Bergère de France Magazine #167: A Review, Part 2

Today's post is the second half of the review for Bergère de France Magazine #167, Part 2, the first half being posted yesterday.





Pattern #22, a child's jacket, looks cute at first glance and then you start noticing how the front is puckered and that the lapels are badly shaped. This is a good concept that didn't get the execution it deserved.





Pattern #23 is a baby's cardigan and bootees. This design is workmanlike enough, I suppose, but just sort of meh. And the zipper really should have been ivory rather than white, to match the trim on the sweater.





Pattern #24 is a very basic v-neck pullover, given a little interest with a textured yarn. Most young boys would probably be perfectly happy to wear this sweater in their favourite colour.





Pattern #25 is a classic cardigan that the designer somehow managed to screw up. The front edges, pocket and cuffs all look askew and random and distracting instead of working together harmoniously as they should have.





Pattern #26 is a textured vest. The pattern is so unfinished looking it screams "beginner project" and "homemade".





Pattern #27 is another amateurish pattern that would make a young boy look and feel like his mother dresses him funny. Do the editors of Bergère de France not know what boys actually like and wear?





Now that's better. Pattern #28 is a baby's cardigan that's actually fairly successful. The lacy pattern is pretty and the neck fastening is interesting, though I would take care to use buttons that matched the yarn or use some cute novelty buttons rather than just using utilitarian white ones. Pattern #29 is a pair of crocheted sandals, and I can't say I care for them. They look cute at first glance, and then you start noticing that the ankle straps are too loose and the sole is buckling away from the foot. I wouldn't want a baby to be trying to learn to walk in these — they will not stay in place.





Pattern #30 is a simple little top with a dragonfly pattern in the front and sleeves that echo the design. Very pretty, easy design.





Pattern #31 is the child's version of Pattern #28. I don't like the child's version as much as I did the baby version (the top fastening looks awkward) but it's still pleasing enough.





Pattern #32 is the child's version of the dragonfly baby top we saw in Pattern 30. It's a nice top in both versions. Bergère de France certainly does make sure to get maximum mileage out of any good ideas they get.





Pattern #33 is a chevron-pattern "comboshorts" or playsuit. I can't say I'm taken with it. The pattern and colour combination are too heavy and dreary-looking for an outfit that could only be worn on a warm sunny day.





Pattern #34 is a chevron-pattern sphagetti strap top. I rather like this one. The pattern is striking and the colours are pretty. The pattern would be too much for a full pullover, but used in a small dose like it is here, it works.





Pattern #35 is a jacket with chevron-pattern sleeves, and I don't think it works. The sleeves look too tacked-on. It's a shame, because the designer went to the trouble of colour coordinating the buttons and giving the hemline and neckline a chevron shape. I'd knit this sweater all in one colour and just have a subtle chevron pattern in the stitchwork.





Pattern #36 is a tasseled scarf. It's not a bad look and cute be a cute accessory for an adolescent girl, but the construction does look really rough.




Pattern #37 is a necklace I can't say I admire. I suppose it wouldn't be so bad if you just left the tassels off, but honestly... beads strung together on wire would be much more attractive and take less time. Or you could just go to Claire's.





Pattern #38 is another simple little number that you'll want to choose an interesting textured or beautiful hand-dyed yarn for to give it some interest.





Pattern #39 is the same short sleeved top as we saw in Pattern #40 in a child's size. The same comment applies.





Pattern #40 is a mesh lace pullover. It's nothing too special but is attractive enough. The tassels on the necklace make the sweater look like it's coughing up a yarn ball.





Pattern #41 is a pullover with an "African-style" design on the front. I don't know how authentically "African" that image is, and without knowing that I wouldn't knit this sweater. Cultural appropriation has to be done with care.





Pattern #42 is a cute striped baby hoodie.


So that's my first Bergère de France review over with, and I'm underwhelmed. There are some cute ideas in it, but those are reworked too many times, and too many of the patterns are truly amateurish or even bad and only look cute because they're on an adorable child. All the patterns in it are really easy. There's nothing to interest an experienced knitter, who could easily replicate any pattern in it with the aid of the patterns he or she already has. I know Bergère de France's patterns are produced as a marketing tool for their yarn and such pattern magazines tend to be less innovative than knitting magazines whose manadate is to provide interesting designs, but Rowan is also a yarn company magazine and you don't see them putting out a lacklustre effort like this. I'll review the next couple of Bergère de France issues, but if this is par for the course from them I may be dropping them from my list of magazines to be reviewed.

Bergère de France Magazine #167: A Review, Part 1

Today's review post concerns a magazine I haven't done before, Bergère de France. I'll be covering all its issues from now on, starting with its most recent edition, Magazine #167, which contains spring and summer patterns for kids age 0 to 10. Since there are 42 patterns in this issue, I'll split the review into two posts, the second of which I'll post tomorrow.





