Knitscene Fall 2017: A Review

Knitscene has released their Fall 2017 issue. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

All Spice Cardigan. Sometimes in my reviews I say an item looks like it belongs to an exhausted and depressed homeschooling mother of seven. This is definitely a design from that look book. In this case, mom has not bothered even to dress, but simply threw a shapeless, stretched out, baggy sweater on over her nightgown, and by the end of the day it'll have pablum and peanut butter smeared on it somewhere.

Arkins Poncho. I'm not a big poncho fan, but this sits fairly well, and that stitchwork is fantastic.

Ashes Cardigan. This looks like a not particularly happy marriage between an 1980s Shaker knit and 1990s grunge style.

Blake Shawl. And here we have the cover design. The texture's great.

Brighton Hat. Cute cap.

Chili Pepper Cardigan. The stitchwork around the front edges and cuffs is lovely, and it's pretty well-shaped, but it does concern me that the model is pulling or holding the edges in place in every shot.

Cranberries Cardigan. This has such an awkward, lumpy look.

Fleet Cardigan. This looks baggy and as though the knitter who made it didn't quite have enough yarn to knit a full-length band around the front edges and decided to make do and pass it off as a design feature.





Hills Cardigan. This sweater, which is worked in two flat pieces, presents as combination of a shawl on top and a cardigan down below. And I like the concept, but I do wish the lower half of the cardigan fit better.

Logan Mitts. A simple, useful pair of mitts.

October Cardigan. This one looks as though it was pieced together out of scraps of knitting.

Seeds Cardigan. This one wouldn't be so bad if the dropped shoulders were fixed, but it's nothing special either.

Walnut Cowl. I like the texture on this, but don't like those unfinished, curling edges. I'd put a seed stitch border on this cowl.

Weston Socks. Classic pair of ankle socks. Which I would not pair with a pair of ankle strap stilettos.





White Smoke Cardigan. Some beautiful detailing on this one. The back looks great. I still wish the body were a bit better shaped, but out of an issue of inexplicably frumpy cardigans, this one is the best.

Wynkoop Cuffs. These boot cuffs aren't bad so far as their cables and ribbing goes, but putting fringe on boot cuffs will make the wearer look as though she's recently been wading shin-deep in a swarm of rats.

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.

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.