Interweave Knits Summer 2015: A Review

The Summer 2015 issue of Interweave Knits is out. Let's have a look at all the summery knitted goodness within, shall we?

Jubilee Kerchief. Fetching little accessory. If you're the type who can wear a kerchief without looking like something off a Soviet propaganda poster, which I unfortunately am not.

Highlands Headband. Don't care for this one too much. It looks like a Girl Guide craft badge project.

Figure 8 Head Scarf. This one isn't too bad. It has texture and a certain style to it. No link for this one because, as of this writing, the one provided on the Interweave Knits page is broken.

Berkshires Band. This one's better. Good stitchwork.

Olympia Headband. This is one you'll want to wear when you're getting all physical and letting your body talk while you do your Jane Fonda workout tapes on beta. In other words, you'll probably never want to wear it.

Appalachian Thermal. And here we have a sweater with what looks like a bookmark tacked on to the front placket. This sweater needed some interesting detail, but not this particular one.

Bartram Vest. Classic vest with a finished, polished look.

Mount Robson Pullover. A perfect, classic man's sweater. It's amazing how much the stockinette shoulder patches add to the look.





Clove Hitch Tee. Don't care for this one much. It looks okay on a professional model when styled just so, but a long loose top like this would look frumpy on most women. I'd neaten up the fit a bit at least.

Phyllotaxis Hat. Nice little lacy cap.

Wildflower Bolero. I'm torn between thinking this is a rather cute little topper for summer and thinking it looks like it was made out of an afghan. Making this piece in a different yarn would correct the afghan tendency, though.





Dianthus Cardigan. This one has not only a mullet hem but mullet sleeves.





Blue Columbine. This one looks a bit limp and unfinished, and it doesn't hang well.

Trillium Shawl. Lovely.





Western Slope. I like the back of this but the combination of the garter stitch and cables at the front doesn't work that well, and the shape is a little on the baggy side.

Larkspur Shawl. Another lovely shawl.

Chesapeake Jacket. Not a bad little piece. The colourwork is crisp and striking and shape is good. I'd normally advise fixing the slightly dropped shoulders but I doubt it's possible to do that without interfering with the crab pattern at the shoulders.

Magic City Henley. The shape is good, but the colourwork, which is meant to represent Birmingham, Alabama, isn't visually cohesive.





Chrysler Cardigan. Terrific design. It's got a sharp visual appeal, and the shape is both flattering and perfect for the charted design.

Cottage Baby Blanket. Nice piece. I do have a definite soft spot for this kind of very textured solid colour afghan, which always looks luxuriously and elegantly comfortable.

Sock Yarn Braided Trivets. These are adorable, like tiny braided rugs.

Twist Collective Spring 2015: A Review

Twist Collective has released its Spring 2015 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Wickerwork cardigan. Lovely! Great shape and detailing.

Placid cardigan. Hangs badly and has a rather ratty look.

Nephelai socks. Very pretty socks.

Wencelas cardigan. Lovely cardigan with great detailing.

Corallina shawl. Exquisite!

Seawillow pullover. Classic pullover.

Dulcimer cardigan. This is quite pretty overall, but I'm not sure I care for the "pulling apart at the bottom" look, which makes the item look too small.

Auster pullover. Classic and yet still different enough to be eye-catching. Nice piece.

Minthe jacket. Quite like this one, which can be worn at home with yoga pants or while out and about with a skirt.





Zaida hoodie. Who would have thought a hoodie could be this lovely and polished?

Orikata. Can't say I care for this one very much. It's going to look frumpy on most women.

Anemoi cardi. Pretty little summer top.

Airglow shawl. For a shawl with such simple stitchwork, this manages to bring the drama. It hangs so beautifully in the back.

Galatea scarf. This is cute and would be a way to add a bit of fun and femininity to an otherwise plain and practical outfit.

Windley top. Very nice summer top. It's simple and yet has enough detail to be attractive and interesting.

Antares shawl. Gorgeous.

Celosia top. Attractive and useful piece, because it could be worn as an underlayer as well as alone. It's well-shaped and has that little bit of needed detail.

