Knitty Spring & Summer 2017: A Review

Knitty has released their Spring & Summer 2017 issue. Let's begin our look at it with this pattern (which is also their issue cover shot), the Dingle hat. It's fun and pretty and I love the beautifully worked-out gradient colour scheme.

Stripdot. These have a slightly rough, crude look that's not very appealing.

Borrowed. This is a fabulous piece of work. Such gorgeous lacework, and I like that the designer did interesting directional work with it.

Amalgam. The Amalgam is designed to be wearable as a capelet and as a skirt, though as it is only 15" long it seems more likely to be used solely as a capelet. But then my opinion on this may have been coloured by the chronic skirt length argument that's been going on between me and my mother since I started buying my own clothes in 1987 and that, like the "I should have gone to teacher's college" argument, shows no sign of letting up. I do quite like this as a capelet. The mosaic strip is attractive and effectively blends the contrast colours together.

Brightstairs. This is... okay. I was going to recommend going with another colour scheme, but I think this might be a piece that needs a bright, offbeat colourway, as the design itself is offbeat.

Bakanasu. This piece has some really gorgeous stitchwork and it does appear to sit well, but I am having a hard time getting past the combination of acid yellow and eggplant yarn.

Checked Raglan. Not a bad piece. It has some nice detailing and shaping and good lines.

Thysania. The designer of this piece writes that "Thysania is a hybrid of a shawl and a cardigan, or an oversized shrug" and that she challenged herself to make a piece in the shrug style that was flattering on her. This is a difficult style to make work, and I think she succeeded. This sits and drapes really well. The stitchwork is interesting too.

Airelle. Nice little summer top with good lines. I'm imagining it in a variety of fun, fresh colour schemes.

Recital. This is one of those elegantly simple pieces that can be worn with practically everything in a woman's wardrobe and for most occasions for year after year -- until it falls apart from long, hard, quiet service. Draped necklines are hard to get just right, and this one works well.

Lycka. Not a bad little summer top. I'd make it a few inches longer, as it looks a little awkward and cropped as is.

Maryjane. The shape and the design isn't bad, but I don't know if I'd go with the yarn used here. It's a hemp yarn, and it doesn't drape well and gives the piece a stiff, boxy look.

Blurred Lines. This piece was custom-designed for Mindy Kaling's character on The Mindy Project. It has a certain "classic menswear meets one of the Peanuts Gang" vibe, and I can imagine it working if styled in the right way, which is to say, not the way it's styled here.