As in the previous issues, this one springs from her newly launched yarns - in this case -"Eco Aran" cotton, its finer cousin "Eco Baby" and "Amalfi", a cotton, linen, vicose and silk blend. (These must be uber new as well because the Eco Baby and Amalfi yarns have yet to appear on the Debbie Bliss website)
Overall this issue feels much more American than British - especially given the home dec spread inspired by the Hamptons. Maybe I was already in a U.S. mindset but the location for the shoot of the "Moroccan Sunset" group strongly reminded me of the Horton Plaza in San Diego.
I am thoroughly in love with the Poncho shirt. The voluminous folds of cotton stockinette from which its name is no doubt derived would be divine after a day in the sun but it also features a flattering asymmetrical neckline and two different length sleeves that somehow look like they make sense! I will never knit it because I would never wear it. I'm a constant motion machine and that knit is a definite lounging piece. (I also can't carry off the loose and free look.) Still the design itself is utterly original and on the right person would be devestatingly fabulous.
I am likely to knit the hooded pullover on the cover (I need long sleeves in summer!) and I like the slits at the sides and the bell shaping of body and sleeves. The gorgeous red Guernsey Style Bag is also something I'll seriously consider. Darling Daughter is quite taken with the Tab Top and its surprise column of big white buttons down the back so that may well end up in my queue as well. As always, with DB designs, the kid knits are adorable and classic yet also modern looking as well.
I haven't yet taken time to look through the article on "Knitting in Elizabeth's England" but I'm pretty sure they're referring to Elizabeth I as opposed to Zimmerman ;). The Knitting questions column, however, was very interesting as it outlined what kinds of yarn the various English terms reference (these often being different from American definitions and yet I still run across them in patterns of Canadian origin - especially of the vintage variety.)
Most intriguing of all the elements in this issue though is the last pattern in the book - the fair isle cardigan. How DB selects colours through inspiration from vintage textiles is the final bit of photo editorial at the very back of the magazine but the adorable cardi that pulls a bunch of these shades together has but a thumbnail sized photo accompanying the pattern. Wee tiny though the photo may be, I'm thinking the knit may actually loom large in my queue for 2010.
Taken together this latest bit of output from the Bliss knit empire has done a great job of perking up my weekend. Granted, I haven't done a forensic style search to determine if there are any repeats among these designs from previous publications no doubt others will and I leave that to them. Me, I'm just in it for the inspiration and the patterns I will use so I'm quite happy to be in (apparently early) posession of this magazine this weekend!
I can't wait to pick it up!
ReplyDeleteI just found the magazine too and liked the Hampton's section quite a bit. The Fair Isle cardi in the back is sometimes called the Patricia cardigan. I think she updates the color scheme from time to time as older colors get discontinued and new ones are added to the line. I don't want to spoil the fun, but just wanted to mention that something has happened to DB's baby cashmerino. Its not as soft as it used to be. If you want to try this cardi with another DB yarn, there is the same pattern available using her new Rialto 4 ply. I saw a sample in a store shop and I was left with the impression that there wasn't enough loft in the Rialto 4 ply for Fair Isle (either that or the knitter just carried the floats too tightly across the back). The fibers did not bloom and fill out so it looked mildy stringy. Also, again, I don't want to be a party pooper, but this pattern has been around for so long, I highly doubt that DB used those fabrics for her design inspiration. I think it was done in reverse, fabrics were found to display against the cardigan after the fact, however, I could be wrong, but they do make the cardi look so much more pretty on display next to those pretty fabrics. My guess is that she has to try to find a way to swatch a color scheme with the limited colors she has in her line- I'm pretty sure that determines the final color scheme more than anything else. Also, you might notice, that almost all of her "Fair Isle" patterns use the same charted design over and over and over again.
ReplyDeleteOh, the knitting is lovely - what knitting is not to love - but I am falling, head over heels, for the chair in the last pic!!!!!
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