Love of Knitting Winter 2016: A Review

Love of Knitting has released their Winter 2016 issue. Let's have a look at it.

Winter Wonderland Aran Sweater. Classic Aran sweater.

Vertical Stripes Pullover. This is one of those well-shaped, minimally detailed pieces that are perfect for showcasing a beautiful yarn in your favourite colour.

Vertical Stripes Cardigan. This isn't bad on the whole, but those front edges don't sit well.

Lytle Cowl and Hat. The stitchwork in these pieces is very good, but I can't say I care for the limp way in which that cowl sits.

Barcelona Pullover. The designer of this item has managed to give a classic cable and rib sweater a fresh look by making sparing use of asymmetry and a touch of stitchwork in the waistband. Nice piece.

Nordic Winter Hat & Cowl Set. This is a nice little set. It's been styled well too, as this is just the right hat and cowl to add a bit of colour and interest to a plain gray coat.

Window Cat Child's Cardigan. This is cute in a whimsical way, but I think I'd fiddle with the design a little more by adding a little more detail to the cats and by doing something different with the yoke. I'd replace the garter stitch with some other kind of stitchwork.

Circus Train Caboose. The caboose in this train set is the last in a series of patterns. The caboose is probably my favourite of the four train car patterns, as it's the best shaped and detailed.

Lodge Pullover. I don't think the idea of an inset lace cowl neckline works in a bulky knit. I'd do this sweater in a fingering weight and use a more interesting lace pattern for the cowl.

Feather Throw. A perfect and elegant afghan that would fit into nearly any decor.

Diamonds Swatch Cloth. A not uninteresting stitch.

Northern Lights Poncho. I quite like this one, with its attractively blended colours and nicely detailed neckband and bottom hem.

Chain Links Set. Can't say I care for this look. The holes in the "chain" look merely crude rather than interesting.

Daddy & Me Hat. Classic cabled hats. The stocking cap shape and pom pom is a nice touch on the child's hat.

Mommy & Me Hoods. The hooded scarf is style that can look a little odd and quaint, but I think it's a look that does need bringing back because it's so incredibly practical. A hood is warmer than a hat any day, and it would be impossible for one to lose the scarf. These adult and child versions are handsome examples of the style.

Supernova Cowl. Can't say I care for this one, which makes this woman look like she tacked a random swatch of knitting around her neck to hide a hickey.

Color Boxes Cardigan. This one needed some polishing up. I'd have replaced those rolled edges with something more polished, and gone with a more interesting colourway.

Complete with a Bow Wrap. This is so "granny in a rocking chair" that even this young model and her contemporary chair can't pull it off.

Anticipation Pullover. The pattern description calls this a special occasion sweater, and I agree that it is. The elongated length, fitted shape, boatneck and three-quarter sleeves give the design impact, and the touch of lace and the addition of a satin ribbon tie makes it dressy. I'd be inclined to pair this sweater with a pair of velvet trousers.

Starry Night Tunic. This is supposed to be another evening sweater, but the schlumpy shape and unfinished edges makes it look more like a "relaxing on the couch in yoga pants" kind of sweater.

Shades of White Shawl. This is a lusciously beautiful piece of work, but it does look more like an afghan than a shawl.

Love of Knitting Fall 2016: A Review

Love of Knitting has released their Fall 2016 issue! Let's have a look at it.

Autumn Leaves Cardigan. The leaf detail is pleasing, but I don't like the way this cardigan lies in front.

Embossed Leaves. Very nice! The leaves are so simple and spare a detail and yet so effective, and they frame the wearer's face so well.

Leaf & Seed Hat. Rather a nice little cap.

Leafy Path Pullover. Very much like this one. That leafy panel and matching collar are so distinctive and the textured stitch works so well with them.

Parallelogram Wrap. Very well-shaped and textured.

Orbit Pullover. Excellent shaping and the collar sits well. The styling is very good as well.

Evelyn Cowl. Very basic.

Quick Finish Jacket. This one was perhaps too quickly finished -- it has an unfinished look and the front doesn't sit that well.

