Showing posts with label Interweave Knits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interweave Knits. Show all posts

Monday 10 October 2016

Interweave Knits, Holiday 2016: A Review


Interweave Knits has released their Holiday 2016 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?





Knotted Mittens. I do love Celtic knots, and it's not often one sees them on mittens. As an aside, I am suddenly consumed with the desire to buy a tartan down vest.





Montgolfier Hat. Classic cabled hat.





Entwined Capelet. The intertwined cabled pattern is well worked out, and this cape is so well-shaped that it hangs beautifully.





Mason's Hat. Another handsome cap.





Mason's Scarf. A classic scarf to go with the cap just above.





Traveler's Socks. Oooh, wouldn't I love to have these in my sock drawer on some cold winter's day.





Nested Knot's Hat. Quite like this one, with that unique-looking band around the bottom.





Traverse Mitts. A good-looking pair of mitts.





Snowman Family. I've seen cuter snowman families. The button on the front looks random and pointless, the arms don't look right (snowman have short, straight stick arms, not long curved ones), and the snowmen need hats and possibly noses.





Reindeer Woods Blanket. The colour scheme could have been better planned, but otherwise this is quite a desirable piece. I like the whimsical border pattern, and it was a smart idea to line this piece as the chartwork won't look good from the wrong side, and it will also make it warmer and help it keep its shape.





Moccasocks. Very inventive and striking.





Latvian Mittens. So pretty, and I love the muted colourways.





Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas Stockings. I'm not sure how much I like the "ho ho ho" sections of this stocking, as they look rather muddled to me, graphically speaking. Otherwise the design is quite attractive and the stocking looks as though it would hold a decent amount of goodies and trinkets, which is very much to the point when it comes to providing a stocking for Santa to fill.





Deep Winter Stole. Oh my goodness. I would find this piece too large to wear and would use it as an afghan instead, but is it ever a fantastically gorgeous piece of lacework.





Mantilla Stole. Another very impressive piece of lacework.





Shetland Shawl. Exquisite.





Windsor Vest. A fairly classic vest done in an offbeat colour scheme. Changing up a fair isle's colour palette like this is a good way to make a fair isle design look fun and current for a child.





Little Snowflake Sweater. This is so perfect I may just have to make it for my grandnephew. It's very clever of the designer to have put the snowflake bands on the sleeves rather than across the chest as per usual.





Tiny Tidings Overalls. This is a little too "odd droopy drawers" for my liking. It looks like something this area mom would have come up with.





Schoolwalk Cap. I'm not a big fan of the Peruvian Cap for non-Peruvians, but it is cute on a child. This is reversible, which should help a bit with keeping the cap presentable between washes as well as making it warmer.





Stirling Sweater. Nice piece. I like the detail around the neck and the cuffs.





Little Badger Girl Pinafore. I can't say I find this jumper pleasing. It has a certain crudeness and lumpiness to it.





The Hat Stocking. Strikingly attractive.





Wee Mittens. Cute, although anything on this small a scale generally is cute.





Norwegian Mittens. Some impressively intricate chartwork on these.





Balmoral Dress. I very much like the chartwork on the hem and the pockets, but the neck and armhole edgings have a rough look to them. I think I'd do this one in a finer yarn (it's a worsted) and add sleeves for a more polished look.

Monday 8 August 2016

Interweave Knits Fall 2016: A Review


Interweave Knits Fall 2016 is out. Let's have a look at it!





Harvey Pullover. This is fairly basic, but attractive enough. I'd fix those slightly dropped shoulders and go for a non-oatmeal-like colour.





Augusta Cardigan. Good shaping, and I love the back.





Damien Cardigan. Rather a nice sweater coat, but the pockets bother me. They're too small to look proportionate and not well enough integrated into the design.





Catlett Shawl. What a lovely piece.





Botero Pullover. A very handsome look. I'm really liking the subtle fair isle stripe effect.





Kathe Cardigan. The back and sleeves are excellent, but I'm not sure I'm liking the way those front opening edges sit.





