The Muses of Creativity and other knitting fables

Tessa's new sweater design also doubled as a bean bag chair.

Sometimes Willow and Cleo liked to get dressed up in their sleek, post-modern designs and move about and head butt each other in a sinuous, cat-like way.

On one of his stealth missions to earth, Arlnxxoq had accidentally stumbled onto a fashion runway, where he tried desperately and futilely to signal his home planet, unaware that he was being simultaneously acclaimed as the latest fashion sensation.

Being president of the Canadian chapter of the KISS fan club was a big and sometimes frustratingly complex responsibility, but Brad always had his knitting to help him stay calm and brainstorm solutions.

Nyssa thought her new "Melted Crayons" fashion line had turned out well.

The Dexter family decided that since the family therapy didn't seem to be helping they'd save themselves some money by coming up with their own methods of fostering togetherness and resolving difficulties, such as spending every Friday night in their animal masks, worn backwards, meowing, barking, roaring, and trumpeting at one another to express their innermost feelings. And they were happy with the results, because Backwards Mask Night built such a bond that they were able to present a united front when their neighbours began to complain.

When Joletta realized she didn't have enough free time to properly commune with the Muses of Creativity out in the garden, the Muses suggested that she drop out of her knitting club and began to create her own knitwear by glue gunning crap all over her sweaters.

Torrance was thrilled with his new raving outfit. His psychedelic yarn and shoes would make him stand out in any crowd of ravers.

May was thrilled with her steampunk bridal outfit, though as her mother pointed out, she didn't look it.

Riva had been hired to create costumes and sets for a new extreme knitting themed version of The Wizard of Oz that had been tentatively titled The Oz., and she was rather proud of how her Scarecrow costume had turned out.

Twist Collection Fall 2016: A Review

Twist Collective has released its Fall 2016 issue! Let's have a look at it.

Rumford. A classic with some nice stitchwork.

Carrick. I wouldn't wear this because I don't care to add more bulk to my chest area given that it's plenty bulky already, but I have to admit the exaggerated size of the cable isn't a bad effect.

Coax. Not bad. The ripple effect is not a favourite look of mine, so that's making me tepid on this one. I think a more subtle colourway might do more for this one.

Windvine. Love this one. The intricate cables and the shaping are perfect.

Byway. A very decent piece. The way the cables turn under the pockets is an original and effective touch.

Sangria. A smart and useful little cardi.

Proscenium. I like this one, with its relaxed, country feel. The side buttons are a different touch.

Wickford. Very attractive cardigan. That collar sits so well and the cable detailing is good.

Carnelian. The sleeve detailing on this one is excellent but the body looks shapeless and bulky by contrast. The design has a certain "eighties-era Shaker knit decided to morph into something better but changed its mind 40% of the way into the process" feel to it.

Sinua. Very pretty cable and lace stitchwork on this one.

Echinacea. Nice set. I very much like the stylized floral design.

Bibelot. I do like a theme knit that's cute and whimsical in an adult way. The devices here look a little steampunk-ish.

Lithograph. The hem's very attractive but those lines criss-crossing the body look more than a little straggly.

Dulcia. Another nice little cardi.

Svaritifoss. I'm loving this "lace over stockinette" effect and would love to see the technique explored further.

Saplings. I love a good tree-themed knit, and these mittens are as good an example of that design category as I've seen. The designer has used the shape of the mitten to define the tree, and it works beautifully.

Eyebright. A lovely little wrap.

Naturalist. Classic ganseys. Adding a contrast colour at the cuffs, neckband, and waistbands isn't a bad way to freshen up the look.

Efflore. Nice set. I love the stylized leaf outline.

Smoky Lake. Classic double-breasted cardigan. About which my only complaint is the one I usually make about double-breasted patterns: that it looks great when buttoned up, and bad when worn open.

Pavers. Very nice set. The unusual double-line cable effect gives it interest and sophistication.

Mosey. A good-looking design in both the the male and the female version. The endless variations possible with cables never fails to amaze me. There's always a way to freshen up this centuries-old knitting technique.

Antrea. Nice set. I'm liking the dimensional effect created by the combination of cables and ribs.

Peak Alpaca: A Video

"I vote we use 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain' for a theme song."





In Peak Alpaca, an animated short by Anna Hrachovec, a sheep and two alpacas embark on an epic journey to get some forbidden fruit.

Interweave Knits Fall 2016: A Review

Interweave Knits Fall 2016 is out. Let's have a look at it!

Harvey Pullover. This is fairly basic, but attractive enough. I'd fix those slightly dropped shoulders and go for a non-oatmeal-like colour.

Augusta Cardigan. Good shaping, and I love the back.

Damien Cardigan. Rather a nice sweater coat, but the pockets bother me. They're too small to look proportionate and not well enough integrated into the design.

Catlett Shawl. What a lovely piece.

Botero Pullover. A very handsome look. I'm really liking the subtle fair isle stripe effect.

Kathe Cardigan. The back and sleeves are excellent, but I'm not sure I'm liking the way those front opening edges sit.

Hirst Pullover. I rather like the jesery shirt-like styling of this one, but I'd do it in a less blah colourway.

Calder Pullover. Lovely lace pattern on this one, and good shaping.

Rodin Cardigan. The body of this is pretty good, but those very abbreviated sleeves look ludicrous.

Edmonoia Shawl. Another good-looking shawl.

El Greco Pullover. A classic cabled pullover with enough variation from the usual in the cable pattern to make it feel distinctive.

Azure Lake Sweater. Like this one. The slightly offbeat colourway makes it feel fresh, though still masculine.

Rawah Pullover. Pretty basic, as well as rather 80s, but it's certainly nice and wearable enough.

Fall River Vest. Beautiful classic fair isle vest.

Bandelier Socks. Quite like the design, with the thin ankle band stemming out from the heel. Not crazy about the colours used in this sample, but then that's easily changed.

Neota Cardigan. Great stitchwork and good shaping in this one.

Bear Lake Pullover. Some good stitchwork on this one too. Almost any man would be glad to wear this piece.

Nakai Peak. Nice cap with some great textural work.

Thompson River Socks. This is the design version of the ubiquitous ribbed and red-striped gray work sock, and I must say it's a successful one.

Comanche Hill Cardigan. I like this cardigan on the whole. The colourway is attractive and the design is striking and effective (the design was inspired by "the gorgeous baskets woven by the Washoe people of Nevada and California"), but I'm not liking the way it lies in the front. Tying it shut with a skinny belt over the model's rib cage wasn't a particularly happy thought either.