The Knitscene Winter 2015 issue is out. Let's have a look at it, shall we?
The Queen Street Sweater. This is the cover design, and I can't say I agree that it deserves to be so featured. Despite the fact that this design employed a good quality silk, wool, and mohair blend yarn, it looks slightly shrunken and ratty and like something you'd keep for wearing around home. Incidentally, this sweater and the following five designs were given Toronto-related names as the two sisters who designed them are based in Toronto. Queen Street West is Toronto's street fashion, vintage clothing, and textile district; I go down there quite regularly to buy yarn, fabric, or other sewing supplies. Admittedly, one does see understated clothes like this on Queen Street West. It's not Yorkville, which is the high-end fashion district.
Bay and Gable Tunic. This one's better and has a rather nice, polished look. The bracelet-length sleeves and tunic length won't be to everyone's taste but are easily altered. The Bay and Gable name refers to an architectural style that is ubiquitous among Toronto's century homes.
Deep Woods Toque. Cute! I like the leaf motif and the thin line of colour with the matching pom pom. This design must have been inspired by the fact that one cannot live through a winter in Ontario without a toque.
Casa Loma Jacket. Not bad. This would make a nice topper for a cool day. I think I'd shape it a little more generously so it would meet in the front, as it looks a little too small on the wearer this way. I suppose the gray stone-like texture relates the sweater to Casa Loma, Toronto's one and only castle, a Gothic revival style mansion erected a century ago by a Canadian millionaire.
Yorkville Wrap. Attractive and polished wrap. This model would look quite apropos strolling around Yorkville, which as I mentioned above is Toronto's high-end fashion district, the Toronto equivalent of New York's Fifth Avenue.
Little Norway Pullover. A simple yet finished-looking and wearable design. The sweater is both a Norwegian-esque style and has a design that resembles military uniform chevrons, both of which tie it thematically to a bit of Toronto history I had never happened to hear about, the existence of Little Norway, a WWII-era Toronto training base for Norwegian air force personnel.
Red Loop Pullover. Classic cabled men's pullover.
Kaolin Tunic. Love the detailing on this (the collar looks fantastic), but am less than enthusiastic about the shaping. Very loose tunics like this tend to be unflattering on a lot of women. I'd turn this into a standard fit sweater, or at least make it not more than slightly oversized.
Field Notes Cardigan. I like this piece but am not sure about that slightly off-centre front fastening. It doesn't look quite asymmetrical enough to look deliberate and looks more like a mistake than a design feature.
The Hepsemantic Sweater. Nice piece. I like linear quality of the stitchwork, which gives a basic design a distinctive look.
Trapunto Vest. Nice-looking and incredibly useful piece. It's even reversible.
Chamei Pullover. Not a bad design. I'd want to knit this one in an especially attractive variegated yarn to give it a bit of a lift.
Snowfall Sweater. Adorable, except for the neckline, which looks too unfinished for my taste.
Fire Isle Sweater. Love this twist on the fair isle sweater. This design would have been my pick for the cover. I would fix those dropped shoulders, though.
Buffalo Checks Scarf. This has both a collegiate appeal and is adult enough for anyone well past their college days to wear. Also this looks like a great stash-busting project.
Vänskap Mittens. These look a little too juvenile for my tastes.
Northern Hat. Not a bad style, but I'm not liking how roughly the chevron motif was done.
Morphing Cowl. Wearable cowl.
Quetzal Cowl. This cowl is knitted in a scarf-like shape and then the ends are whip-stitched together to form a cowl. I'm not sure that the resulting formation works all that well. The pictures at the link provided show the cowl worn several different ways, and they all look more like something that belongs in a magazine spread rather than a style one would wear in real life. The lacework is lovely, as is the yarn used.
Finial Hat. Ooh, I like this one and would totally wear it.
Hotpoint Socks. Nifty!
No comments:
Post a Comment