Pattern #01 and Pattern #02 are a pretty little sweater and hat that can be made and worn separately or as a set. The bodice is knitted and the arms crocheted. A little girl could get a lot of wear out of this one, as it would look good worn over a simple summer dress as well as with a t-shirt and jeans or shorts. Love the scalloped edging — finishing details like that really elevate an entire design. The hat is simple yet pretty and can also go anywhere from the beach to church.





Pattern #03 is a crocheted and knitted sleeveless top. I'm not as enthusiastic about this top — the shaping is a little awkward, but it's still attractive enough.





Pattern #04 is a crocheted dress. Very pretty, and I love this coral colour, but I would be uncomfortable with how much of the child's skin (and underwear) are going to be visible through those holes. I'd either make the child a cotton slip to wear underneath this dress or, more likely, just make another pattern with better coverage.





Pattern #05 is a strappy baby's sundress and Pattern #06 is a matching pair of mary jane slippers. Very cute, though I'm not crazy about the flat, squarish bow on the front. I'd want to fix that bow to look more like a bow should look.





Pattern #07 is a pretty little cardigan. I'd want to put a button or a ribbon tie or something at the top to make it stay closed. As far as I can tell from the picture, it's not fastened in this sample and it isn't going to lie closed like that for long.





Pattern #08 is a simple little striped pullover. The colourway doesn't appeal but that's probably just personal preference.





Pattern #09 is an almost aggressively unappealing doll. A square head with a stringy little body and limbs? Really?





Pattern #10 is a simple little striped dress in that brown and yellow colourway, which is not improving on acquaintance. This dress will look much more appealing in just about any other colourway.





Pattern #11 is a little dress, hat and bootees, which are quite simple and pretty. This time we got a white with the same yellow. There must have been some sort of overstock of that yellow in the warehouse.





Pattern #12 is a very cute little cardigan. The bows on this one have a little more shape to them and really add to the appeal. I'm also impressed that the bodice stripes and the sleeve stripes match up at the armhole seam.





Pattern #13 is for a "comboshorts" and hat set. I don't see the appeal of this one. It's a onesie with an odd side fastening, and it has the exact same narrow stripes and colourway we've already seen half a dozen times in this magazine. Go for a little more variety, Bergère de France.





Pattern #14 is a simple garter stitch striped pullover with a double pocket in front. It's an okay pattern but nothing special.





Pattern #15 is a zip-front ribbed jacket. It's a basic, classic design. The pocket openings do look a little rough.





Pattern #16 is a pullover with a front double pocket and striped sleeves. More stripes, more brown and yellow, though at least this time it's brown and yellow in a different brand of yarn than what was previously shown.





Pattern #17 is a pair of rompers, and they're very pretty. I love the embroidery on the crocheted yoke, which is an easy and not very time-intensive way to make a very basic pattern into something special.





Pattern #18 is a pair of sandals that will go with the rompers above. That embroidery really is a very nice touch.





Pattern #19 is a pair of pants that are meant to be worn over a baby's diaper. I really wouldn't bother with this pattern at all. I can't see the point of spending all that time making something so very utilitarian and, well, unattractive, when it can be bought quite inexpensively. Hurrah for mass production, and save your crafting time to make interesting and distinctive things you can really enjoy.





Pattern #20 is for a hat and bracelet. The embroidered hat is really pretty. Although I don't usually like jewelry made from yarn, I think I might have to yield a point and say it's fine for little girls, who can only wear fun little bits of costume jewelry anyway.





Pattern #21 is a simple little knitted dress with a touch of embroidery on the yoke. Very pretty.

Look for the second half of my review of Bergère de France Magazine #167 tomorrow morning.

Apocalyptic Casual Style and Other Knitting Fables

"Afghan patterns are too pretty to just sit on the couch, so I adapted one to make this great top! I think it's fantastic, especially with the gumball armband I made. What do you think? Hey, do you have any more LSD? I'm out."




Ramona felt her new Apocalyptic Casual line had turned out quite well.





Ever the thrifty mom, Lesia made herself a wrap out of her children's discard toys and yarn from their outgrown mittens. Now, she thought, she just had to figure out a way to upcycle her husband's holey socks.





Nadia combined mesh from her grocery shopping bags, upholstery fabric from her couch, tassels from all her cushions, and leftover paint from the guest room renovation to make a statement about who she really was: a miserably unhappy housewife who needed to lock up the liquor cabinet and put the fact that she'd once flunked out of design school behind her.





Kim made every effort to wear the latest in secretarial wear, and so far her boss's only comment had been, "Kim, your bra is showing. Please fasten your coat. No, I don't care if it is too warm in here for that, you should have worn something suited to a temperature-controlled environment." Kim decided she was jealous.





Lillian was just waiting for her hair to finish setting in the appropriate bouffant style before she went out in the world and strutted her stuff in her new crocheted ensemble.





