Knit Simple Winter 2016: A Review

Knit Simple has released its Winter 2016 issue. Let's have a look at the easy knits therein, shall we?





These knitted caps are simple and attractive.

These mitts aren't bad on the whole, but I think I'd omit the flaring cuffs and end (or begin) the mitts at the ribbing.

Not bad. I can't help wishing that fair isle pattern were a touch more subtle and complex.

Sweet little child's cardigan.

This hanging looks like a thrift shop seventies-era poncho someone hung on the wall.

Attractive and eye-catching afghan.

Very basic yarn basket. I suspect that one would have to keep it full of yarn or it would flop over.

A very smart pair of throw pillows.

These look like random swaths of knitting thrown randomly about a model's neck.

This model appears to have gotten her head stuck in her current knitting project which, whatever it is, was intended to be something other than a headband.

Boot toppers came out a few years back and I still haven't come around to liking them much, as I often do with new trends. I think I'd like these better if they were on a different kind of boot, such as something taller.

This is very basic, though I suppose it's useful enough. If you're knitting something very simple and easy, going with an interesting or beautiful yarn can be a good way to elevate the look of it to the next level.

Your basic oversized stocking cap.

Some simple warm socks.

This isn't a bad little tote bag, but it would need to be lined with fabric to keep it from stretching to hell and back.

Quite a pretty scarf. I like the lattice stitch.

This is a rather fun little topper for a simple, casual outfit.

A nice-looking heavy scarf with some decent texture.

Furry yarn does lend itself nicely to simple scarves. This scarf is made with a slit in it to help secure the scarf, but I'd just make it long enough to slipknot around the neck instead.

Classic ribbed sweater vest.

I prefer this one to the last one, as the stitchwork in this one is so much more interesting. I'm wondering if this photo and the previous ones are two sides of the same design, but I hope not, as I don't think they work together.

This one's rather a handsome piece. I like the combination of classic cables and ribs with the modern zipper.

Not such a fan of this one. The shaping is off, and whoever knitted this vest didn't pick up enough stitches around the neck, with the result that the neckband is pulling the horizontal stripes askew.





These two crocheted cowls appear to be made from potholders.

Not a bad hat. I like the addition of a faux fur pom pom.

Interweave Knits Winter 2017: A Review

Interweave Knits has released its Winter 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Limerick Henley. This is okay, but I'm not liking that dog-eared front placket. Wearing it buttoned up would solve the problem.

Cork Pullover. Classic cabled sweater.

Dublin Pullover. A particularly gorgeous fair isle pullover. Love the colourway.

Tullamore Pullover. Another solid classic.

Galway Pullover. Some attractively intricate cable work on this.

Bangor Pullover. A handsome classic.

Killarney Tunic. A simple tunic like this could be a useful piece in a woman's wardrobe. You might want to adjust the length of this one to the wearer's height, as a lot of women would find it difficult to carry off a long line piece. The idea is to make a tunic rather than something that presents as a shrunken dress.

Belfast Cardigan. This one's just about perfect -- it sits so well, and the cables are so well-plotted. I love the shawl collar.

Ennis Pullover. Unsurprisingly for what is clearly an Irish-themed set of designs (see the pattern names), the designers have gone all out on the classic cabled sweater.

Donegal Sweater. Love the diamond stitchwork in this one, and the shaping is very good.

Newcastle Cardigan. Strikingly attractive and unique.

Bray Cardigan. Another classic cabled cardigan.

Solstice Capelet. A lovely little capelet. This could be perfectly wearable for those of us who have no intention (or, er, opportunity) of getting married too.

Waxwing Shawl. A pretty and ethereal shawl.

Brambling Topper. What a pretty, lacy top.

Juul Cardigan. I wish I could be more certain of the design of this one -- it's difficult to tell what's going on in the front. It does look a little too much on the clumsy and bulky side to me.

Snow Bunting Jacket. This one would be a stunning piece to wear over a simple bridal gown or other dressy outfit. The lace work is gorgeous and the lines are simple yet stylish.

Maria's Veil. This one looks like quite a high-impact bridal accessory in the photo, but I have my suspicions as to how well it would remain in place if the wearer weren't clutching at it the way this model is. It is an undeniably impressive piece of lacework regardless. Also, if the name is a nod to The Sound of Music... well-played, Interweave Knits.

Now Doing Knitting Damage on Ravelry

I've set up a Ravelry group for the readers of The Knitting Needle and the Damage Done and/or its accompanying Facebook page. If you're on Ravelry (and of course you are), come join us!

The Fruits of Four Years

Yesterday was this blog's fourth, or "fruits and flowers", anniversary. I did a post of selected floral-themed knits for May Day several years back, which means my anniversary post be all about fruit-themed designs. These are the Citrus Mittens, designed by Kris Knits. I love the artistic and realistic level of detail in them.

Kid's Fruit Cap. These little fruit cap patterns are so ubiquitous on the knitting scene I had to include them. It's easy to understand why: they are cute, quick and easy to make, and very versatile, because one can change the kind of fruit represented by changing the colour and by adding or removing seed stitches as desired.

How cute are these are the Watermelon Socks, designed by Wendy Gaal? I can't believe I like them so much -- I am not a goofy socks person, and I hate watermelon.