Chartreuse shawl. Another very pleasing shawl. The stockinette and cables of this shawl will go better with modern, casual clothes than a lacy shawl would.

Godetia top. Pretty. I like the offbeat unexpectedness of the medallion design on the back.

Calyx shawl. Just exquisite.

Acanthus stole. The stitchwork is good, but this is an awkward shape and length to wear. Even the model isn't quite carrying it off.

Carajillo shawl. Nice piece. The zigzag stitchwork and edging give it a modern feel.

Fish Isle pullover. Adorable! I especially like that this designer has included some texture and stitchwork instead of just relying on the picture knit aspect to carry the design. It really raises the calibre of the piece.

Friesland blanket. Too gorgeous to be spit up on! I'd make this one as an afghan.

Demipointe surplice sweater. I'm liking this version of the surplice sweater. The use of buttons makes it so practical (i.e., it will stay in place and there aren't any ribbons dangling about) and updates it a bit, as does the use of a gradient yarn rather than the traditional pastel pink.

Quadrille socks. Very well designed cable socks. Look closely and you'll see these aren't just any old basic cables.

Espalier cardigan. Nice piece, and the small scale makes it work even better. Putting such a polished, detailed, ladylike design on a little girl is totally cute.

Elephanteau pullover. Another adorable picture knit. Which I think I would do in another colourway to rid it of that "Republican convention mascot" feel.

Knitter's Magazine 118: A Review

Knitter's Magazine has released issue 118. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

Red/Violet. This looks like something that appeared in a woman's magazine circa 1990, next to tips for creating an inexpensive homemade version of Lunchables for a child's lunch.

Refracting Diamonds. Nice shape and detailing.

Ultraviolet. Between the length and open work knitting's tendency towards stretching and shapelessness, this will look dowdy on most women.

Silver Status. Not a bad jacket. It has some polish and contemporary appeal. (I'm assuming that the one side of this cardigan isn't really 2.5" higher than the other and that the clasp normally lies straight across the front and it's just the model's pose that is making the sweater sit askew.)

Well Connected. Not a bad take on the classic cabled cardigan.

Radiating Ribs. I'm no fan of the spencer normally, but I do like this one. The lines are excellent, the yarn is attractive, and the styling is very well done. Spencers work best over dresses with either an empire waist or no defined waist at all (so that there aren't any competing horizontal lines), and the use of a shawl pin is inspired.

Skacel Collection. The caption for this design says that "[t]his mixed-media top—Artfelt® and knitting—begins with a center panel made with Skacel’s Artfelt® paper and roving, then joins knit side panels with short-row hip gussets and light-as-air sleeves". This does make for an interesting texture and colourway, but the baggy shape and sleeve length is going to be unflattering on most women.

Incline/Decline. This looks like some sort of seventies-era wall hanging that's been turned into a top. Maybe I'd like it better with a better, crisper colourway. These look muddy and tacky.

Surface Tension. This one takes a basic t-shirt style to the next level. I'd consider making this a little shorter and more fitted through the hips.

Accent on Stripes. This design is knitted from side to side in ripple stitch, and is buttoned rather than seamed at the sides, which an interesting and novel construction, but I think this may be one of those cases where a creative concept didn't get the execution it deserved. It's hard to tell without more pictures, and especially a clearer look at the front view. I might not include the stripes, as they do look a little too afghan-like.

Ripple Effects. Elegant summer cardigan.

Ocean Shale. This looks like it came from The Golden Girls' wardrobe trailer.

Static Resistance. Not bad. It's undeniably eye catching and has a good shape.

It's Just Physics. These have a certain casual appeal. I like the full-fledged top on the left better than the shrug on the right, which is pretty but does look a little like a cowl that's lost its way. The yarn used here is lovely.

Möbius X 3. They're all pretty so far as colour and texture goes, but the centre möbius cowl is much better styled. The other two look like sad flat tires.

Warp Speed. This design is very Missoni, and has a good shape, but I would not use variegated yarns like these for this item, but would go with a solid or flecked yarn. The stripes make it too much like an afghan for my tastes.

Blueprint Wrap. Very pretty shawl. I like the combination of the delicate lace and the precise shape.