Rocco soon learned that the first rule of Knitting & Fighting Club is that you don't use a stitch gauge.




Ever since he'd lost his job as an accountant, Richard had left his gray suits hanging in his closet and embarked on a quest to discover what his sartorial style really was.





Susana's grandma, besides being a former swimsuit model, had always been one not to waste anything, and when Susana inherited her grandmother's crocheted afghans, she thought the best way to honour her grandmother's memory was to put them to good use as a fetching bikini and coverup combo.





Christie had finally figured out how to stay warm and avoid any possibility of bruising during falls at the weekly Teen Fun Skate at the local rink. Now, she thought, she was already to go to the skate and meet some boys!


Coming up: Look for the Bergère de France Magazine #167 tomorrow morning.

Two Toys, One Knitting Project

Designer Susan B. Anderson has published a new book this spring, Topsy-Turvy Inside-Out Knit Toys: Magical Two-in-One Reversible Projects
, and the designs in it are not only topsy-turvy and inside out, they're adorable. This stop motion video shows the toys being turned inside out. Anderson's main area of focus as a designer is on making children's toys, and her work is generally very cute. Check out her other designs on Ravelry.

I'm reminded of how much I loved those reversible princess/Cinderella dolls I sometimes saw as a child, and thinking I'm going to have to subvert that unanswered childhood desire into making a few such toys for my three-year-old grandniece and her new sibling, who will be joining us in July.

Mad Knitted Style

If you watch Mad Men, you've almost certainly admired the costuming. Have you ever wondered if you could knit a replica of a Mad Men costume piece? If you have, get in line. There are loads of knitters making Mad Men-inspired projects. It's no surprise, of course. Mad Men is a show as much admired for its fantastically detailed and period accurate costuming and set design as it is for its excellent writing and acting. So many of those costumes look so damn good that the show has been a huge and pervasive fashion influence, with Banana Republic even partnering with Mad Men's costume design Janie Bryant to introduce entire Mad Men-esque clothing lines. A sewing pattern for a blouse I was making last fall referenced the show in its instructions.

I am finding as the sixties wear on in the world of the show that the costumes and set designs are becoming, though no less historically correct and impeccably rendered, less visually appealing. My theory is that this has less to do with changing and less classic fashions of the late sixties than with Janie Bryant's efforts to depict the ever-growing complexity, moral compromises, tension, and pain of some of the main characters' lives. Janie Bryant's work is setting a whole new standard for costume design — not only do her costumes recreate the look of an era and the very specific socio-economic status of each character while remaining grounded in realism (i.e., the characters don't get whole new wardrobes each season), but they also point up the show's narrative and themes and even add poetic layers to them. Fashion bloggers Tom and Lorenzo are doing a wonderful series of Mad Style posts in which they analyze the costumes; if you are a fan who hasn't read these posts, I can't recommend them enough. Tom and Lorenzo were actually one of my sources of inspiration for launching this blog; I wanted to write about knitting and knitting-related matters in the kind of smart, insightful, and entertaining way that they do about style.

But I digress. If you'd like to plan a Mad Men knitting project, there are a couple of approaches to take. The first way is to recreate a Mad Men knitwear item exactly. It won't be too hard to do. Sweaters such as these, worn by Don and Megan Draper, are classics and will look perfectly appropriate in 2013. There will be a lot of really similar patterns available on Ravelry or in the public library or in your own pattern collection that are very much like these and can be adapted into a near-pefect replica.





Sweaters such as those above are less elegant but have their own appeal, especially if you like a little hipster kitsch in your wardrobe. Love that "dorky but loveable" stepdad thing you're working there, Henry Francis.





If you like Peter Campbell's secretary Hildy's mittens from the season three episode "The Grown Ups", the blogger at Very Pink has recreated them nearly exactly and generously shared the pattern with us all. She even went to the trouble of recreating the "waking up Pete" shot, which made my day. I find the shot with the dog much more appealing the the one with Peter. That dog probably has a better understanding of the concept of fidelity and more self-control than Peter Campbell ever will.




Another route to creating a Mad Men style project is to make a knitted replica of a Mad Men costume that's not knitted. The blogger at Skiff Vintage Knitting Patterns did an excellent job of recreating Peggy Olsen's fantastic little office dress as a sweater, and says she may go all the way for a future project and knit an entire dress like it.

These are some wonderful Mad Men looks I'd love to see rendered in yarn.





...and here's a look I have seen rendered in yarn, and wish I hadn't. I keep imagining Jessica Paré's expression when she was shown this and told she was going to be wearing it in this episode.





The other route to Mad Men knitted style is to consider the Mad Men look a starting point and proceed from there to create a version that is updated and/or customized to the individual looks and style of the wearer.

Best of luck with your Mad Men-inspired knitting endeavours, and feel free to post about or link to your efforts in the comments!