Vogue Knitting Holiday 2019: A Review

Vogue Knitting has released their Holiday 2019 issue. Let's have a look at the glam holiday-style knits in it, shall we?

Pattern #01, Victoriana. This sweater is designed to evoke women's sweaters of the 1890s, and I must agree that it is a nice update of that style, with its elongated cuffs and slightly puffed sleeves, while being completely contemporary and wearable.

Pattern #02, Marilla. Not so thrilled with this one. The slight colour change between the body of the sweater isn't working for me -- the effect is neither interesting nor effective, and just looks like it doesn't match. This would be a design to change up with a different yarn choice, because I bet it could be a good look with the right two contrast or complementary yarns.

Pattern #03, Oceana. I quite like the overall pattern of this -- it's bold and fun -- but I would scale it way the hell down fit-wise.

Pattern #04, Wallaby. Well... um... the neckband works. The dwarfed sleeves and front pouch don't, and the overal look is dull and bunchy.

Pattern #05, Gibson Girl. As someone with a love of Edwardiana, I applaud this issue's design direction. I don't think I could wear a puffed sleeve sweater because I'm someone who needs to downplay my upper half, but I certainly like looking at this piece, and those sleeves wouldn't be a pain to wear because of their neat-fitting cuffs.

Pattern #06, Rhombus. This is a fresh and contemporary take on the diamond pattern.

Pattern #07, Parallelogram. This is quite smart, but it is a cropped length, which isn't the easiest length for most women, and one would really have to break out one's design skills if one wanted to lengthen it.

Pattern #08, Quadrilateral. This designer has cleverly turned the "wrong side" into a design feature with a strategic use of the floats. The result is a reversible scarf that can be used to showcase two different looks. I'm impressed, and will be keeping this technique in mind for the argyle tam and cowl set I have on my 2020 project list.

Pattern #09, Losange. Very smart, and also wearable.

Pattern #10, Argyle. This is a nice update on the classic argyle vest. It would be a fun project for which to pick out a colourway, but I would advise staying away from a yellow and black combo for this one, as it would make one feel a little too Charlie Brown-ish.

Pattern #11, Openwork Shawl. This shawl is more about completing one's look than about warmth and practicality. It is going to catch on everything.

Pattern #12, Pull Jacinthe. Lovely. This design would be a good candidate for a luxury yarn, as it is pretty enough to be worn to a casual evening event.

Pattern #13, Fleur de Glycine. This one is both lovely and visually interesting, and has a fresh, contemporary feel. I just found myself spending several minutes straight looking at it, as the lines curved and undulated before my eyes.

Pattern #14, Iris Éthéré. Very pretty. I like the combination of the angora, the lace, and the beads, which has such a luxurious look, and also that the beads were used sparingly.

Pattern #15, Veste la Pivione. This is pretty, and as I consider the pattern further than its immediate impression, what suprises me is how wearable this piece is. It could work over a simple dress or top and trousers outfit, and be dressed up or down.

Pattern #16, Cramosie. This is lovely, and I would totally wear it myself. I would neaten up the fit a little, though.

Pattern #17, Châle de Lavande. A very handsome wrap. The stitchwork is beautiful.





Pattern #18, Pétale de Rose. Ordinarily if I were to review a one-sleeved wrap in seashell colours with a fringe of scale-like "petal stitch", I might be inclined to make jokes about mutant mermaids, some of which occur to me immediately, but in this case I just can't. "One-sleeved wrap" is a weird concept, but this designer has executed it with such incredible artistry that I can only gaze at the result in awe. The stitchwork is beautiful, the yarn is lovely, and this is actually an amazingly wearable piece because when the wrap's end is thrown over the sleeved shoulder as it is in the second photo, the silhouette is quite classic. Wow.

Mock Plaid Pullover. This is Vogue Knitting's "from the archives" pattern for this issue. It originally appeared in Vogue Knitting Fall/Winter 1985 issue. It has also been reprinted in a book of collected "classic" Vogue Knitting patterns. I find it hard to get behind, let alone in, a sweater capable of housing several people, but to each their own, I suppose.

Pom Pom Quarterly Winter 2019: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released their Winter 2019 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Acre. The design has an 80s vibe, although the colourway is quite contemporary. I would avoid doing this particular project in fuschia, royal blue, and teal. Come to think of it, I would avoid doing any project in fuschia, royal blue, and teal.

Afield. This a pretty decent design for the kind of neutral cardigan a woman might, say, keep at the office for chilly days. It's neutral and easy to wear, but also has some textural interest to keep it from being too basic.

Alatau. Love the texture in this little cap.

