Vogue Knitting Winter 2014/15: A Review

Vogue Knitting has published their Winter 2014/15 issue. I've been sitting on this one waiting for Vogue Knitting to publish their usual corresponding 360 degree videos on YouTube, but they haven't done so as yet, so I'm going to go ahead with the review and add the videos later when/if they get posted. Let's have a look at the knitwear currently in vogue, shall we?

Pattern #1, Mosaic cowl. Love this piece. The pattern looks like a graphic, modern take on a snowflake theme.

Pattern #2, Short Sleeve Pullover. Interesting texture, and I like the piece overall, but that is one awkward sleeve length. I'd shorten or lengthen it.

Pattern #3, Chevron Pullover. Lovely, though I would neaten up the fit.

Pattern #4, Garter Stitch Pullover. Love this one. It's eye-catching and modern and innovative in the best possible way.

Pattern #5, Long Fringed Scarf. Lovely!

Pattern #6, Art Deco Mosaic Shawl. Really striking, modern, lovely take on an Art Deco theme. I am getting more and more sold on the concept of mosaic knitting, which I've never tried myself. It's a distinctive technique that has a lot of visual depth and nuance. Must do a post of selected mosaic patterns so I'll have an excuse to spend hours on Ravelry checking out all the mosaic patterns in their database.

Pattern #7, Mosaic Bomber Jacket. Love this one. The mosaic pattern positively demands to be looked at, and this design has great shape and detailing.

Pattern #8, Mosaic Sampler Pullover. Not so thrilled with this one. The stitchwork is good but the shape is frumpy.

Pattern #9, Mosaic Blanket. Nice piece, though I long to see it in a more striking colourway.

Pattern #10, Sheer Stripe Raglan Pullover. Not thrilled with this one, which looks too much like those huge bulky shaker knit sweaters that were in back in the late eighties.

Pattern #11, Textured Pullover. Very nice! Love the delicate stitchwork used here.

Pattern #12, Lacy Pullover. Very pretty!

Pattern #13, Cabled Turtleneck. Love this kind of elegantly casual wear. The cabled detail and the turtleneck draw attention to the wearer's face. Now if I only had a little (okay, a lot) more neck so I could wear this.

Pattern #14, Funnel-Neck Pullover. Between its bulk, its horizontal stripes, its dropped shoulders and general boxiness, this one hits the trifecta of unflattering design. If you like the texture, skip the stripes, fix the dropped shoulders, and add a little shaping.

Pattern #15, Chunky Vest. This is a nice little piece. I love the detailing at the shoulders, which turns an otherwise plain, basic item into something more interesting and polished looking.

Pattern #16, Oversized V-Neck Pullover. This looks slapped together and unflattering.

Pattern #17, Batwing Pullover. Except for the shoes and the fact that there's no DayGlo involved, this is a totally 1980s look. And some of us won't get fooled again, thank you.

Pattern #18, Broken Rib Pullover. If you want to make this one, I recommend fixing the dropped shoulders and adding some waist shaping. As you can see, it's doing this professional no favours as is.

Pattern #19, Dropped Shoulder Pullover. Again, fix the dropped shoulders, add a little waist shaping, and neaten up the fit. I'm not saying every women's sweater design has to be a fitted little number, mind you, but even women's relaxed fit sweaters ought to be subtly shaped rather than being an oblong.

Pattern #20, Bijou Two Piece Set. It's a big red carpet trend right now for celebs (the female ones, that is) to show a slice of midriff. Every time I see it I hope and long for the day when it goes out of style. I don't dislike it nearly as much as the "sheer dress over granny pants" look that is also currently on trend, and heaven knows we've seen much more revealing looks on celebrities, but no matter how attractive the celeb or how lovely her ensemble otherwise is, that glimpse of stomach always looks too declassé and casual for a formal event. Save something for the beach, people. And now we're seeing it in knitwear — and not just any knitwear, but knitwear that, given its bling detailing, seems designed to be worn out at night. One wouldn't be likely to wear this outfit to a formal event, and I suppose it's appropriate, if perhaps a little drafty, for going out to a restaurant or club or some such, and anyone who doesn't care to show off/air condition her abs can always lengthen it a few inches, so I'm not exactly having the vapours here. Maybe my real objection is that this may mean the midriff peepshow is here to stay and we'll soon be seeing this feature not only in evening and prom dresses but on brides, bridesmaids, mothers of the bride, and flowergirls.

Pattern #21, Revenir Jacket. I don't dislike this cutaway jacket, but I do think it would be challenging item to wear. Large or even medium-breasted women should probably steer clear of it entirely. I don't think it's well styled even here, though that may be because the colours aren't working that well. I'd be inclined to put this jacket over an empire-waisted dress to keep the competing visual lines to a minimum.

Pattern #22, Burke Zippered Top. This is interesting conceptually but needs more work. The back looks quite good and the zippered front pieces are kind of cool, but all those extra folds in the front combined with the dowdy sleeve shape and neckline make the item unflattering even on this professional model.

Pattern #23, Gabrielle Coat and CeeCee Cowl and Muff. We haven't been given a good enough look at this coat for me to assess it. I will say I like what I can see of the bottom but am unsure about the collar. I do like the cowl, but the muff is... unwearable. It looks like a sweater sleeve gone so wrong that the knitter thereof broke entirely with reality, decided it was a pet, named it Scruffy, and put it on a chain so it could be taken for walks.

Pattern #24, Plaid Pullover. Quite like this one. It has a fresh, summery look in this colourway.

Pattern #25, Plaid Wrap. Hmm, the colourway is bold but it works. I can't help but think this is maybe a bit too large scale for most women though, and might work better on a couch in general.

Pattern #26, Cloche with Plaid Band. Very much like this one, with its incredibly accomplished deployment of garter stitch plaid. I was just thinking that this appeared to use the plaid technique that Franklin Habit once used on a design of his, in which horizontal lines are woven through the piece after it's knitted, when I noticed that the designer of this piece is in fact Franklin Habit.

Pattern #27, Tartan Pullover. Well-shaped and well-tartaned. I wish this set of plaid patterns had been around when I was writing a post on selected plaid patterns last winter!

Pattern #28, Shawl-Collar Cardigan. Love this one unqualifiably. It looks like a perfect little piece from the 1930s.