Showing posts with label Vogue Knitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vogue Knitting. Show all posts

Wednesday 8 March 2017

Vogue Knitting Late Winter 2017: A Review


Vogue Knitting has released their Late Winter 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it....





Pattern #1, Textured Poncho. Very loose-fitting numbers like this one are not usually my thing, but I have to admit this one works pretty well because of the careful shaping and detailing and interesting texture. The colourway used here really isn't to my taste, but I am enjoying imagining this piece done in lots of beautiful palettes.





Pattern #2, Raglan Turtleneck. A basic pattern like this one can be the way to go when you have an interesting or especially beautiful yarn to showcase. I'd recommend scaling down the length of this sweater to suit the intended wearer's height if she isn't model-tall.





Pattern #3, Cabled Front Pullover. I like this one on the whole, but I'm not sure that stripe of white on the bottom is working. I find it distracting.





Pattern #4, Color Block Pullover. Sometimes colour blocking works and sometimes it looks as though the knitter simply ran out of one colour of yarn. I'm inclined to think this is one of the latter cases, though the two yarns used do work together very well, which helps a lot.





Pattern #5, Striped Pullover. What a gorgeous play of colour.





Pattern #6, Man's Hoodie. Nice piece. The self-striping yarn makes for a more interesting take on the too-standard "stripe across the chest" men's sweater.





Pattern #7, Cable Front Pullover. Perfectly shaped and very wearable cabled piece.





Pattern #8, Broderie Anglaise Shawl. Interesting texture.





Pattern #9, Cabled Shawl. Beautiful wrap.





Pattern #10, Maruna Hat. Cute hat. I don't know if I'd go with the pom pom, personally, but certainly it will suit some women and is a fun touch.





Pattern #11, Long-line Scarf. A handsome and polished scarf.





Pattern #12, Over-Knee Socks. This a wonderfully comfortable-looking pair of knee socks, but the combination of pumps and pom poms is not one we'll often see anywhere but on a professional model in a magazine shoot.





Pattern #13, Cabled Sleeve Scarf. Nice cablework, but the open tube style of this scarf would make me feel like I had a pair of longjohns tied around my neck.





Pattern #13, Pom Pom Hat. Another classic hat topped with a furry pom pom.





Pattern #14, Cowichan-Style Pullover. This is nice on the whole, but I would have put a little more effort into that collar, which looks somewhat unfinished.





Pattern #15, Cowichan Style Socks. Oooh, I covet these for both their attractive Cowichan-inspired design as well as their very evident warmth and comfiness.





Pattern #17, Bouclé Open Vest, and Pattern #18, Bouclé Pullover. I'm afraid I'm one of those hidebound, narrow-minded knitters who will never be lured away from her belief that sweaters should not look as though they were knitted out of bathmat.





Pattern #18, Heartbeat Wrap. This piece is interesting, polished, and wearable. Love the gradient effect and the sharp graphic appeal.





Pattern #19, Floral Vest. A lovely piece on the whole, but I don't know how much I like that blurred effect on the bottom. It looks as though the colours ran in the wash.





Pattern #20, Striped Turtleneck. A simple but very sharp piece.





Pattern #21. This one just plain messes with my head. It's like a knitted Rorschach test. I see car mats and rivulets of slush, which I suppose says I'm Canadian ad it's mid-winter, and I'm relieved that my psychological profile is no worse.





Pattern #22, Gradient Graphic Wrap. This one's a little too afghan-y to work as a wrap.





Pattern #23, Lace Cowl. Gorgeous.

Thursday 29 December 2016

Vogue Knitting Winter 2016/2017 Issue: A Review


Vogue Knitting has released its Winter 2016/2017 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?





Pattern #1. Some beautiful stitchwork on this, and good shaping. I'm not usually a fan of asymmetry, but this one's got a certain balance and restraint to it that makes it effective.





Pattern #2. Some beautiful stitchwork in this one as well, but the hourglass effect is too exaggerated and the neckline isn't flattering -- or even comfortable-looking.





Pattern #3. I would have made this a touch neater-fitting.





Pattern #4. I would make this one a lot neater fitting, as it's more than a little tent-like.





Pattern #5. Some quite effective use of cable here.





Pattern #6. Nice piece, though I think the two cables could have been better handled at the top, where they merge into the collar.





Pattern #7. Oooh, this one is beautifully flattering and elegantly relaxed, and looks delightful to wear.





