if the pattern doesn't call for it (these particular bags are lined), not only with a durable, washable lining fabric, but also with a sturdy interfacing and possibly also batting if it seems necessary to give the bag shape. This will generally require the use of a home sewing machine and at least basic sewing skills.

The Damask bag, from the Berroco Design Team. Felting is another recommended direction for handmade bags, as it makes the bag far sturdier than knitting alone can do. And it can be used to create some interesting visual effects. Love the damask flower on this bag, the handles work perfectly with it, and the braided cord adds a lot too.

The Viking Bag, by Karen S. Lauger. A classic bag. Interesting yarn and hardware choices will go a long way towards mitigating the "knitting bag" look.

The Billington Bag, by Snowden Becker. How cute are these bags? The stitchwork gives the simple shapes and colour choices all the interest they need.

The Cinch, by Nora J. Bellows. This looks exactly like the kind of bag you'd see in an expensive store and sigh over. The little metal label is a nice touch.

Molly's Carpetbag, by Cricket Toomey. This bag is so cute, and smart enough to carry with a suit. If my enthusiasm over this quality comes across as over-the-top, well, you weren't sitting beside me as I trawled through the aforementioned 65 pages of handbag designs on Ravelry, a disturbing proportion of which looked for all the world like toilet paper cosies with straps.

Tree of Life Felted Purse, by Cindy Pilon. The exception I would make to my "go with commercially made hardware and straps" advice is if you want a monotone look like this one, which of course you're often not going to get with anything but handles made from the same yarn.

Trellis Tote and Flap Bag, by Diane Sutliff. This one's a lot of fun. Noro yarns like these will make a uniquely colourful bag.

Bag of Checks. A felted, oversized houndstooth effect combined with a good shape.

That's Mr. Morris to You, by Jenny Tabrum. Here's another appealing handbag with an attractive felted motif and a good shape.

Floral Felted Bag, by Nicky Epstein. I think I'd know a Nicky Epstein design if I met it in the dark. She's very fond of whimsy and of tapestry-inspired designs.

Wishbone Cable Handbag, by Karen Payzant. Some interesting cabling in this, and the shape is good.

Bow Me Over, by Bonnie Golding. This project would be a fun one to pick out a yarn/fabric combination for.

Junior Doctor's Bag, by Mel Clark. The chevron stitch used here is such a good look with a classic shape.

Lacey Leaf Satchel, by Pam Powers. Very pretty and distinctive bag.

Evelyn, by Carol Galasso. Reinforcing flat felted straps with fabric is another handle option, and a good one, as this bag could definitely pass for "commercially made and sold at an expensive, trendy store".

Magnolia Handbag, by Sini Huupponen. Felted handbags make good canvases for some charming embroidery motifs if you're so inclined. This is adorable.

Plaid Felted Purse, by Cindy Pilon. Another super cute bag. Make this bag in a woman's personal palette of favourite colours and it will be a perfect and useful accent bag for her wardrobe.

Knitscene Fall 2018: A Review

Knitscene has released its Fall 2018 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Frances Sweater. Not bad. Putting this open-centre cables on the sleeves gives the classic cabled sweater design a contemporary feel.

Felicity Sweater. Nice. I like the inclusion of a touch of lace in the cable pattern.

Greta Cardigan. Another nice modern twist on the cabled cardigan, but I would fix the mullet hem. Ain't nothing modern or cool about the mullet.

Lucy Sweater. I love the Art Deco vibe of the cabled device on this one, and the detailed cuffs, but I would fix the dropped shoulders.

Olivia Sweater. Quite smart and striking.

Suzy Cardigan. Really attractive and wearable, with an interesting bit of detail in the cable across the back. I'd consider making this one for myself.

Natalie Sweater. The designer has tried to introduce some asymmetry into this piece, but didn't achieve the counterbalance that asymmetry requires. With one sleeve cabled and the other plain, and all that cabled detail on the bottom two-third of the body, this one has a lop-sided, bottom heavy feel to it.

Eleanor Mittens. These are so big and clumsy-looking they look more like oven mitts than cold weather mittens.

Wendy Cowl. Nice. That's one graphically striking pattern.

Margot Top. Honestly, this one comes across like some stretched-out thrift shop number some editor decided to include (and even more inexplicably style over a prairie dress) because they hadn't met quota on the number of designs for this issue.

Cate Cardigan. This one has a cute, fun, young look to it. Nice shaping and play of colour.

Ingrid Vest. This one would be a useful top layer for fall. And a way to brighten up the wearer's day if you go with a bright colour like this one.

Agatha Shawl. Very cool stitchwork in this one. It's like an art print.

Beatrice Sweater. I like the lace insert concept, but not that the lace piece hangs below the hem of the body of the sweater. It looks like a mistake. I'd fix that so the sweater has an even hemline all the way around.

Helen Cowl. Some really attractive stitchwork in this, and I like the combination of turquoise and copper.

(There aren't, at least as of this writing, Ravelry pages for this cowl or the three others that follow it.) I like this one, which has the look of a seascape.

I like this one too, with its simple yet effective check stitch.

A garter stitch cowl isn't a bad way to showcase a self-striping yarn.

I like the combination of the teal, lime, and white colour scheme and the garter and stockinette stitchwork. They set each other off.

Claire Sweater. Some lovely yoke detailing on this one, and the shape is perfect.