Interweave Knits Summer 2008 Review
I picked up the Summer 08 issue of Interweave Knits over the weekend, so it's time for the review!
First off, the articles. As usual they're excellent, though I just don't get the purpose of reviewing a yarn store that most of the readers are never going to be within 500 miles of--nothing against this issue's particular store, it's just me being picky. The product reviews page provides a nifty gadget, that being a ceramic piece shaped roughly like a soup bowl only with a hole in the bottom. The idea is you put your yarn under the bowl with the working yarn emerging from the hole, and can then work from the outside of a ball (or a center-pull ball in very frictiony yarn) without the yarn jumping around and trying to escape. Cool idea, though it occurs to me that once you get your project started the bell's not coming off until you get to the end of the ball or break the yarn, which makes this an accessory only for the sedentary knitter.
Then there's a long (by IK standards) article about Schoolhouse Press (founded by Elizabeth Zimmerman, in case anyone didn't know that), its origins, history and future plans, including a reprint of the Maltese fisherman's hat from A Knitter's Almanac. The feature article of the issue follows, about playing with color theory (the issue's theme is color) in yarn, with the hue-value-saturation thing that every intro to the subject contains and a whole lot of pretty swatches to ogle. After that there's a profile of designer Ellen Brys, and then we're on into the good part: the patterns!
Tidewater Wrap by Nancy Shroyer: I do love the color selections here; the background's a lovely golden-sandy tan, with a wide border in a slate blue with red, gold and white. That said, I'd love it even more if it were a sweater, because what it actually is is a great big rectangle meant to be a wrap. I dunno about you all, but if I need a color-stranded wrap in July, something has gone seriously wrong with the climate around here. Plus we have no shots of the inside, which I imagine is not terribly attractive, a potential issue in a garment that's essentially a cape. And last but not least, if my shoulders need to be that warm, my arms do too, so the fact that it's not a sweater is a bad choice. Lovely, lovely colors and interesting color patterns, but the design was poorly thought out. She should've saved this one for a winter issue, as a proper sweater.
Elinor Tunic by Wendy Bernard: I'm not a huge fan of mosaic (slipped-stitch) patterns to begin with, and this one is done in a rather large gauge that makes it look clumsy. Add to this that the mosaic band falls across the hips, and I have to wonder what the heck the designer was thinking--after all, every woman needs design elements that emphasize the widest part of her body, right? Then there's the main color, a dull dark tan, and the fact that there are two rounds of red in the entire garment (so you're buying a skein to knit those two rows), and that the yarn is something that looks rather rough and burlap-esque even in the stitches that aren't brown, and you can see why I'm not loving this. Also, no sleeves, which I personally hate, though the neckline's a medium-deep square that will flatter most figures. (On a non-knitting note, can the trend for having the undershirt be longer than the overshirt be over soon, please?)
Delft Tiles Tee by Barbara Gregory: More mosaic knitting, this time in blue, teal and white cotton. It's cute and summery, but I'd never wear it. I do like the hems and cuffs, which are done in garter stitch; two rows each of blue, then two of teal, and so forth, giving a nice striped effect.
Imprint Tank by Sarah Hoadley: More paper-bag colored yarn, this time with a huge, vaugely 60s two-tone blue motif up the center front and back (in intarsia, yet, for that extra bit of joy). No sleeves again, and a stand-up collar that manages to give the model uniboob. This is the first real "not on a bet" of the issue.
Drawstring Raglan by Margery Winter: I'm torn. I can't tell if I like this one or not. It's a little cardigan sort of thing, with essentially cap sleeves; below the Empire-waist level, it's got a feather-and-fan skirt in a number of pretty, subdued colors. The top part's plain stockinette in one of the neutrals from the skirt. What I can't decide is whether they go together. This one also has the "buy a whole skein for thirty yards" issue, though, as one of the skirt colors appears only in a single band that's maybe five rows wide. Designers: don't do that!
Tapestry Skirt by Kat Coyle: Yet more paper bag, this time matched up with navy, chocolate brown, a medium brown and teal. But it's a skirt, and not a particularly short skirt, in cotton--you'd have to have a really well-defined waist to even keep the thing on for any length of time. It's a pencil skirt, too, and makes the model look like she has the longest waist in the history of women. What really kills this one, though, is the fact that the pattern changes abruptly a little above knee level; above it's an interesting colorwork series of horizontal (not the best choice) bands that look kind of like chains, but below it's a simple pattern of colored stripes and bands of eyelets. The two do not go together, regardless of how either would look by itself. The cute ruffle of multicolored garter stitch does not redeem it.
Wallis Cardigan by Melissa Wehrle: This one's supposed to look 40s, and I guess it does, though I don't know how true to the period the color is; it's a dark apricot that I couldn't possibly wear but which looks quite nice on the model. The shoulders have a subtle pleating effect I quite like, though the sleeves are not quite elbow length. But I don't get the point of a cardigan which is designed to never be able to close; this has a zipper only up to about belly-button level.