Pattern #8. This one looks like it was designed by four different people. Who were all drunk. It's a mishmash of yarn shades and flourishes that don't work together. And for some reason it's the cover design, though it's the worst design in the whole issue.





Pattern #9. This one will see its wearer all the way through her pregnancies and make a wonderful pup tent for her children to play in.





Pattern #10. This sweater is quite dramatic and even flattering here, though I have my suspicions that the model's thumb deserves most of the credit for the way the right side is conforming to the line of the model's upper body and that this sweater might not look nearly so good in real life. I do love the chevron pattern and the colour blocking and think they should have gotten some better shaping.





Pattern #11. Not bad. This is the kind of sporty, casual sweater one can wear with track pants.





Pattern #12. The modern fair isle pattern is rather striking, but I would make this piece in a relaxed fit rather than huge.





Pattern #13. I think I would have gone with two different contrast colours for the lines rather than just one. Using the main colour makes the effect a bit wonky, visually.





Pattern #14. I like the pattern overall, but my goodness is this piece enormous. Are oversized sweaters and tops back, and am I going to sound increasingly shrill and out of touch on this topic for the next little while?





Pattern #15. Very pretty. I'm liking the houndstooth pattern, the colours, and the shaping overall.





Pattern #16. Not a bad little wrap, but I don't think this colourway does much for it.





Pattern #17. I like this one the whole, but I'm scheming to get rid of those unsightly sleeve and shoulder seams. I think I would have designed this sweater to be knitted from the top down so that it would be seamless, though one would probably not be able to get a v-neck working that way. Also, this sweater deserved a better colour scheme.





Pattern #18. A very contemporary and attractive take on the argyle pattern.





Pattern #19. Love this hat. Both the pattern and the colour palette are perfection.





Pattern #20. A lovely cowl. The non-traditional colour combination serves the classic fair isle pattern well.





Pattern #21. A classic if rather basic cowl, with pockets that someone has inexplicably chosen to line with pieces of a granny apron. This pattern needed something, but it wasn't that.





Pattern #22. This is an inventive and contemporary piece, but I'd put it on a couch rather than on my back.

Wednesday 9 November 2016

Vogue Knitting Holiday 2016: A Review


Vogue Knitting has released its Holiday 2016 issue. Let's have a look at what's knitted and in vogue these holidays, shall we?





Pattern #1. A lovely contemporary piece, and it's reversible. I'd have put silver beads on this instead of gold.





Pattern #2. Very attractive and carefully detailed piece.





Pattern #3. Nice gradient effect.





Pattern #4. That's some awesome stitchwork, and the shaping complements it.





Pattern #5. Kind of schlumpy.





Pattern #6. This could work with the right outfit, but I think it would make me feel as though I were wearing a life preserver made out of the Michelin Tire Man.





Pattern #7. A handsome and super warm-looking throw.





Pattern #8. Love this one. But then solid colour sweaters with beautifully intricate yokes are my jam.





Pattern #9. Oh Vogue Knitting, it's like you're designing just for me.





Pattern #10. Very pretty fair isle, and the colourway is charming.





Pattern #11. Nice cardigan, though my one nitpick is that those sleeves are an awkward length.





Pattern #12. The pattern is rather eye-catching, though it deserved better styling than to be worn over a x-larger t-shirt, which gives the total look a "just running out to a convenience store in pajamas" air.





Pattern #13. Quite a simple effect, but it's attractive enough.





Pattern #14. The texture's kind of interesting, but the selection of a variegated yarn made the final result way too busy, and this is a style that will look frumpy on most women, especially when it's so bulky.





Pattern #15. That's some impressive stitchwork, but this would look better as the afghan it so nearly is.





Pattern #16. Nice looking shawl. I'd like to see this in a more interesting colourway.





Pattern #17. I'd be afraid I would slap someone with all the excess sleeve drapery every time I raised an arm.





Pattern #18. This looks a tad on the heavy side, but I do like the intricately worked mosaic stitchwork.





Pattern #19. Some incredibly striking and impressive stitchwork in this one. And the kimono shaping works with it.





Pattern #20. Nicely shaped and detailed jacket.





Pattern #21. I can't say I care all that much for this shaping of this wrap, but the mosaic stitchwork is so incredibly impressive that it almost carries the piece. I'd still rather see this done as a jacket or as a shawl rather than as a hybrid of the two.





Pattern #22. The fresh blue ripples of this are pretty, but I would neaten up the fit and fix those dropped shoulders.





Pattern #23. These legwarmers are a cute and very young-looking design, but I can't help but feel they need feet in them.