Friday, May 18, 2007

Interweave Knits Summer Issue: The Good, The Bad & The Fugly

Just got back from the bookstore and I picked up the new Interweave Knits. There are several nice patterns in this issue, although I still don't like the new layout. I do have fairly strong feelings on a few of the patterns and I thought I would share my thoughts.

The Good:
The Wheat-Ear Cable Yoke by Pam Allen

Well designed sweater displayed on the right model. The shaping is in the right place and the cables are not overdone. I love the neckline on this sweater. This is the type of sweater I would have loved in my late teens & early twenties (when I had the figure for it). I may just knit this for my niece.

Syncopated Caps by Kate Gilbert


I love the fair isle pattern on these! It looks like a pattern that you could knit over & over without getting bored, and the look is timeless.

Spiral Boot Socks by Veronik Avery


Feeds nicely into my sock obsession, which has lately run to the knee-sock variety after seeing Clessidra in the latest issue of Knitty. I really like the spiraling lace and the cuff is adorable. I will definitely be making a pair of these.

The Bad:
1824 Blouson by Mari Lynn Patrick

Ok. Granted, this sweater does look comfy. It also looks like it's inside out. That's what I think every time I look at the picture, and if I saw it in person I would probably be fighting the urge to tell the woman her sweater is inside out! Seriously. It's like when someone's clothing tag is hanging out... I just need to tuck it back in... this sweater is making my hands itch.

Little Smocked Cardigan By Carrie Bostick Hoge

This sweater is pretty and I understand what she was trying to achieve. However, it looks like the model has just put on a sweater that was made for her 8 yr old daughter. Either that or her husband shrunk it in the wash. One of the pictures in the magazine actually shows the model tugging down on the sweater as if it is too short. I think this sweater could have been saved by a little shaping. It's too boxy to be this short.

The Fugly:
Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt by Theresa Schabes

Honestly I don't know what could have saved this one. All I can say is that it certainly does remind me of a frilly tuxedo shirt... that's not a good thing.

Origami Cardi By Norah Gaughan

Wow. A pattern that is unflattering on absolutely every body type, except for possibly pregnant women. The "berry" stitch looks like bobbles and quite frankly they are ugly. And you can tell that the model hates it.

Ok. So that's what I think. There are a few beautiful designs that I didn't mention (like the Montego Bay Scarf). I'd love to hear your thoughts. Which patterns did you like the best and which did you think were fugly?

EDIT: When I checked my blog this morning I noticed that somehow comments had been turned off! Oops! They are back on now. My bad.

14 comments:

Jennifer said...

Amen! Nothing is worse than a boxy too short sweater.

Kimberly said...

So I'm a bonehead & had comments turned off. Here are a few comments that were left on the Sockapalooza Pligg site in regards to my post.

If you are interested, the site address is http://alison.knitsmiths.us/sockapalooza4/blog/

From JustKeepKnitting:
Your review is hilarious! I don't subscribe to Interweave (yet) but I have been seriously thinking about it. I may just have to run grab a copy from the bookstore...

From KissMyFrog:
I am with you on most of these - the 1824 Blouson is one of the silliest sweaters I've ever seen, but I think you missed a few (please note, I'm going off the pics on the website, so you might be seeing pics in the mag that I'm not privy to. We don't get IK here in Australia, unless you subscribe, which I don't, yet).

The Oriel Lace Blouse is just exquisite, and totally the kind of thing I wore when I was a fresh young thing, before I had babies and got all stretched out of shape.

I think I *might* like the Wing Top, but the pics, while lovely, aren't showing me much. What I can see is lovely, though.

Ogee Lace Skirt. What is the deal with skirts over jeans? I just don't get it, never have.

Thanks for posting this to the Pligg, I probably wouldn't have seen this for a while yet, otherwise.

From SeannaLea:
I really like the Oriel Lace Blouse. I am not as big a fan of the Wing Top, but I don't think the She-Ra look is very good on a lot of people (aka, the one shoulder style).

Lana said...

I think the boxy, smocked cardigan would look cute with a slim-fitting, light summer dress. It seems to me that they just picked the wrong outfit to go with it in the photoshoot!

Anonymous said...

I agree with you on all counts. And I super love those spiral socks! I also think that the last sweater may look bad even on pregnant woman (hee hee).

mathiemom said...

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who dislikes the new format . . . and that it isn't completely my imagination that the garment quality has plummeted. Yes, I like a few of the patterns (notably the cover sweater), but when I compare this issue to Summer 06, when I drooled over almost every item with only a few exceptions, I feel really disappointed in my (formerly?) favorite knitting mag.

Suzeq22knits said...

I agree. I think I picked up the magazine in a couple bookstores and then looked online and kept trying to find something..Just couldn't. Maybe next time?

Unknown said...

I agree with you the sock and hat I will knit but the rest not so sure there just not for me!

Lola and Ava said...

I love the sweater on the cover, but I am concerned about the neckline. The blouson thing/piece of shit is one of the most icky pieces of clothing I have seen. When my daughter said she liked it, I spit my water across the room . . . lovely example I set. The orange-gami thing isn't as bad as the blouson ick in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on the layout -- I keep skipping over the pattern pictures because they look so much like ads! I also agree with you on the patterns... some issues of IK are 1% hit and 99% miss. Alas.

Alliesw said...

I klove that sock pattern too--but have to admit the blouson look has bever been my thing! Thanks for the review!

Kristy said...

The Spiral Boot Socks were my favorite pattern in the magazine-- but that could just be because I've been knitting a lot of socks lately ;)

linda said...

i liked the tuxedo top - love linen and a easy top to throw on over a tank. Maybe its my age... I am up to the lace insert and after some changes loving it. I think that the magazine is meant for inspiration - i don't like everything but some of the ideas within the patterns are interesting

Anonymous said...

It's good that you said what you think about the models!!! The white cardigan I think is too short and out of fashion, also the orange cardigan, ... well this magazine it is a mix of very nice models -like the socks as you said- and ugly old fashioned others.
But I really enjoyed it because it is a lot of information about yarn, etc etc. I subscribed from spain. Here our magazines are more "silly", just models to copy, not meant to get creative on your own.

knitty_kat said...

I think most of the models seem to be tugging at the hems of what they are wearing - it's the style IK seems to go for.

I thought the hats in a summer issue were a little strange but I guess good for summer knitting.

Great review!