Hirst Pullover. I rather like the jesery shirt-like styling of this one, but I'd do it in a less blah colourway.





Calder Pullover. Lovely lace pattern on this one, and good shaping.





Rodin Cardigan. The body of this is pretty good, but those very abbreviated sleeves look ludicrous.





Edmonoia Shawl. Another good-looking shawl.





El Greco Pullover. A classic cabled pullover with enough variation from the usual in the cable pattern to make it feel distinctive.





Azure Lake Sweater. Like this one. The slightly offbeat colourway makes it feel fresh, though still masculine.





Rawah Pullover. Pretty basic, as well as rather 80s, but it's certainly nice and wearable enough.





Fall River Vest. Beautiful classic fair isle vest.





Bandelier Socks. Quite like the design, with the thin ankle band stemming out from the heel. Not crazy about the colours used in this sample, but then that's easily changed.





Neota Cardigan. Great stitchwork and good shaping in this one.





Bear Lake Pullover. Some good stitchwork on this one too. Almost any man would be glad to wear this piece.





Nakai Peak. Nice cap with some great textural work.





Thompson River Socks. This is the design version of the ubiquitous ribbed and red-striped gray work sock, and I must say it's a successful one.





Comanche Hill Cardigan. I like this cardigan on the whole. The colourway is attractive and the design is striking and effective (the design was inspired by "the gorgeous baskets woven by the Washoe people of Nevada and California"), but I'm not liking the way it lies in the front. Tying it shut with a skinny belt over the model's rib cage wasn't a particularly happy thought either.

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Interweave Knits Summer 2016: A Review


Interweave Knits has released its Summer 2016 issue. Let's have a look at it.





Cruz Shawl. This is a lovely piece of lacework that I am trying very hard not to associate with a certain former American presidential hopeful.





Catalina Shawl. Gorgeous.





Ventura Tank. Well shaped, nicely detailed, and I love the back.





Anacapa wrap. Beautiful.





Venice Top. The yoke is a nice piece of design, but the bottom is so shapeless and frumpy even on this model, and I don't know what's going on at the centre point of the bottom of the yoke, but whatever it is, it looks like a hole and a mistake.





Rosa Wrap. Another attractive shawl.





Clemente Tank. This is rather fetching and stylish in a contemporary sort of way. I wouldn't want to wear anything with this sort of loose front panel as it adds bulk and I don't need my front bulked up to a greater extent than nature has already done, but it could look quite good on a smaller-breasted woman, and I love the back.





Kingston Tank. Not bad. The lace side panels are a nice touch. I'd consider making this a little longer so that it could be worn as a beach coverup.





Pierpoint Shawl. Lovely. This is definitely an issue for lace shawl lovers.





Rimrock Vest. Useful and rather handsome little piece.





Two Tree Cardigan. The stitchwork is attractive and the shaping isn't bad overall, but I do wish those open fronts sat a little bit better.





Crossroads Carryall. This is a nice-looking classic bag -- it's like a knitted equivalent to the iconic Land's End tote. It's lined, which will make it reasonably sturdy.





Rivers Blanket. This is quite attractive and cleverly designed. The designer has gone with a Hudson's Bay blanket-inspired colourway, which does look nice, but I'm imagining it in a lot of other palettes as well.





Timbers Sweater. Classic shawl-collared men's sweater.





Harding Cardigan. Quite like this one. It sits so well, and it has a certain relaxed elegance to it.





Trail Henley. This is a comfortable and nice-looking piece.





Pinewood Pullover. Good shaping (I do love a ballet neckline), and the stitchwork is attractive.





Pathway Tee. Nice shaping, and the lacy back gives it all the interest it needs.





Santa Fe Belt. This is a little boho for me in style, but there's no denying that this belt is well and carefully designed.





As a bonus, Interweave Knits offers sewing patterns for these two sewn items, the Chief Joseph Skirt and the Whisperwool Clutch. I'm not thrilled with either pattern, as the skirt doesn't have particularly good lines and the clutch looks like something slapped together, but if you find them appealing, there are patterns available at the links provided.