Interweave Knits Spring 2010

It arrived with the Friday mail. I think all knit magazines should arrive on Fridays - what a nice thing to look forward to cruising through over the weekend! (I know it isn't 9:00 a.m. Saturday yet and I've already devoured the thing but I was up at 5:30 to cook breakfast for my "little" skier who had to be on the bus by 7:00!)

In her letter from the editor Eunny Jang makes the analogy of having a long cool drink of water to considering Spring knitting from the still cold days of late winter.  For me, its more about light than beverages - the daylight is getting brighter and hanging around much longer these days. Yesterday's downhill at Whistler looked to have the same warm mid afternoon sunshine we enjoyed here in Toronto (3000 kms/2000 miles away) so it must be happening everywhere!

On first glance I would describe this issue as modern - not "mod"or "trendy", more "moderne" (think Chrysler Building in New York). Clean but detailed, structured yet open and with flowing lines. And it features a range of wonderful fibers for knitting and wearing.  Beyond that, the designs are fresh and pretty but not fussy. "Pretty" doesn't generally suit me - but I think it does suit Spring to a tee so I often find myself lamenting its absence in my Springtime wardrobe.

Besides, what better way to inject a bit of a lift into the Springtime Toronto closet than with a couple of warm hand knits that look like the season outside instead of the dark days around Christmas! This is especially so as the "tulips" and "warm breezes" type of Spring can occur at our latitude just a week or two before full on summer weather and anytime up until then, snow is a definitely possibility. The reality is we have to dress with warmth in mind long after winter knits have been put away. Springtime knits are thus most practical and in this edition IK offers lots to consider in that category.

In the "New Lace" section the "Double V Cardigan" by Melissa Wehrle in Zitron "Savanna" really caught me eye. Daffodil Yellow, feminine yet tailored. A fabulous layering piece and as a cropped cardi, not a lifetime to knit despite the lovely all over linear lace pattern.

The Chevron Market Bag in ivory (Nashua Handknits Creative Focus) cotton- a more substantial take on the traditional string bag really appealed to me. It has a flat bottom that, along with the lower sides is knit in purl brioch stitch (that sounds fun to try!) which would keep small items inside where a typical string bag might let them slip through. The purl brioch is also used in the handle to make it more comfortable over the shoulder when fully loaded.

The cable lover in me is also drawn to the piece featured on the cover - a long cotton/wool blend tunic. It looks like it would be cozy to just the right degree in cool Toronto spring weather. I don't have the lovely slim figure that piece demands but still I love the look of it!

Ann Weaver's boxy "Transverse Cardigan" from the section on knits done side to side looks like it would be very fun to knit and it features asymmetry and big buttons - both of which I love. My fear with hand knits featuring off centre designs is that instead of looking interesting and inventive as they do on some people, on me they look like I made a mistake in the knitting. This cute cardi is tailored so as to eradicate that concern. I picture it in a light blue tweed yarn. Plus knitting from cuff to cuff? It just sounds fun!

"Betty's Tee" by Tram Nguyen using entrelac, the "Ringlet Tank" with short row cap sleeves and the "Jellyfish Bag" with its ridges and folds also scream "knit me" but also aren't too fussy to also suggest "wear me" or even "look good wearing me!"

The other thing I really like about this issue is the use of finer gauge yarns. The "Tissue Cardigan" knit in Misti Alpaca Lace is a particular favourite with its lacy yoke and eyelet detail mid sleeve and around the lower hem line. (I think eyelet is as well suited to Spring as polka dots - speaking of which - how about The" Audrey Cardigan" stitched in a Swiss Dot pattern!)

Okay, okay, I've got to land and face a bit of reality - it is mid February! Whatever the sun is doing, the Winter Olympics are on and I've got a bunch of wintery knits to finish up! The prompting of Ms. Jang. can be devilishly compelling but I'm going to bury this sunny, springy issue under a stack of winter knit mags and right now see to that other Jang-esque item in my life - TY!

Thanks for dropping by!

Debbie Bliss Knits Spring 2010

I picked it up at Passionknit yesterday afternoon and they must be among the first to have it in store because it isn't in Ravelry yet as an option to add to my library.

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!

'Hope your weekend includes a little inspiration as well! Thanks for dropping by!