Arete. Not really a fan of the random slashes of colour on this one, but the shaping is good, so if you like contemporary art-like knits, this may be the knitting project for you. I would however definitely recommend that you knit the contrast colour slashes in a colour that doesn't remotely resemble the wearer's skin tone, as that can create an unintended visual effect. I did a double take when I first looked at this photo.

Hypsometry. Another cute cap.

Mafadi. Nice use of brioche and reverse stocking stitch here. This is interesting and polished, yet neutral.

Saltings. Nice stitchwork, and that mohair silk yarn looks luscious (as mohair silk always does), but the mock turtleneck collar and slightly dropped shoulders give this a slightly frumpy look.

Tellervo. A very decent classic cabled cardigan.

Terraform. These are so cute I might just have to make a pair of them for myself sometime.

Waterlands. Nice piece! It's hard to go wrong with a circular yoke design. I'd lengthen the sleeves to full-length, but that's just a personal preference, as I find cropped sleeves are an awkward, unflattering length on me.

Cast On Fall 2019: A Review

Let's have a look at Cast On's Fall 2019 issue today.





2x2 Rib Booties (left) and Smocked Booties (right). This designer came up with this design concept in order to keep her kitchen chair legs from leaving marks on the tile floor. I would not want to have to bother running chair booties through the wash as would be necessary at least occasionally, and I would hate to think what my cat might do to them, but maybe these aren't objections for you.

Arlene Tam. Very nice. There really is something about a fair isle tam.

Cabled Bonnet. This isn't half-bad. Caps designed to cover the ears tend to look frumpy, even silly, but this one has a quirky, medieval peasant look that actually works.

Cora. Gorgeous. This one is done in what is essentially the same colourway as the Arlene Tam, which gives the two a similar look, but I much prefer the Cora. It has a clarity of design that is stunning.

Diva Wristlets and Cowl. These have a steampunk-like look to them. I am pretty sure I would find these cuffs wildly impractical and aggravating to wear, as those dainty little ruffles are going to get dirty and snagged and into everything.

Garden Pullover. I don't like the flight of fancy the designer has tried to take with this one. The plain band of stockinette on the right side that the designer used as a basis for the line of bobbles just looks like a mistake to the casual glance. I'd be inclined to knit this sweater in the leafy lace pattern used throughout, as it is really attractive, and the shaping is good.

Gray-dient Sweater. This has a very cool, contemporary vibe. It reminds me of static on a TV screen.

Gremlin. Very attractive, classic look. The lace pattern is really lovely.

Heather and Lace. I would definitely fix the dropped shoulders on this one, which are giving it a frumpy line. I'd probably also forego making the knitted belt shown here in favour of a really smart purchased one, which would add much more to the look, especially if it were chosen to coordinate with some of the wearer's other accessories. The detail around the neck is nice.

High Street Pullover. This one is quite the accomplishment. The designer writes that she "has been fascinated with architectural lines lately and wanted to create a sweater that incorporated horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines that meet, alter course, and lure the eye into a mesmerizing pattern", and I must say she succeeded admirably. This sweater is amazingly eye-catching, rhythmic, and interesting for what is, after all, a simple cowl neck pullover.

Kisses & Hugs Vest. A handsome, classic vest.

Miaow. Fun and cute. I know a couple of cat-obsessed little girls who would be thrilled to get something like this.

Plated Ski Hat. This is a machine knitting project. It's... okay. I'm not really a fan of the square top shape for caps. I do rather like the contrast band.

Sea Views Triangular Shawl. This one has a rather awkward, "not quite working" look. I think perhaps it would work better with a better blended colourway. That aqua sticks out like a sore thumb.

Skimpy Chevrons Thigh-High Socks. One of these days I really must make me a pair of thigh-high stockings, as I have such a fetish for them. This design would certainly do as well as most of those that I've seen.

Slip Stitch "Cable" Mitts. These are lovely in terms of stitchwork, and that yarn has a luscious look to it, but I can't help feeling that the openness around the fingers would be a drawback, by letting in the cold as well as more concrete matter, such as say, crumbs. I'd be inclined to work in gussets between the fingers.

Smocked Pullover. This is attractive. It has a certain "old school headmistress's blouse" to it, but in a good way. Doing it in another colour than white or cream would go a long way towards downplaying the Victorian shirtwaist feel of this design, if you should wish to.

Smocking Hot. This hat has interesting, even rather unique, stitchwork.

When the Snakes. I'm meh on this one. It's not terrible, just flawed. It has dropped shoulders that cannot be fixed due to the placement of the diagonal bands on front and back, but at the same time... I don't think the diagonal bands really add anything to the design.