Showing posts with label Knitscene. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knitscene. Show all posts

Friday 21 April 2017

Knitscene Summer 2017: A Review


Knitscene has released its Summer 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it.





Blocker Tank. Wearable and sporty little tank. Though I would not wear it over a t-shirt as it is styled here.





Coney Island Shawl. I'm not sure the striped garter section and the lace section really work together in one wrap, though I like them when I consider them separately.





Crossover Tank. Not a bad little piece for summer, though I'm not sure this drab colourway is doing much for the design.





Fern Stole. A lovely piece. And the stole size is so useful, as it can be worn as either a wrap or a scarf.





Foglia. This is my kind of design: a simple, flattering shape with just that little bit of an unexpected twist in its details that makes the look interesting and distinctive.





Hannah's Racerback Tank. And this is very much not my kind of design. It's baggy and saggy and unflattering. I would have given this piece a much less dashing name, such as "Hannah's Butt Curtains".





Jammer Shorts. If I had been told in advance that someone was designing a pair of knitted jean-style shorts for this issue, I would not have had high hopes of them, but these aren't bad at all -- in fact, I am even considering making a pair for myself. They've got some good detailing and shaping and they look good in all four of the photos Knitscene has posted on the pattern's Ravelry page.





Joni's Lacy Cowl. Not bad, though that mesh would make me feel as though I was wearing a grocery shopping bag around my neck.





Kricka Top. I absolutely love the stitchwork, which is apparently a stitch called Indian Cross-stitch, but an oversized cropped pullover is going to work on very few women -- it's not a happy look even on this professional model.





Meadow Tank. I love the idea of knitted lace being made separately and then applied to a knitted body, and this is a very attractive execution of the concept.





Pivot Tank. I like this one, though I'd suggest just one tweak, which is to finish the neckline with ribbing as has been done with the other edges. It looks unfinished as is.





Rau Sweater. Very pretty. The leaf detail makes it.





Reed Market Bag. Rather a nice shoulder bag for summer. I'd interface and line it to keep it from sagging.





Sara's Cabled Hat. Cute little cabled cap.





Spearmint Shawl. The dropped/twisted stitch effect in this one looks a bit too much like runs for me.





Time-Out Tank. This one's eliciting a "meh" from me, but I think the problem is the styling. The pale pink shorts worn over mint green tights are definitely not helping this design (although for that matter I'm at a loss to think of a knitwear design they would help). The yarn choices are also a little blah. This would be a perfectly good tank done in a fresh, crisp summer colour combination and worn over jeans or khakis, or a print skirt in the same colours.

Wednesday 15 February 2017

Knitscene Spring 2017: A Review


Knitscene has released their Spring 2017 issue. Let's have a look at what's happening on this particular knitted scene, shall we?





Artisan's Vest. When I began to assess this item, I was uncertain as to whether I liked it or not for some long minutes, but then I realized what I really don't like is the styling, which does nothing for this vest. The vest itself has an original texture and careful finishing.





Dean's Cardigan. This has excellent texture and a good shape, but although the elbow patches have a certain whimsy, I don't know how much they're adding to the overall look.





Desert Flower Shawl. A lovely piece. It's pretty without being too delicate to be practical, and that's one appealing blend of colours.





Director's Vest. A simple yet effective and wearable piece.





Drafter's Cardigan. A pretty lacy-front cardi.





Geographer's Sweater. I very much like this one, with its pretty, polished detailing. Can't say the same for the dork styling Knitscene chose for this photo shoot. I half expected to see a pocket protector and glasses with tape on them before I came to the end of it.





Hitchhiker Tee. A nice little top with pretty touches of lace. I do like these little knitted tops, which go with everything from a office-appropriate skirt or trousers to jeans for running errands and shorts at the beach.





Hustle Shrug. This has that "shrunk in the wash" look and the embroidery looks as though it were designed by a ten-year-old.





Ironwood Shawl. An attractive and sensible shawl.





