Interweave Knits Gifts 2015: A Review

Interweave Knits has released a special gifts issue in time for us to make things for the upcoming holidays. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Sugar & Spice Hat. Cute and cleverly worked out as to colour and design, if it is more my idea of a hat to wear when one is going out for a beverage and/or baked goods, rather than a hat to sport when one is baking at home.

Felted Entrelac Potholders. These potholders are not bad looking, and rather eye-catching, which is a good thing in an item with a diabolical ability to hide itself away just when one wants it. These could also be made in colours to match your kitchen.

Buck Jacket. This is rather a nice, wearable piece, though it deserved a less blah colourway.

Felted Snowmen Pillows. Way too kitschy and slapped together for my tastes.

Mega Aran Throw. Classic Aran afghan.

Lucky Hearts Pullover. Quite like this beaded child's sweater, which is very wearable and the kind of thing many a little girl would love, but I would leave off the beads that appear on the bottom hem, as they look to be a touch too much to me. I would also neaten up the fit through the bottom. I don't like to put very fitted clothes on a child, but I don't like putting them in things that fit like a tent either.

Bulky Waves Scarf. This is definitely a more attractive and graceful-looking warm piece to pair with a winter coat than the usual bulky knit rectangular scarf.

Sister Legwarmers. The stitchwork is pleasing enough, but I can't say I find such short legwarmers flattering or attractive on even these models' legs.

Sweet Little Cardigan. Pretty and classic child's sweater.

Alpaca Poncho. This isn't an unattractive piece at all, though it does look a little constrictive to wear. But then this woman also puts her books under glass, so perhaps she has some compartmentalization issues.

Compordach Mittens. Nice mittens. I like the idea of using a different colour for the lining. Little hidden touches like that do add something to the pleasure of using an item, even if the wearer is the only one who knows they are there.

Gotland Mittens. Pretty, but I wish they were more shaped. I can see why they aren't though, shaping the wrist would spoil the looks of the pattern.

Appliqué Mittens. I would have taken this idea steps farther by say, making the appliqués more decorative and better coordinated.

Ragg Convertible Mitts. I wish I'd been able to make my father a pair of these mitts back in the day when he was doing construction work and he was wearing a pair of mittens over a pair of gloves and would take the mitts off to do anything that required manual dexterity. Such mitts would perhaps have made his work days easier and they would have matched his socks.

Starflower mittens. So pretty!

Damask Mittens. The child's version is very cute, but the adult version looks a little too unfinished.

Olivia's Journey. Very nice!

Newfoundland Mittens. I get that the index finger makes these mittens more practical, but man do they ever look ridiculous and even a little disturbing.

Madder Mittens. Another very pretty pair of mittens.

Fancy Braid Mitts. Not a bad pair of fingerless mitts.

Trapper's Hat. I am sure this is quite warm and practical, but it does look more than a little silly, like something a hipster mushroom farmer would wear.

Badge Cowl. This is handsome, wearable piece.

Homestead Shawl. This is Mrs. Hipster Mushroom Farmer, but at least she has better taste in knitwear than her husband. This is a rather nice understated piece, and would be a good project for a beginner.

Sampler Stole. When Mrs. Hipster Mushroom Farmer goes out to inoculate the mushroom logs, she likes to throw an afghan on over her coveralls. She was dressing like a couch before it was cool.

Plain & Fancy Hat. Mr. Hipster Mushroom Farmer felt that being a good mushroom farmer meant being one with the mushrooms, which in turn meant dressing like one.

Winter Thyme Cowl. Mr. and Mrs. Hipster Mushroom Farmer were generally mocked and shunned by their neighbours, but a few of them did deign to ask for Mrs. Hipster Mushroom Farmer's lovely cowl pattern.

Lace Ribbon Scarf. I'm not sure I would care to wear this one. It's so literal a rendering of a ribbon that it would make me feel gift-wrapped.

Orchid Scarf. When Mr. and Mrs. Hipster Mushroom Farmer decided to add start growing orchids as well as mushrooms, Mrs. Hipster Mushroom Farmer made a lovely orchid scarf to commemorate the occasion and to help her dress the part. As their neighbours agreed, those hipsters might be unbearably pretentious and have a incomprehensible suspender fetish, but they did usually know their knitwear.

Lace Basket Scarf. This one's a bit rough-looking for my tastes.

Galax Shawl. The lovely shawl that Mrs. Hipster Mushroom Farmer made and donned in an effort to entice the hired man to run away with her and start a new life as owners of an ironic bowling alley.