Monday 9 December 2013

Knitty Winter 2013: A Review

Knitty has published its Winter 2013 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?





The Superduper megacowl. This larger-than-life cowl won't be to everyone's taste, but if you like a certain element of playful exuberance in your wardrobe, you can probably carry it off. It can be worn as a shrug, and possibly also as a hammock. And with a gauge of 3 stitches to 4 inches, this will be a very fast knit.





The Princess Franklin cowl. In the accompanying text designer Franklin Habit tells us that the cowl is based on a recreation of an antique "Princess Mary" plaid scarf pattern and talks about how he chose the colours. I very much like this piece. The technique is an interesting one (it's knitted in garter stitch with the vertical lines woven in during the finishing stages) and replicates the look of a woven piece admirably well.





The Zaria shawl is attractive in an offbeat, modern way.





The Moebius Braid cowl. I quite like this piece. It's designed to be reversible, has an appealing texture and is oversized in a way that'll be easy to scale with the rest of your outfit.





The Streymoy cardigan. Love this one, with its elegant air. It's like a modern take on an Edwardian waistcoat.





The Henry Tudor pullover. Quite like this one with its terrific cable treatment. I'm not completely sold on those clasp fastenings. They don't quite accord with this sweater. I think maybe they're too high contrast colour-wise and would work better if they toned in better with the sweater.





The Galanthus tunic. This is quite pretty and wearable for women who suit the empire cut.





The Lempster pullover. This one is quite nice and wearable. My one quibble is with that front centre panel, where the cable panel looks a little randomly plopped amid the honeycomb stitches. If I were to knit this, I'd consider continuing a two-cable pattern throughout the honeycombing above and below the larger cable pattern.





The Key and Knot jacket is a nice classic piece. If you knit this one, be sure to make it big enough that it won't be pulling open a little between the buttons as it is here. Cabled patterns can be tricky to size because they're so dense.





The Whiteleaf pullover. This is ever so pretty, and so classic and go-anywhere that you'll be able to wear it until it falls apart.





The Parhelion pullover is another solid classic piece.





The Armande cardigan. This is a plain, retro-style cardigan which relies on good overall lines to work. And it has them. This collar sits very well. Do make sure to knit the sweater large enough for the wearer, as gaping at the button bands always detract a lot from the overall look.





The Vintersolverv is a classic pullover is based on the traditional Norwegian ski sweater pattern, and has the dropped shoulders that are usual with the style. Tradition or no, I'd raise the shoulder seam to the shoulder as a standard fit shoulder is so much more flattering on most women.





The Skullcracker cap. This is a pleasant enough little cap. I'm not crazy about the two-tone version. I think it looks better in single colour, or if you want to use two different colours, perhaps a more analogous colour scheme might work. The high-contrast colours look too tacked together.





The Duplice cap. I quite like this design, though again I don't think this is the pattern where a high-contrast colour scheme is the best choice. I'd go for two colours that nearly blend together, such as blue and lavender.





The Contempt headband will allow you to broadcast your stance on winter, whether that's love, hate, or both (in which case you could knit one expression on each side and reverse the headband as desired. I have to admire the wit of this concept, and for a woman putting a slogan on a headband definitely beats sporting it on your chest, since it will be stared at.





The Roses socks are very pretty. Love the line of leaves that blossom into a rose at the top. I'd just have to knit these in red or pink or apricot.





The Wraptor socks are very cool, if not quite the socks you'll want to wear the morning after the night before. Love the visual effect that makes them seem to move when you look at them.





The Olla mittens. These look more than a little clumsy to me, but if you don't mind that, they're otherwise fine, they will be warm and practical, and I do like the embroidered leaf designs.





The Sssstarter mittens. These aren't too exciting but they're wearable and pleasing enough.





The Peko cats egg cozy. I'm not exactly sure why this "cat's" whiskers are springing from its forehead, but this isn't a bad pattern if your tastes run towards the cute and whimiscal and/or you're trying to make breakfast time more fun for your children. Or if you just like your eggs kept piping hot.

Friday 6 December 2013

Knitting All Angels


Now that we're into December, I can start doing some Christmas posts. (You can see all my other Christmas posts here.) I could have started doing them earlier, but I am one of those sticks-in-the-mud who likes to get Halloween and Remembrance Day well over with before I get into the whole Christmas mode. This post is a selection of angel-themed patterns. I may not believe in angels, but they certainly are very pretty.

The first pattern, pictured above, is the Snowflake Angel, by Alan Dart. This pattern is available for download for $5.00(USD) and would make a good tree topper if your Christmas decor style runs towards the cute and craftsy.





The Angel Mittens design, by Jorid Linvik. This pattern is available for $6.00(USD). Doing them in a not specifically Christmas colour like the blue and white here will make them more wearable for the post-Christmas winter season.





I don't usually post too many dish cloth patterns, but the A Wing and a Prayer Angel Cloth design by Amy Marie is so simple and striking it could be used as a block design for an afghan or cushion. This pattern is available for $4.00(USD).





The Part-Time Angel toy design by Frankie Brown. This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download.





The Amelia angel dress, by Jenny Wiebe. This pattern is available for $4.00(CAD) and is sized from preemie to child's size 4.





This is the Gift of Angels Blanket, by Pauline Bilodeau. This pattern is available as part of a kit from Mary Maxim Canada and Mary Maxim U.S.





Here's another angel baby blanket, the Weeping Angels Blinky Blanket, by Jillian Cameron. This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download. I'd be inclined to replace the "don't blink" text from the centre with another weeping angels motif.





The Dishcloth Angel with Stars/Spüli Sternenengel, by Mamafri, is another dishcloth or potholder pattern that would make a great afghan block. This pattern is available for free.