Brick Pullover by Kathy Zimmerman: It's nice to see something for the boys, but this sweater (speaking of which, it's got long sleeves; cotton/bamboo blend or not, it looks a bit heavy for summer) is pretty vanilla. It'd be hard to find in the store because of the interesting yarn choice, but in looks it falls firmly into the "I could buy that; I don't need to knit it" category. It's in a nice cinammon brown, though, and the texture pattern only goes up to the armpits for a look reminiscent of a traditional gansey.
Folded Cowl Tee by Michelle Katerberg: Well, it's pink, and there's a bit of lace at the hem and on the cap sleeves. And a neckline that is too high to look good on anyone with body fat, and if there's waist shaping I can't detect it. No, thanks.
Confectionary Tank by Deborah Newton: Sleeveless again, though with a nice wide neck and a very interesting texture pattern. I hate the color selection, however, with a deep and abiding passion--who the heck puts cinnamon brown with pale grey, purple, taupe and three shades of fuchsia? In a sane color scheme, it'd be lovely.
Roped Shell by Angela Hahn: What is it about summer that causes everyone to decide sleeves are obsolete? You can get sunburn on your shoulders, is all I'm saying. But this is quite cute, in brick red and old gold. The gold's used for a nifty cabled edging at hem and neck, and the body's in a neat striped pattern with occasional slipped stitches to give a masonry sort of effect. The neckline is quite deep, which may or may not be a plus. In itself, it's a nice piece. But then you turn the page and encounter...
Plaid Halter by Gryphon Perkins: This one's also brick red and old gold, also has no sleeves, and also features a bricklike color pattern with the gold as the "mortar". The neckline's much higher, though, almost a turtleneck (is there a word for the kind of collar that would be a mandarin if it had a split in the front?). But, seriously--having both these patterns not only in the same issue but one right after the other? What the heck was the selection and layout crew thinking?
Windowpane Socks by Chrissy Gardiner: They're socks. They have a stranded color pattern, which demonstrates the cool effect you can get with a varigated yarn against a solid but also means that they're two-layer wool socks...for summer. Aside from being Yet Another Sock Pattern, this is a lot like the Brick Pullover and the Tidewater Wrap: this is in a summer issue why?
Autumn Asters Cardigan by Michele Rose Orne: OK, I am a sucker for color. But dear Jesus Christ on a gasoline-driven pogo stick, there are limits, and this thing goes way past them with no sign of having even noticed they were there; it's about fifteen shades of pink in various stranded patterns, and then topped off with a cowl collar (complete with leaf-lace border...in worsted weight...) that's embroidered all over the back with lazy-daisy flowers. If you have a 12-year-old girl in your life (and assuming the child's parents are willing to put on sunglasses whenever she's wearing the thing), knit it for her.
Eyelet Surplice Dress by Betty Pawlik: Something about this dress just rubs me the wrong way. The color is a fairly unoffensive yellowish green, and the knee-length skirt is plain stockinette; the bodice is a net stitch that is a "surplice" only by virtue of having a diagonal line on it from the point of the v-neck to the waistband. It has no sleeves (again), and the neck's so deep you'd have to wear a shell under it even if it weren't completely see-through. Also, the designer's description of it says that if you're going to the beach you could wear a "maillot" under it, and I have no clue what that means--is it a fancy way of saying "bathing suit"?
Wakame Lace Tunic by Angela Hahn: I rather like this, though I'm starting to notice an awful lot of browns and golds for an issue that's supposedly all about color. It's in an overall lace pattern, horizontal on the "skirt" part and vertical on the bodice (knit in one piece with the sleeves, so the lace circles the arms instead of running up and down them). It looks like a lot of fun to knit; I don't know how it would look on, especially given the shallow boat neck. Also Maggie Righetti would warn us away from it, as there is no good picture of the model's front.
Gossamer Stars Scarf by Kat Coyle: It's a gorgeous yarn and a lovely, simple lace pattern, but it's more paper bag and I don't wear scarves.
Leaf Kimono Top by Nancy Shroyer: Finally, something that's not taupe. It's a nice spring green, a lace top with some interesting shaping, but I note that there's a ribbon across the back at the shoulder blades; one expects that's to keep the thing from falling off the model's shoulders. Which is not a deal-breaker in that it's a cute touch, but perhaps it should have been designed without quite so wide a neck?
Après Surf Hoodie by Connie Chang Chinchio: A cute pullover in an all-over arrowhead lace pattern, with a fairly deep v-neck. It's a very light green. Honestly, most of my complaints about this one come from the photo used--they put it over a dress in a darker shade of the same green, so it looks sun-faded, and for the third time the main photo is of the model's back (though this one, and the Leaf Kimono, at least have slightly smaller pictures with good front shots).
I have to say, I'm beginning to wonder about Eunny--how can she have designed so many things I love and yet be so utterly suckful at picking out things by other people? There is nothing in this issue that I'm dying to knit, and the last few issues since she took the helm have been very hit-or-miss. Also, for an issue whose theme was color, there sure was a bunch of brown--perhaps all the colors of the other pieces got sucked into the horrendous Autumn Asters?