VK 360

I was admittedly a little nervous buying the yarn for the Fair Isle Cardigan in the Colour Works group from the latest Vogue Knitting before seeing it from all 360 degrees' points of view. (The 360 feature for this issue was scheduled to go live last Thursday but it only went up in the last day or so - too late for me and my yarn buying frenzy.) My nervousness comes from having fallen quite in love with a VK pattern or two in the last year and then falling quite out of love once I saw them live on line. (N.B. The rest of this post refers frequently to views on that site - if you can, I'd open the 360 page on a separate tab to see what I'm referencing - I don't think I can link to each view)

Anyway my Fair Isle is just as it appears in the mag - slim fitting - no surprises. 

There were other surprises though!  Most shocking were the views of Jared Flood's Almeara Gloves. The magazine shots had me drooling - the live shots show something shockingly similar to Micky Mouse hands. They are soooo (tooooo) bulky for my taste!

The other surprises therein were positive ones. When I saw the magazine version of the bulky, amorphous, wrap thing with giant pin closure by Tom Scott in the American Woman group I was strangely drawn to it. ("Strangely" drawn because its not the kind of thing I wear but it looks so cozy and its so clever! Patrick also had me modelling a couple of these kinds of things at the workshop on the weekend - there wasn't a mirror so I have no idea how I looked but it seemed, unlike other items he had me wear to be well received by the group.) The live 360 pictures made me gasp when she turned around and held the collar up to reveal the HUGE cable centred on the back.

 

Mari Muinonen's socks in the Highland Fling group were also appealing in the magazine views but the live shots demonstrates their chunkiness, drawing me to the prospect of cozy house socks. (They're also knit in Paton's Wool - is it just me or is VK embracing the main stream a bit more these days?)

The hat from that same group of  patterns looked, in the magazine, like it might actually suit me. (I need to wear hats with a thick brim or peak - simple caps make me look shockingly similar to a male ape - not the look I'm generally going for.) Once again, the live view further convinced me to consider adding the pattern to my favourites. (After all, the departure of the Almeara gloves from that list does make room for another knit right?)

The biggest surprise by far though was the over sized cardigan from "Twinkle" - again from the American Woman group. Its a "loose fitting coat with a bubble shaped back" and the live views demonstrate its full of thoughtful details but the movement and dimension of the piece that really sets it apart can only be truly displayed by a live model.  Again, its not a style I'd usually pick - and quite possibly still won't knit but I may and its only because, like the other pieces, I'm able to see them on a live (albeit rake thin*)model.

*An aside on thinness and knits - I'm finding I'm motivated on the fitness front these days by the prospect of having my hand knits hang better on me. This marks the first time knitting has helped get me off my butt rather than keeping me on it with needles in hand. I know exercise is about the body but for me its always a head game!

With all that said, I've managed to get this post in today before my workout - gold star for me and now out into the snow I go. Have a great day everyone!

P.S. If you covet the scarf from the front of the mag there's a contest to win a cover kit also on the VK site - Hey Knitteroo have you entered?