Interweave Knits, Summer 2007

A mediocre issue, in large part because of the stunning seasonal inappropriateness of many of the patterns.  Also the articles were less than inspiring.

A Few of my Favorite Sock Yarns, Ann Budd: It's not that I don't appreciate other peoples' take on various yarns, but if you're going to do a serious survey of the world of sock yarn I need to see more than six.  Otherwise it ends up looking like a piece saying "I am a famous designer, so you should use the same stuff I do."  Which is not what they meant, I'm sure.

The Brave New World of Cashmere, Linda Cortright: Didn't even read it; I don't care.  Not to be snarky or anything. :)

Real Knitters, Real Stories, as told to Bethany Lyttle: Someone talking about her knitted wedding dress.  An ambitious project, to be sure, though she's hardly the only one to have done it.  Rather marred by the inclusion of a paragraph on the power of inspiration and metaphors about how the dress symbolizes the whole marriage.

Do, Redo, Can Do: The Lively World of Katarina Brieditis, Carol H. Rhoades: The woman's Swedish and takes much of her inspiration from traditional Scandinavian knitting and embroidery. 

Working Socks from the Toe Up, Ann Budd: To go with her sock yarn review.  A good quick intro to the subject, though I don't know as I'd start beginners with the Eastern cast-on; it's hard to get the tension right when your yarn is basically just wrapped around some needles.  And since the heel is short-rowed, would it have been so bad to have a short-row toe as well?  But still, as a toe-up convert I'm happy to see it.  The first pattern in the magazine is also by Ann Budd, for toe-up socks in a nice simple rib with two choices of height.

1824 Blouson, Mari Lynn Patrick: A shapeless sweatshirt in reverse stockinette with raglan sleeves.  It looks comfortable as all-get-out but also not something you'd wear outside of the house; the reverse stockinette combined with obvious shoulder shapings and prominent transitions between hems/cuffs and the main fabric make it look like it's inside out.  At least it's in cotton, which means you can probably wear it on cool summer evenings.

Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt, Theresa Schabes: More reverse stockinette, which makes it easy to see where the model knitter had tension problems; the rowing-out is visible in the picture.  There's a lace panel on the front that guarantees you have to wear something under it, rather undercutting the coolness of the linen yarn and sleeveless construction.  Also I'm not nuts about the color and there's no waist shaping.

Notre Dame de Grace, Veronik Avery: A nice grey pullover in an attractive texture pattern...with long sleeves and the suggestion of a shawl collar, and using alpaca.  It's lovely and all, but what the hell is it doing in a summer issue?  Unless it regularly gets below 40 in the summer where you live.

Josephine Top, Deborah Newton: A cute cotton top, though the color doesn't thrill me.  This one you might be able to get away with wearing on its own if you have a small bust or a bra that's close to your skin color.  The Empire waist may or may not cancel out the deep neckline when it comes to those of us who are generously endowed, and if I were making it for myself I'd probably add some length to the bottom, which is in a nice simple paneled lace.

Little Smocked Cardigan, Carrie Bostick Hoge: She forgot to add "cropped".  It's white and I like the smocking, but it looks like half a garment (especially because the model's long-waisted).  Also, an angora cardigan in summer?  This is starting to look like a theme.  But if you start now you'll have time to knit the extra length it needs by fall.

Wing Top,  Kate Gilbert: Ugh.  Ugh ugh ugh.  Let's start with "asymmetric" and move on from there.  It goes up to the left shoulder, which continues into a long strap which wraps around the neck and falls down the back to hold the whole thing up.  Ugly and guaranteed to get caught on everything.  Also it's pink.

Lutea Lace-Shoulder Shell, Angela Hahn: Nice and simple, in stockinette except for the shoulders which are in a lace pattern.  No sleeves (and no waist shaping, but that's easily remedied if you need to).  I wouldn't wear it in the color she picked, as most yellows make me look jaundiced.

Wheat-Ear Cable Yoke Pullover, Pam Allen: The cover sweater.  It's simple and classic, in a melon/coral color that's going to look good on most people, but the sleeves are very straight and the neckline is very broad and the start of the yoke hits pretty much exactly at nipple height.  There's a fairly small range of body types these things are going to work on.

Origami Cardi, Norah Gaughan: Leaving aside the fact that I hate the abbreviation "cardi", this thing is awful.  The color's acceptable if you can wear golds, but the construction is weird for the sake of weirdness, with both front panels being diamonds with an added basketweave edging that adds bulk just where most women don't need it.  You can see in the photo that the body panels bulge oddly where they wrap under the arm, and something about the way the model's posed makes the sleeves (which have huge cuffs in the same basketweave) look uneven.  It might be fun to knit, but who the heck can wear it?

Yoga Mat Carrier/Bottle Bag, Alison Green Will: Two nice simple bags in cotton and attractive lace patterns.  My only problem is that I suspect the straps would get a little cutting with prolonged carrying.

Summertime Tunic, Katie Himmelberg: Very basic, in a lovely cornflower blue.  No sleeves, worked in the round; the whole idea was to design something for beginners.  My only problem is that it's yet another sweater you can't wear if you weigh more than 110 pounds.

Motorcycle Chica Gloves, Erica Good: If I'm going to make knitted pseudo-biker gloves, I'm not going to do them in periwinkle.

Garter Stitch Pup Jacket, Jil Eaton: While I have accepted that there are climates in which one must dress one's dog, I draw the line at dressing it in bright red and orange with a gigantic striped button holding the ensemble on.  It could be OK in more subdued colors.

Luvtröja Måns, Katarina Brieditis: A nice pullover for a man, with a nifty entrlac-esque panel on the chest.  With long sleeves and a hood in 100% wool.  What part of "summer" are you people missing?

Hand-in-Hand Cable Sweaters, Kathy Zimmerman: The theme continues with a his and hers set of cabled cardigan and vest.  They're very nice, but summer issue!

Syncopated Caps, Kate Gilbert: OK, I give up.  If you're going to put stranded colorwork hats in a summer issue, the whole concept has clearly escaped you.  Nice hats though.

Oriel Lace Blouse, Shirley Paden: This is gorgeous.  It's an allover lace pattern with long, slightly belled sleeves and a high neck.  I'm not going to make it, but it's lovely.

Monego Bay Scarf,  Amy R. Singer: Purple, lace, has fringe, in Sea Silk.  So not my style.

Ogee Lace Skirt, Gryphon Perkins: I'm temped to say "skirt" because the model has it on over bluejeans.  She has to--it's in a very open lace pattern using bulky yarn, so it's not exactly something you can wear in public by itself.  This is leaving out the part where it's wraparound and doesn't wrap very much, so one leg shows to the upper thigh even on a model who's standing still.  No thanks.

Boot Socks, Veronik Avery: I like the pattern, which is a nice diagonal lace, and it's cool to see high socks.  But I don't particularly want baby pink to go with my tall boots.  Change the color and they're great.

Lace Chuppah, Kat Coyle: It's gorgeous, and yes it really is a chuppah--the canopy used for Jewish weddings.  I suppose one might be able to convert it into a tablecloth later.  At least I hope so, because that's an awful lot of work for something you're only going to use once.  Maybe if you knit it as a gift for the synagogue?  I honestly have no idea how that works--do couples expect to keep their chuppah?

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