This design is definitely my favourite of this post. The Forest Angel Chart, by Melanie Nordberg, is available as a free Ravelry download and is a chart rather than a pattern. I see it as an afghan or a wall hanging. If you rug hook, making a rug is an option.

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Britain's Got Finger Knitting



In this 2009 audition piece from Britain's Got Talent, three women show a tough room how to finger knit. Alas, the judges and audience were unappreciative of their craft, and in any case it looks like the three finger knitting ladies had the bad luck to audition on the same night as Susan Boyle, but it was a valiant effort.

Monday 2 December 2013

Box O' Cosies



FedEx's idea of what knitters are like and what kind of things they knit (or say they knit but that they actually crochet).

Friday 29 November 2013

Twist Collective Winter 2013: A Review

Twist Collective has published their Winter 2013 issue. Which, besides the patterns, includes four articles I totally recommend: an article on darning techniques; one on how to adjust the sleeve length of a finished sweater; one on the process of making historically accurate costumes; and one, by Franklin Habit, on the three yarn shops he especially remembers. But let's get to the main course and take a look at the patterns.





The Folki design. I want to like this, because I like the concept of a dress with a matching and removable cowl, but I don't care for the execution of this one. This tunic will make most women (including this model) look dumpy and frumpy and that cowl bears a more than passing resemblance to a Christmas tree skirt.





The Cypri shawl is beautiful and visually striking.





The Concertina cardigan. Whenever I see a pattern for an asymmetrical cardigan I always wonder how it will look worn open. It turns out this one has been designed to be worn open or closed, and it has a very good overall shape. Nice work.





The Lawsonia design. I think this one would look cute on some hip young girl or woman. Put it on a woman over 30 and she'll look like she walked off a Soviet Russia propaganda poster.





The Ptolemy shawl is exquisite.





Love the Peloponnese cardigan. This is my favourite type of clothing design: basically wearable and classic with a bit of modern edge to keep the look interesting.





The Bascule tam and fingerless mitts set. I very much like this one too. The pattern is striking but not so bold that it would be hard to make it work with the rest of an outfit.





The Torque stole. I rather like this one as well. It's an interesting modern piece, and with its gear-like motif I can see it going over well with the steampunk set.





The Hepworth design is a simple, serviceable cardigan with some detail to keep things interesting. Love the back view.





The Scrimshaw cap is kind of cute, but the shape is a little wonky.





The Thorntower cardigan. I rather like this one. It won't look good worn open, which is a shame, but otherwise it's a solid piece of work with good lines. I especially like the way the hem curves up in the front.





The Quill vest. This one is maybe not the most exciting piece, but it will be a useful and wearable one. The lattice effect on the front was a good idea as helps make the ribbing (which tends to bulk up the wearer) more flattering.





The Dessa cowl and tam set is really lovely. My one quibble is that I would make the cowl a little longer so it could be doubled around the neck. It looks a little spare tire-ish worn single at this length.





The Joist design is a nice modern take on the shawl-collared cable pullover.





Very much like the Sulwen pullover. It will flatter any woman, can be worn nearly anywhere, and the cabled sleeves give it some interesting texture.





The Sigulda design. The patterned circular yoke pullover is an old chestnut of knitting design that's been done thousands of times, yet this one manages to look like a new take on it with its waffle-patterned body and Art Deco-like yoke pattern.





The Ceana hat and mittens set is quite cute. The gold yarn used here gives it a beehive-like effect, but I see it in blue, which would make it look more like bubbles.





The Calabash design. Another simple, wearable design. This one calls for a yarn that will wear well and is in your favourite colour, because the wearer will want to live in it in winter.





The Ruddington cardigan. Very much like the clever checkerboard-like cable arrangement on the front.





The Sablier cardigan. This one's a basic classic, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.





The Piscataqua cardigan. Very prettily detailed little piece.





The Mitsu socks. Very much like these with their crisp, graphic patterning.





The Keynote cardigan is a very classic knitting pattern, but is a good example of one. The lines are particularly good and there is waist shaping.





The Isen design. This is another lovely and interesting shawl that has that "updated classic" look. I love the fluted edges.





Not sure I can get behind the built-in fingerless mitt feature of the Tarian design, even though I am sure they could be folded back into cuffs when desired. They just look silly worn down, as though the sleeves are too long and have holes in them. Otherwise I like the design, with its "updated Gansey" style.





The Lumi cowl. This design isn't bad. It's maybe a little on the rough and unfinished side for my tastes.





The Tuin design. This is very pretty, like Delft china translated into knitwear.





The Bayonne socks are nicely detailed and finished.





The Ephyra pullover. I like this on the whole, but I do think that textured strip up the right side of the sweater could have used a little more work. It looks a little crude as is. Otherwise, this design has good lines and it was a good idea to line up the asymmetrical collar with the textured strip.





I rather like the Greek Steps tunic, though the lines of the body may be a bit too blunt and rectangular for flattery. I'd be inclined to add a little waist shaping at least.





The Mayura cowl and mittens set. I very much like this one, which is definitely going to be impossible not to notice. The colours used here are a little retina burning, but in a good way.





The Prototype hat and fingerless mitts. I don't like the Prototype set as well as I like the Mayura, but it's presentable enough.





The Moogies mittens design is very cute and actually has a little sophistication, which is a rare thing in cat knitwear.





The Chimayo cowl and hat set. I quite like both these pieces, though I wondering if wearing them together might be a little much, visually. But then it seems the set is meant to be shared.





The Pixie Farts mittens. Before I noticed the name of this pattern, I was looking at the mittens and trying to decide if those were snowflakes. Having seen the name, I must concede that the motifs can only be what the pattern name says they are. Cute pattern and that name may just be the best pattern name ever.