Apple Cloth. I wish I liked using knitting dishcloths, as I'd then have an excuse to make some of the many, many dishcloth patterns that are out there, but I'm a J-cloth woman to the bone. The pattern for this one isn't available any longer, but it would be dead easy to recreate the pattern from this picture.

The Icewine Mittens, by Em Holbert. Very pretty and winter-y.

These Strawberry Booties, by Hrönn Jónsdóttir, are what the well-dressed baby wears to the Strawberry Festival.

The Grapevine Hat, by Amy Loberg. I love these rich, warm colourways for winter wear.

The Strawberry Top, by Ewelina Murach. This is simple, wearable, and cute, but I think I'd do the strawberry outline in duplicate stitch or even in intarsia rather than crocheting it on top.

The Watermelon Cardigan, designed by Kerstin Olsson. This is a Bohus Stickning pattern from 1961, and you might have some difficulty tracking down a pattern for it, but I had to include it because I love the way the beautiful colourway evokes a watermelon slice without being too literal.

The Strawberry Mittens, designed by Natalia Moreva. In the midst of winter, you can find an invincible summer, not only within you, but also on your hands. Top that, Albert Camus.

А компот?!, by Natalia Moreva. It's no coincidence that so many of the items in this post are mittens. Mittens are like little canvases for knitters, and they're also perfect places to run with a whimsical, intricate motif that might look too juvenile or be too much work on a larger item like a sweater.

Blueberry Mittens, by Ricaco Kimura. A simple and effective graphic rendering.

Four Years of Knitting Damage Done

Today is The Knitting Needle and the Damage Done's fourth anniversary. I wish the timing of it were more auspicious. As I write this, it's the morning of November 9th, and I'm trying to process the American election results. I have a very different knitting memory for this election than for the 2008 American election, when I spent election night contentedly knitting a pair of socks, pausing only to fist pump when another state was declared for Obama. The resulting socks, fittingly, went to a Canadian friend who lives in the U.S. I told him they weren't just any socks, but were historic socks. And also 10% cashmere.

This time around, I did indeed knit while watching the election results, but then I went to bed at about twenty minutes past midnight on November 8th. The election had not been decided yet, but it wasn't looking good, and it seemed more important for me to get a good night's sleep than for me to find out the results in real time. So I had about eight hours more of remaining in a mental state where a grossly unqualified and abusive man was not the president elect of one of the most powerful countries of the world, though I did not expect to wake up to good news. I didn't sleep well, or much, after the first three hours, and I did a lot of thinking. About the world's future. About the democratic process. About climate change, nuclear war, and racial, gender, and economic inequality. About my own role in the political sphere and in helping to resolve these issues, and my own goals. About this site, since it is part of the work I do. And about my knitting and crafting in other mediums, which will always be part of my life as long as I have reasonable use of my hands and my eyesight, but which seemed to require some reconsideration.

One of my conclusions was that I need to work harder and accomplish more, and prioritize better, to spend less time on trivial things. This is a difficult endeavour for me, as I have had chronic fatigue issues for over nine years. There are frequent days when I don't have the energy to leave the house, and the occasional day when I basically don't get up. It's been well over three years since I went out socially in the evening. The fatigue is as much mental as it is physical, and often leaves me with little ability to focus or to cope with any frustration or stress. Even the thought of doing something useful can feel overwhelming. And after nine years there seems little reason to hope I will ever get better. However, I think I can do better even within my physical limitations, and that hopelessness and defeat is a luxury and a self-indulgence I cannot afford. There is so much to be done in this world, and so many problems to be resolved. I want to get on my feet financially so as to be in a position to help others instead of needing help, and I want to learn more, get more work done, and contribute more to world. I think my contribution will largely be in the form of written work, as I'm not able to do much else, but I can certainly do that.

I thought about Eleanor Roosevelt during the election night as well. Eleanor Roosevelt was an inveterate knitter who took her knitting everywhere she went. She knitted during the U.N. committee meetings she chaired. However, she never let her knitting take precedence over more important things. She never let her knitting keep her from meeting her deadlines for the six-day-a-week column she wrote for 27 years, for instance, which makes me feel terribly embarrassed about my less than twice-a-week blog posting schedule over the past year. Part of the reason I do so much knitting is that I usually have the mental and physical energy to do it, but that doesn't mean I get carte blanche to knit when I could and should be doing other, more important things. I want to be the Eleanor Roosevelt kind of knitter.

I will be continuing to work on this blog, as it still seems worthwhile to me. I don't kid myself that a knitting blog can be a significant force for political or social change, but I think it's worth doing because I can do some good with it. I am providing a service to my readers by giving them an easy way to keep up with current knitting publications, and by helping them develop their knitting skills and their ability to critically assess a pattern. The site is entertaining, and a number of readers have told me that The Knitting Needle and the Damage Done is a welcome distraction during hard times. I also do my best to make this blog and its accompanying Facebook page a place where every knitter feels represented and welcome and where we all treat each other with respect. I also do occasionally get a chance to help publicize a good cause and speak out on political issues -- my rule of thumb is that I can write about anything on this blog or its Facebook page as long as I can find a knitting angle.

So, with these mental adjustments made, the fifth year of this blog lies ahead. Let's begin it together. As always, your suggestions and comments are welcome.