Vogue Knitting Late Winter 2018: A Review

Vogue Knitting has released its Late Winter 2018 issue, and it features actress Krysten Ritter on its cover. Ritter has appeared on the Facebook page for this blog twice previously: when she first took a journalist who was interviewing her yarn shopping with her, and then gave her knitting lesson afterwards; and then when she taught (or made a valiant attempt to teach) Stephen Colbert to knit during an appearance on The Late Show. I already liked Ritter for her appealing screen presence and admired her for her acting, so her evangelical passion for our craft is a delightful bonus. That said, let's have a look at the knitwear she models for us (and in one case, designed herself!), as well as the other designs in this issue, shall we?

Pattern #1, Turtleneck Dress. If you're a depressed and exhausted homeschooling mother of seven whose only social contact with other adults is to call your own mother every night and cry because you can't get your kids to go to bed, this is the look for you.

Pattern #2, Cable Inset Cardigan. The stitchwork in this piece is good, but the overal lines and shaping isn't. This has such a visually dragged-out, bottom-heavy, shapeless look.

Pattern #3, Colorblock Cabled Pullover. Sigh. Vogue Knitting seems to have gone full out frumpy for this issue.

Pattern #4, Cable Pullover. Classic cabled pullover.

Pattern #5, Cabled Pullover. I rather like this one, in which the designer has taken the classic cabled pullover in a slightly different direction by varying the direction of the cables.

Pattern #6, Two-Tier Pullover. The designer of this sweater went for an innovative look by including a cropped top over layer, but I don't think it works. I keep staring at it thinking that there must have been shrinkage or a yarn shortage involved in its construction, and that's never a good reaction to a knitwear design.

Pattern #7, Easy Krysten Sweater. Respect to Krysten Ritter's modelling skills, but I don't really care for her design. I think I'd fix the dropped shoulders, add a little waist-shaping, and be sure to do this sweater in an interesting yarn to give this very basic design the oomph that it will need when Krysten Ritter isn't it.

Pattern #8, Slouchy Raglan. I'd neaten up the fit on this one by quite a lot. The armhole shaping appears to start at the waist level, and even the professional model it's on can't quite carry that off.

Pattern #9, Simple Cardigan. This is another piece that is pure "depressed and exhausted homeschooling mother of seven" style.

Pattern #10, Seed Stitch Pullover. I am not opposed to a seed stitch oversized turtleneck in theory, but the reality is there's oversized that is "a relaxed, comfortable fit", and then there's oversized that "fits like a house and will knock things over every time you turn around". Guess which one this is.

Pattern #11, Pompom Wrap. This is kind of fun in its way, but I can't imagine actually wearing a wrap of this size and bulk. I'd be inclined to make this "wrap" a little larger and then leave it on the couch.

Pattern #12, Big Chill Wrap. This is a beautiful piece of work, and it's supposed to be worn as a wrap, but it would be another piece I would feel belonged on the couch.

Pattern #13, Chunky Cardigan. This thing fits and sits so poorly. I've seen tents I was more tempted to wear.

Pattern #14, Cable Pullover. Another classic cabled pullover, this time in a standard fit.

Pattern #15, Brioche Pullover. This piece is reminding me of Dakota Fanning's fabulous puffed sleeve costume ensembles in the late nineteenth century drama The Alienist, but although it is an interesting and original piece with some fantastic brioche stitchwork, it could stand a few tweaks to make it more flattering. I'd fix the dropped shoulders and make the body a little longer and neater-fitting in order to balance out those leg o' mutton sleeves.

Pattern #16, Chevron Lace Vest. The lacework and the hand-dyed yarn used here are beautiful, but these unstructured trailing pieces basically never appeal to me.

Pattern #17, Feather Cowl. Inventive, whimsical, and wearable.

Pattern #18, Waterfall Shawl. This is another shawl that looks as though it belongs on a couch, and more specifically, on your Great Aunt Myrtle's couch. Doing this piece in a solid colour or at least a less "granny afghan"-like colourway would help, as the lacework is quite attractive.

Pattern #19, Domino Shawl. A attractive, wearable and contemporary wrap that definitely looks as though it belongs on a person.

Pattern #20, Woven Scarf. Nice texture and an interesting construction on this scarf, unsurprisingly, as it was designed by the ever-inventive Nicky Epstein.