New Knitty is live.

Oh, I became all excited when the new Knitty was live!
I have known Knitty almost since I started knitting, and I think the first issue I saw was Summer 2003, when I was asked to translate the "Broadripple" pattern for a danish knit bud.

Knitty has changed since then, and I cannot say that I think it has become better.

BMP : Stranded socks with an irregular pattern - Geeky, Nerdy, sure, but they will stretch weirdly and fit weirdly, too. Ok, honestly? It might be too "hip" for me ;-)

Carolyn: We've seen it before: Striped Cardigan. Ok... Good for a beginner, boring for everyone else.

Tahoe: Cardigan. Ok, there is not a pattern just like it on Knitty yet, but there is one in S n' B, for example.

Ribena: Super cute tank top! I love the ribbing detail, but the removable armies? Eh, not so.

Torque: Good idea, but it does not mix with my ideas of functionality. Unshaped sleeves and an unshaped body, no I dont think so. Worth a modification, though - I still have a bunch of fat blue yarn :-)

Isabella: Cute. Bad pictures, though. Looks like it bunches up underneath the models breasts.

Ester: Unflattering, and, for me, totally unusable shape. Nice yarn, though ;-)

Morestripes: Ew. Ew. Ugh. Ewewewew. MUCH too big on the model, terribly unflattering, and you can just see how she struggles to keep it on her body.

Monica: Me Likey! Very pretty, and so cute on a little girl.

Briar Rose: This sweater has potential, but the original sweater is really nothing I would knit for any little girl in my life. Badly executed, boxy top and much too short! But, it IS in danger of being re-designed to fit ME. I love the picot hems and the cute ribbing in the bottom.

Hey Mickey!: Skirts? Why skirts? They droop, catch on things and generally look, uh, homemade in the bad way.

Vestee: I like this pattern for having so many options, and for being so well thought-through. It is really a cute pattern - a bit unfinished for my taste, but I could add hems, ribbing, substitute stitch patterns etc. if I were so inclined, right? One of the good patterns in this issue. A real workhorse.

Palette: A solid (hehe) pattern, good for bringing awareness to this topic for new spinners. A plus for this issue, but nothing I'd ever use - I have my own favourites.

Dashing: Not all that bad. I made a pair of ribbed handwarmers suitable for organ playing last christmas for my teacher, but had I seen this pattern, I might have considered using it. That's a big big praise for a, ehm, HANDWARMERS pattern.

Paper Bag: Nice idea! Looks very stylish. (But the model looks like she dressed up in her mothers clothes)

Bauble: Surely some people would want to make it - I am not one of those. Boring.

Queen of Cups: Socks, socks, socks. I am bored to tears by all those sock patterns - because, really, when I need handknitted socks I'll do a long ribbed leg, stockinette foot... And that's it. Tried the other thing, and it never fits. Done with it. How many sock patterns does Mankind need? Same goes for Quill Lace Socks and Clessidra.

Have a really nice day


Lene

"Victorian Knitting Today"

For those who have read my old blog will now that I am somewhat of an avid, if lazy, lace knitter. With that in mind it surely wont surprise that the book "Victorian Lace Today" has found its way to my hands. Granted, I could not afford it, but my mother is so smitten with the lace bug too, that she ordered it from Amazon.de :-)

I must say, it is amazing!

First off, it contains a lot of little historical bits and pieces. There are wonderfull, wonderfull pictures of historical and other sites from Victorian England, for example King's College Chapel in Cambridge.

The patterns are very appaling, simple and yet very intriguing. Some are knitted up in mohair yarns making them light and fluffy - some are knit up in handspun, or sock yarn, cashmere yarn etc. The colours are bold, the shapes are unusual for today, and the constructions are ingenious. I especially like the large section on simple scarves with wide borders. I learned more about borders by reading this section twice than reading my HK book several times. It is described in such a visual and down-to-earth way, with colour coded charts and all, that modifying edgings, adding insertions etc. seems very easy. The Author really understands her metiér!


Most probably know the book "A Gathering of Lace", which is also a lovely book on lace. The difference between those two is that while A Gathering of Lace has many small-gauged, elaborate, well-thought out, innovatice etc. garments and shawls this book only has vintage/retro clothing style, like the "fichu", a pretty little lace collar, and shawls deciphered from old knitting books that require less skill than A Gathering of Lace, yet have a strong link backwards because of that exact reason.

For a beginner, I would recommend Victorian Lace Today instead of A Gathering of Lace, simply because the Victorian shawls and scarves are easy, yet very effective, and the techniques section is by far better in the Victorian Lace Today book.


Have a really nice day


/Lene

(Who jumps right into Bed. Weekend was hard on little Author of Blog)