Wednesday 5 April 2017

Knitty Spring & Summer 2017: A Review


Knitty has released their Spring & Summer 2017 issue. Let's begin our look at it with this pattern (which is also their issue cover shot), the Dingle hat. It's fun and pretty and I love the beautifully worked-out gradient colour scheme.





Stripdot. These have a slightly rough, crude look that's not very appealing.





Borrowed. This is a fabulous piece of work. Such gorgeous lacework, and I like that the designer did interesting directional work with it.





Amalgam. The Amalgam is designed to be wearable as a capelet and as a skirt, though as it is only 15" long it seems more likely to be used solely as a capelet. But then my opinion on this may have been coloured by the chronic skirt length argument that's been going on between me and my mother since I started buying my own clothes in 1987 and that, like the "I should have gone to teacher's college" argument, shows no sign of letting up. I do quite like this as a capelet. The mosaic strip is attractive and effectively blends the contrast colours together.





Brightstairs. This is... okay. I was going to recommend going with another colour scheme, but I think this might be a piece that needs a bright, offbeat colourway, as the design itself is offbeat.





Bakanasu. This piece has some really gorgeous stitchwork and it does appear to sit well, but I am having a hard time getting past the combination of acid yellow and eggplant yarn.





Checked Raglan. Not a bad piece. It has some nice detailing and shaping and good lines.





Thysania. The designer of this piece writes that "Thysania is a hybrid of a shawl and a cardigan, or an oversized shrug" and that she challenged herself to make a piece in the shrug style that was flattering on her. This is a difficult style to make work, and I think she succeeded. This sits and drapes really well. The stitchwork is interesting too.





Airelle. Nice little summer top with good lines. I'm imagining it in a variety of fun, fresh colour schemes.





Recital. This is one of those elegantly simple pieces that can be worn with practically everything in a woman's wardrobe and for most occasions for year after year -- until it falls apart from long, hard, quiet service. Draped necklines are hard to get just right, and this one works well.





Lycka. Not a bad little summer top. I'd make it a few inches longer, as it looks a little awkward and cropped as is.





Maryjane. The shape and the design isn't bad, but I don't know if I'd go with the yarn used here. It's a hemp yarn, and it doesn't drape well and gives the piece a stiff, boxy look.





Blurred Lines. This piece was custom-designed for Mindy Kaling's character on The Mindy Project. It has a certain "classic menswear meets one of the Peanuts Gang" vibe, and I can imagine it working if styled in the right way, which is to say, not the way it's styled here.

3 comments:

  1. Bakanasu...What's up with the underarm flaps?. I have those already!

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  2. Hm. I might have to knit "Recital," just to understand the technique (short rows?). I love the idea of a draped neckline, but that one is just the height that works particularly poorly on me. Off to read the pattern (but I am, if nothing else, a kinesthetic learner in textile arts). I agree with you about Thyskania -- brava to the designer -- and oh my, Borrowed is gorgeous.

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  3. I love reading your reviews! They help so much. I do have some points to make though.

    Amalgam, to me, looks like someone took two sweaters in opposite colors, cut them apart and sewed them back together! Yuck!

    Bakanasu woories me! I know most women could not wear it in danger of exposing themselves to the world! Anyone with a bust larger than a small B cup should be careful.

    Airelle is cute! Love the spacing of the stripes, very wearable for larger ladies (like me, lol).

    In contrast to Maryjane,. The placement of the stripes is very unfortunate! Also, it just looks blah, I would rather knit something a bit nicer.

    Recital is gorgeous! Love the draped neckline. Might loosen it up abit as it looks like ti would make me want to adjust it while wearing it. But still lovely!

    Just my opinions.

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