Love of Knitting Summer 2016: A Review

Let's have a look at the Summer 2016 issue of Love of Knitting, shall we?

Belle Isle Socks. Quite pretty.

Bright Domino Skirt. This is almost Missoni-esque, which is an excellent thing, but that zigzag of green and white takes the look into "sixties lawn chair" territory, which is not a good thing.

Cable Mesh Blanket & Pillow. That's a very attractive cable and lace pattern.

Canyon Lace Tank. Simple and wearable, yet with just enough detail to keep the look interesting and polished.

Carys Scarf & Wrap. An interesting yarn choice was definitely the right direction for this one, as the basic design needed a lift.

Chloe Cardigan. This is a very smart and well-shaped little piece, though the borderline OCD part of my brain is mentally tweaking it so that it buttons all the way to the bottom.

Circus Train Coal Car. This must be intended to go with the little train engine toy in Love of Knitting's spring issue. I hope there's more of this train set to come, because the idea of a knitted train set is too adorable, and I can't wait to see the caboose.

Crocogator Booties. Cute. And appropriate for the kind of toddler who commonly leaves a trail of destruction in his or her wake. (Yes, I'm aware that's almost all of them.)

Curving Triangle Wrap. This is lovely, and the yarn combination is impressively striking and attractive.

Eyelet Tank. I'm not so enthusiastic about this one. The stockinette stitch upper section looks very good, but the mesh bottom half feels like a let down.

Fisherman’s Hat. I'm a little iffy on this one. Brims like this are apt to become sadly and forlornly floppy.

Hold My Calls Bag. Not a bad little bag, though I'd put in a zipper rather than go with those i-cord handles. It looks to me like a phone could easily slip past them.

Hold My Stuff Bag. I would have named this the Scrub My Dishes Bag, because it looks like a extra larger pot scrubber.

Knotty Scarf. This is quite chic.

Ladybug Swatch Cloth. I'm not sure I would have been able to figure out that this is a ladybug pattern if it weren't for the name of the pattern.

Lazy Daisy Tank. I wish this picture were better quality, but from what I can tell those daisies are very nicely rendered. The shaping is good as well, though I'm not crazy about the mesh sections.

My Mantra Wrap. The yarn is pretty, but this isn't an interesting design, and that oblong shape of wrap tends to look awkward when not being carefully styled and modeled as it is here.





Peek-a-Bunny Cardigan. The concept of a lace-trimmed cardigan with embroidered pockets containing a matching toy was a good one, but man did it not get the execution it deserved. The neckline is really poorly shaped and finished, it looks like there are chunks of lace missing from the bottom front corners, the ruffles on the pockets look like a mistake, the toy bunny looks like a cobbled-together afterthought, and the stitching around the pocket looks terrible.

Rainbow Pentagon Blanket. This one's fun, and looks very well crafted. And it's the perfect baby shower gift for the pregnant gay Wiccan in your life!

Sausalito Shawl. Very lovely piece as to both shape and stitchwork.