Fall Knitting Mags

Generally, I don't consider myself a seasonal knitter. I don't worry about using wool during the hot months, because I'm not actually going to be working on it outside. But there is something about the fall knitting magazines that revs you up, you know? It is like a new beginning, a chance to start squirreling away for the colder months. I subscribe to both IK and Vogue Knitting, and I was reasonably impressed with both Fall issues. I also picked up the new Knitscene, which was a bit of a disappointment.

The Good:

Let's start with Vogue Knitting, since I got that one before the IK. That link is to their preview of the issue, since I am not sure about the ethics of just copying their images, and am too lazy to take pictures of the magazines right now. First off, HATE the cover. I was not a big fan of "McKey" on America's Next Top Model, and I don't think she's elevated this photo shoot at all. She always looks totally bored and fake to me in all her pictures, and I can't believe this is the shot they chose for the cover. Who wears their hats like that? That's just silly.

Having said that though, I do love the hat. In fact, that beret, by Angela Hahn, and the one by Kate Gagnon (#13) were my two favorites from that hat spread. I like most of the others too, but those two are the ones I can see myself actually making.

The first spread, "The Warming Trend" is a bunch of red sweaters on top of other red and orange clothes, which makes it really hard to see what they sweaters actually look like, because they just blend in to everything else. I don't think I'll be making any of these, but I'll be curious to see the ones that other people do on Ravelry.

"Natural High", the next spread, is much better. I like Cathy Carron's cabled pullover, but I can't see myself wearing it. I do love the grey one by Amy Polcyn. I would probably wear it with jeans, and would make it out of plain merino, not a cotton-wool blend. It looks really cozy though.

But the best spread, the one that is what I think of when I think of Vogue Knitting, is "Gold Rush". I love every single one of these sweaters! My favorite is the one by Anne Farnham, but I would wear every one of them. I also appreciate the styling of this shoot--it's arty without being lame, the model looks pretty and cool, and the clothes are appropriately haute. Not like the next spread, "Private Lives", which is rather ridiculous and misguided. But the less said about that the better. I love Rebecca Taylor's sweater, and Nanette Lepore's cardigan is fantastic, even if they belted it with this really ugly belt.

Pattern Lust count: 9! Amazing.

Moving on to Interweave Knits, which just got here. I'm less impressed than I was with VK, but still. This isn't a bad issue at all.

"Woolen and Worsted" was ok. I liked about half (and to clarify, when I say 'liked', I don't mean that the other designs are bad, just that I wouldn't personally make them. Sometimes though, the styling is bad.) I've decided that the model in the purple sweater is the new red-headed model, which means that she ends up looking larger than she really is in stuff. The first piece I really love from this spread is Katie Himmelberg's Felicity Hat. It's so cute! I may actually attempt colorwork in order to have this. Strangely, that also applies to Lisa Shroyer's Bandelier Socks. I am not usually attracted to very intricate socks, and will probably never make these, but they're so pretty! I love them exactly the way they are in the magazine. I also love the Slanting Gretel Tee by Petra Manis. I can see myself wearing this all. the. time. And I will probably try to make it eventually this fall. So cute!

"Rule of Three" isn't very useful to me. I like the idea of both the Barcelona Jacket, and the cover sweater, the Clasica Coat, but would probably never attempt either one.

In "Lace in September" my hand's down fave is the Nordique Swing Jacket by Veronik Avery. Love it! I also surprisingly like the Alpaka Tunic by Deborah Newton though. It looks very flattering and comfortable, and will probably go on my wish list.

And in "Double Sided", let's just skip that wrap and go straight to Rosamund's Cardigan by Andrea Pomerantz and Connie Chang Chinchio's Farmer's Market Cardigan. Generally, I don't wear sweaters that don't close in the front, so I would probably add some sort of closure to that one, but I really love both of them!

Finally, I really love the staff projects, so I'm glad to see them once again. Some good scarves this time.

Pattern Lust Count: 7 Not bad...

