Vogue Knitting, Winter 2009/10

The new Vogue Knitting arrived over the holidays.  Because the family was here, and a vicious cold incubated, I was a little slow at actually perusing the contents.

Although there are several things I like, there is nothing that is really calling to me, telling me it must be made right now.  This is probably as much due to the fact that I have just cataloged my yarn stash as anything else, and I have lots of yarn and lots of projects, all of which I want to knit right now.

 Nonetheless, here are my thoughts.

I love this little floral vest.  It would be fun to knit.  I have doubts as to whether I would wear it or not though.  I do not really wear a lot of vests and I am not convinced that that the high round neckline is one I would wear on a vest.  I could add sleeves, but then it is not much different than a lot of other patterns I have.  This is a maybe.

 While I am thinking about floral color-work patterns however, I do love this cardigan with the larger scale flowers.  I love the way the large print is offset by the delicate fair-isle work at the waist and along the borders of the sweater, and the herringbone lace pattern in the lower portion of the sweater.  This sweater looks like one that would be both fun to knit and a joy to wear.  Just not right now, although it is even possible that I have felted tweed in the stash that may be applied to it as a future project.

 The truth is that the sweaters I actually wear the most tend to be very simple shapes with simple details, and often not even a lot of color work.  There are two sweaters here that look like they would be fabulously wearable additions to my wardrobe.

First is this fabulous tunic with a central cable motif by Suvi Simola.  Simple and sleek, I don't see what is not to like about this pattern.  Even the relatively short to nonexistent sleeves don't bother me as I can see ways to style it, and what is winter without coats anyway?

 The other sweater is this fabulous fitted jacket-like cardigan. The silhouette is shapely and the lovely details would emphasize a bit of shape even where there was less.  This is a fabulously versatile cardigan, at least for those of us who like a bit of structure and tailoring, that can be dressed up or down.  

Oddly enough, my first thought on seeing this was "too fitted, too conservative, too retro-inspired" but I have come around and it hasn't escaped my thoughts.  The more I look at my closet and the contents therein, the more I see the potential of a little knitted jacket just like this one.

 I don't usually knit men's sweaters, not because there is not a man in my life, but because that particular man, G, always tells me " I don't wear sweaters" and "I don't need sweaters" both of which are quite true as he has drawers of sweaters both purchased and hand-knitted, that he never wears.  But he likes to look at the knitting magazines and point out sweaters that he likes and thinks would be nice for me.  

In all of the years we have been married, this is only the second time he has ever pointed out a men's sweater that he liked and said he would wear.  The other sweater was Alice Starmore's Henry VIII.  

I think he would actually wear this one.  Although he occasionally reminds me he likes Henry VIII, I remember that he hates pullovers and I am not inclined to turn it into a cardigan.  This one I may actually knit, someday.  

Comments

[Liana]

For some reason, I got more out of your post than the magazine itself when it comes to finding possible projects. You make them seem very tempting. The vest is darling, I love G's choice, and the floral cardi is wonderful! I must have been looking at the issue with my eyes shut, or perhaps just my brain switched off. (What's new?) Great post! Thank you.

[materfamilias]

I really like the men's houndstooth vest and there's a long, pastel fair-isle deep-v'ed vest I think I might make. Also like that tunic above and very much like the Grandpa cardigan you've chosen. I do like the tailoring effect of that cardigan, but I'd be worried about emphasizing my non-waist. And I agree with you about the fair-isle vest above -- it would be fun to make and I love it in the photo, but whether I'd wear it much without looking boxy, I'm not sure. I do love the floral cardigan, but I do NOT love intarsia -- I'll happily watch you knit it up, though (and I suppose an argument could be made that this could be a way to learn to love a technique I could improve on . . .)

[K-Line]

The vest is my fave. Totally adorable - but sophisticated at the same time.