Crestwood Socks. What lovely stitchwork.

Clear Skies Wrap. This one has a nice textured lace pattern.

OXO Pullover. This one has an interesting variation on the traditional cable pattern.

Chevron & Stripes Pattern. Cute and striking little piece. I like the non-traditional colourway.

Hoot Sweet Hat & Mitts. What an adorable little set. It has a smartness that is usually completely lacking in most children's animal-themed stuff.

Wishbone Sweater. A very handsome take on a classic.

Byzantine Tiles Socks. These are rather fetching. It would be fun to play with the colour combinations on this one.

Day of the Dead. This one's a lot of fun and quite visually pleasing as well. The colours are great.

Garter Cable Pillow. This is fine, but I've seen cabled pillows I liked better.

Apricot Shawl. A well-textured classic shawl.

Curving Cables Swatch. That's a nice cable pattern. It amazes me how many cable variations there are.

Circus Train Passenger Car. This is the next car in the toy train set series Love of Knitting is releasing one pattern at a time. I'm looking forward to seeing the caboose!

Love of Knitting Summer 2016: A Review

Let's have a look at the Summer 2016 issue of Love of Knitting, shall we?

Belle Isle Socks. Quite pretty.

Bright Domino Skirt. This is almost Missoni-esque, which is an excellent thing, but that zigzag of green and white takes the look into "sixties lawn chair" territory, which is not a good thing.

Cable Mesh Blanket & Pillow. That's a very attractive cable and lace pattern.

Canyon Lace Tank. Simple and wearable, yet with just enough detail to keep the look interesting and polished.

Carys Scarf & Wrap. An interesting yarn choice was definitely the right direction for this one, as the basic design needed a lift.

Chloe Cardigan. This is a very smart and well-shaped little piece, though the borderline OCD part of my brain is mentally tweaking it so that it buttons all the way to the bottom.

Circus Train Coal Car. This must be intended to go with the little train engine toy in Love of Knitting's spring issue. I hope there's more of this train set to come, because the idea of a knitted train set is too adorable, and I can't wait to see the caboose.

Crocogator Booties. Cute. And appropriate for the kind of toddler who commonly leaves a trail of destruction in his or her wake. (Yes, I'm aware that's almost all of them.)

Curving Triangle Wrap. This is lovely, and the yarn combination is impressively striking and attractive.

Eyelet Tank. I'm not so enthusiastic about this one. The stockinette stitch upper section looks very good, but the mesh bottom half feels like a let down.

Fisherman’s Hat. I'm a little iffy on this one. Brims like this are apt to become sadly and forlornly floppy.

Hold My Calls Bag. Not a bad little bag, though I'd put in a zipper rather than go with those i-cord handles. It looks to me like a phone could easily slip past them.

Hold My Stuff Bag. I would have named this the Scrub My Dishes Bag, because it looks like a extra larger pot scrubber.

Knotty Scarf. This is quite chic.

Ladybug Swatch Cloth. I'm not sure I would have been able to figure out that this is a ladybug pattern if it weren't for the name of the pattern.

Lazy Daisy Tank. I wish this picture were better quality, but from what I can tell those daisies are very nicely rendered. The shaping is good as well, though I'm not crazy about the mesh sections.

My Mantra Wrap. The yarn is pretty, but this isn't an interesting design, and that oblong shape of wrap tends to look awkward when not being carefully styled and modeled as it is here.





Peek-a-Bunny Cardigan. The concept of a lace-trimmed cardigan with embroidered pockets containing a matching toy was a good one, but man did it not get the execution it deserved. The neckline is really poorly shaped and finished, it looks like there are chunks of lace missing from the bottom front corners, the ruffles on the pockets look like a mistake, the toy bunny looks like a cobbled-together afterthought, and the stitching around the pocket looks terrible.

Rainbow Pentagon Blanket. This one's fun, and looks very well crafted. And it's the perfect baby shower gift for the pregnant gay Wiccan in your life!

Sausalito Shawl. Very lovely piece as to both shape and stitchwork.