The Bad:

Like I said, Knitscene, which I normally enjoy, was a bit of a let-down this time. I really don't like the cover model. She seems to be sneering in almost every photo, and they've done some atrocious things to her hair. Gah!

I did like the article about Melissa Wehrle, and I think I might actually make that Emerald Isle Cardigan. It really is a good, basic sweater. I like that you can roll up the sleeves.

In "Graphic Elements", I really LOVED the Dagger Lace Scarf by Lisa Shroyer, and the Crochet Bobble Beret by Robyn Chachula, although I think it might be kind of small for my head... I even kind of like the Caterpillar-Stitch Pullover by Kathy Zimmerman, although I'm not sure if I would really make that one.

"Contemporary Cables"--eh. I like the Valentine Cables Hat by Cassie Miller, but won't be making it. It's just good to know about in case I need a present.

"Fall Session" is notable mainly because it contains the Heather Hoodie Vest by Debbie O'Neill, which I think might be the next big thing. I know I want to make it. It would be really warm in Lamb's Pride Bulky, but the short sleeves kind of counteract that a bit.

Finally, I appreciate them trying things with more unusual yarns, because I know I always look at the Loop-d-Loop Fern and wonder what anyone uses it for, and Lisa Shroyer's top is pretty cute, but it makes that girl look large (and therefore, what would it do to me, who is not a model?), and that's the picture where they've graced her head with that horrible wrap. Why?!

Anyway, Pattern Lust Count: 5 Sigh.

The Ugly:

Well, not really ugly, but that's how it goes right? The good, the bad, and the ugly? Anyway, my mom keeps my subscription to Creative Knitting going, and I'm grateful that she thinks of me in this way, although I don't really find a lot here to make most of the time. I keep the issues though, because they do have good dishcloth patterns, and they do these really great sweaters for the American Girl-size dolls, and my niece (as you know if you've been reading this blog at all) has two, so I always think at some point people will stop having babies, and I'll be able to use the extra yarn to make things for Bella's dolls. Although by that point, she'll probably be in college.

This issue actually isn't that bad (they come out monthly, which is pretty amazing in and of itself), but still... The cover sweater, by Jodi Lemieux Snyder, the Winding Road Henley, is pretty, and I do love the Autumn Rust Cardigan by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. That would be a great work sweater. Mary Beth Temple also has a cute cardigan in here called the Sunshine Cardigan, which looks easy and pretty. The doll sweater this time is called the Ribbon Bow Cardigan, and it's really cute on the doll. There's always one for a girl too, but that's pushing this too far, I think. Finally, there are two baby patterns here that are very useful, (and again, if you've been reading, you know I'm on the hunt for more baby stuff!), the Baby Raglan Cardigan by Kelly Klem, which has a cute little cabled heart on the front of one side, and the Simple Stripe Blanket, by Debbie Slaback, which is done in Berroco Comfort, which is what I'm using for my current baby blanket! This yarn is just great for baby knits.

Anyway, Pattern Lust Count: 3 for me, 3 extras (the doll and baby stuff). Eh.

Finally, I also get Cast On, as part of being in TKGA (The Knitting Guild of America), and their August-October issue just came out. It has some really good articles! There is a toe-up socks article with four patterns, an entrelac knitting lesson, which I still don't know how to do, and a great pattern for a christmas stocking, which I think I might attempt later this year. There are also some garments that I like: the Snowflake Eyelet Vest by Suzanne Bryan, and the Ashley Sleeveless Henley Top by Christine Wilkins, which is really plain, but that's the beauty of it. I don't always want tons of patterning or color work or thinking from my knitting. This is a plain, sleeveless shell that fits the bill of mindless (but useful!) knitting.

But that is it, really. I think the great usefulness of the articles and tutorials in this magazine is what people get out of it. The patterns are just extra.

Sadly, pattern lust count: 2 garments, 3 extras (2 sock patterns and 1 xmas stocking)

So that's it for the fall. I think the Fall Interweave Crochet is still to come out, but there's plenty of time for that, and mostly I just get it to be inspired. I don't know that I'm up to crocheting garments for myself. That baby onesie almost killed me.