Outlaws Skirt. I wish I could have seen this one modelled. As it is, I feel inclined to put a seam in one end and zipper in the other and call it a cushion. However, this skirt appeared on Mindy Kaling in an episode of The Mindy Project, so I assume it must look pretty good on, and I like the hem detail quite a lot.





Red Clay Top. Quite an attractive, wearable design, though I can't say I care for that muddy colour.





Residential Vest. Very nice. The cabling on this vest is beautifully rendered.





Solea Shawl. A nice shawl design. I never have cared for the southwestern-style combination of brick red and mustard, but that's just a personal preference.





Sunflower Wrap. This one, with its arbitrary sections of lattice and fringe (with curling edges) and plain stockinette, looks more like a large, experimental swatch than a finished design.





Wilderness Cardigan. This is okay. It would make a relaxed, go-with-everything extra layer for unexpected cool days and nights in the summer.





Writer's Top. I'm not sure I understand what makes this a writer's top. Is it that the shoulder detail looks like a broken, and possibly beaten, pencil? If so, I'm not quite seeing the point -- literally or figuratively.

Wednesday 12 October 2016

Knitscene Winter 2016: A Review


Knitscene has released its Winter 2016 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?





Snowflake Cowl. Nice piece, and a lovely rendering of the classic snowflake pattern.





Snowball Cap. Cute hat with some fun contemporary chartwork.





Ski Lodge Cardigan. A well-shaped and fresh take on the classic ski jacket.





Slopes Pullover. This works. I like that the eyelet work around the yoke is not too lacy, and the contrast bands at the neck, cuffs, and hem are smart.





Banquet Sweater. A pretty ballet-necked sweater.





Revelry Sweater. This is a nice design as is, but I think I might have taken this design concept steps further and added lace trim to the cuffs as well as the hem, and perhaps also more edging or even a collar to the neckline.





Soirée Cowl. Some lovely stitchwork in this cowl, though I wouldn't consider it quite polished enough to go with a bronze lamé dress, or to be worn to a soirée.





Fête Cardigan. A beautiful classic cable sweater.





Mirth Tunic. Very nice piece with some good shaping and eyelet work and an artfully rumpled cowl neck. Though I don't understand why the model otherwise appears to be attending a particularly vulgar party at the Trump Tower.





Blowout Cardigan. I like this sweater, but I am beginning to wonder if this photoset, which combines sensible, wearable, well-designed knitwear with ersatz glamour party trappings, is some sort of meta commentary on the mind-bending divide between the U.S.A.'s current two leading presidential candidates.





Spree Cowl. An attractive cowl.





Celebration Shawl. This is a nice piece on the whole, but I'd add some sort of edging to it, as it looks unfinished as is.





Gala Tunic. Nice top. Both the shaping and the diamond detailing work well.





Vanilla Jacket. I often comment that a design "didn't quite get where it was going", by which I mean that the concept had promise but didn't get the execution it deserved. The design concept for this item never seemed to have any desire to get anywhere in the first place, but rather dropped out of high school, then spent the next several years smoking pot and playing video games in the basement until its parents got fed up and kicked it out.





Hot Cocoa Sweater. A lovely use of a gradient colour palette combined with mohair silk yarn. This sweater has dropped shoulders, which ordinarily I'd fix, but I think in this particular sweater they might work as is.





Biscotti Sweater. Not a bad piece. I think I'd go with a more interesting colourway.





Macaroon Hat. Cute hat, though I question how well it will stay on without a stretchy band at its edge.





Latte Pullover. Nice piece for those especially cold winter days.





Frosting Pullover. This piece has some nice texture and appealing softness, but it's too sloppy in its shape to be attractive. It looks as though it took its name from the idea that it's the kind of sweater one wears when curled in a fetal position on the couch, eating frosting straight from the can.





Chocolate Chip Cowl. What a fun and inventive piece. I love the combination of the furry yarn and the houndstooth pattern, and this cowl also looks like it'd be a real comfort on a very cold day, much like a chocolate chip or three.