Showing posts with label Cast On. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cast On. Show all posts

Monday 10 April 2017

Cast On Spring 2017: A Review


Cast On has released their Spring 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it.





All Tied Up Skirt. I rather like this one, which is well shaped and carefully finished. The tie detail is rather interesting. I'd consider using a satin ribbon as a tie instead of making one out of the same yarn.





All Tied Up Vest. I'm less enthusiastic about the vest. I don't like cardigan-style sweaters that don't meet in the front, as they always look too small, and those three ties have a kitschy look.





Baby Dots Sweater. This is cute, though that neckline does look unfinished.





Bloom. Wow. This is just gorgeous.





Catalina Cardigan. The lacework and the overall design are pretty, but I'm not entirely sold on how this sits. Notice that the model is pressing the sweater to her in the front with both hands.





Easy Peasy Baby Hats. As the name promises, these would be easy to whip up, and they're also cute. This a perfect pair of attributes for baby clothes, because those little sprogs have a way of growing out of their knitted items at a perversely fast rate.





Gryphon Shawl. What a beautiful piece of lacework, and it sits beautifully as well.





Helena Pullover. A very pretty summer top. There is something about a simple stockinette summer top with a touch of lace.





Infinity Scarf. I don't tend to like a lot of fringe as it tends to get into and/or caught on things, but this fringed cowl is pleasing and looks easy to wear, and also has some interesting stitchwork.





Light the Torches Socks. These are a little too visually busy for my liking. Combining two different stripe patterns and a slip stitch pattern and a vibrant two-toned yarn choice adds up to a little much. I might dial this back a bit by going with a quieter yarn.





Sampler Pillow (top photo) and Seed and Moss Stitch Pillow (bottom photo). I'm not too taken with either of these. The Sampler Pillow's "samples" are all pulling out of shape. The Seed and Moss Stitch Pillow might be a good one to do in a beautiful, interesting yarn rather than in this plain cream, which looks a little too bland for this pattern.





Sitka Tree Ornament. These are really beautiful. The detailing is great, and I love the colours.





Squares Squared. Not bad. One doesn't see so many designs that implement squares.





Viter. A beautiful, classic piece.





Weekend Tea Cozies. These aren't anything special, but I suppose they'll get the job done.

Monday 16 January 2017

Cast On Winter 2016: A Review


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





Arctic Cowl and Muff. These are okay as separately items, but as a set they seem a little much, as though the maker knitted two tubes and put them wherever they fit.





Aviemore Hat. An attractive classic cap.





Beaded Buttoned Bracelet. This is pretty in its way, but jewelry made out of yarn never looks like jewelry to me.





Chunky Checkerboard Scarf. I'd skip the pockets on this, which make it look a little too much like those pocket things some people hang on their couches and armchairs.





Commence. I'm quite liking this one, which between its excellent stitchwork and shaping has more than a little style to it. I love the collar especially.





Fingerslip. These mittens have an unobtrusive covered slit on the palm side that will enable its wearers to slip their fingers out of the mitten in order to manage any fine motor tasks that come their way. It's a practical idea, and the mittens are attractive and absent the clunkiness that so many mittens with fold-back tops have.





Herringbone Mitts. Very much like these, which are smart and fun and very carefully finished.





High Flight Redux. Not bad. The yoke seems rather visually heavy and dominant, but that may just be the picture's angle.





Icy Pink Vest. Classic cabled vest. I'd make this either in a light coloured cotton to be worn by itself in the summer, or in a darker, richer-toned wool for winter.





Jessica's Boyfriend Sweater. This is rather well-shaped, but I have my concerns about how flattering this length would be when it's a slim-fit piece. I'd make it a standard length.





Kendall's Sweater. Nice texture. I'd go with a beautiful or interesting yarn for this one.





Lilacs and Clemantis. This is a beautiful piece of design, but I do have my reservations about how it sits -- it's flaring out stiffly at the bottom. I think I'd add fasteners (buttons or clasps) all the way down the front to help this vest keep its shape.






Norwegian Legwarmers. Very pretty. I find myself wishing I'd had a pair like these circa 1985. I'd have been the envy of the schoolyard.





Patrician Cardigan. Oooh, how beautiful and elegant, and that yarn looks simply luscious. Good shaping, lovely lacy ruffle detailing, and the cardigan drapes so well.





Ship Side Chevron Shawl. This one is so striking as to be rather dramatic. Fantastic stitchwork.





Untwined Socks. A fun mix of patterns which works well on such a small scale.





Wilshire Boulevard Wrap. Another lovely and polished wrap. The stitchwork is really impressive.

Monday 3 October 2016

Cast On Fall 2016: A Review


The Knitting Guild Association has released their Fall 2016 issue of Cast On. Let's have a look at it, shall we?





Arrah. A handsome and contemporary shawl that sits very well.





Caramel Cables. A classic cable yoke pullover.





Chevron Sweater. Great texture and shaping, and that is a very flattering ballet neckline. I would like a closer a look at the shoulder detail, but I think what's going on there is that two extended bits of neckline ribbing have been tacked together with a button on each shoulder. It's a not uninteresting concept, but I don't know if it's adding anything to this item.





Cozy Retreat Hooded Vest. I'm thinking that the cozy retreat referred to in this design's name was intended for a pet rodent rather than for the wearer, because those oversized lapels look like sleeping bags for guineau pigs or possums or something of the sort.





Deep Dive. This isn't a bad playset (with its toy fish, sea otter, sea urchin, clam, and starfish) for the very young future marine biologist in your life. I don't know what scale these toys are, but I would want to make sure they are too large to fit into the recipient's mouth and so pose a choking hazard.





Faux Cable Mitts. These look rather awkwardly bulky to me, but then they've been styled with a chambray shirt rather than with a winter coat as a woman would be much more likely to wear them.





Garter Wedge Coat. I like where this concept was going but it didn't get there. This design needed to be taken steps further -- perhaps by using the contrast colour in another couple of places on the coat -- to succeed.





Grayson the Squirrel. This is cute (as one might expect from its designer, Nicky Epstein, who does cute extraordinarily well), but I think I would want to use a softer, more fur-like yarn in the body.





Haddow Park. This is the cover design, and I quite like it. The yoke design is very effective and reminds me of Shaker and Amish art.





Mock Cable Afghan. Some fantastic stitchwork in this.





Mock Cable Cardigan. I rather like the shawl collar on this one but I am not thrilled with what's happening below that.





Mock Cable Sample Scarf. This scarf has some lovely stitchwork in it, but it does look like it needs a fringe or a more finished edge on the ends -- they appear to simply stop short as they are.





Mulled Cider. This simple, nicely shaped dress is reminding me that I've long had intentions to knit myself a dress and have never done it.





Rouleau Jacket. This will look dumpy and frumpy on most women. Even this professional model isn't able to carry it off.