Perhaps it is that I love clothes too much. Or perhaps it is that I suffer from a lack of discrimination (better that than a lack of taste). Either way, I know that I am finding tons of inspiration and interesting patterns in the new batch of pattern books and magazines. I believe I see more than I want to knit than I have in any one year for quite some time. I see so much that I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer abundance.
Take the fall Rowan, book #44.
This issue is filled with inspiration. I could knit from this book alone for years.
Most of the patterns here are things that I can easily see myself making and/or wearing at some point or another. Many can be adapted to work very well, many others are just perfect as inspiration sweaters even if I never make them.
This book is so chock-full of good things that I am having trouble making up my mind. Even though there are a few things that stand out, I am not yet decided. Perhaps it is because there is so much. Perhaps it is because I tend to dress in outfits and I am trying to pay more mind to matching my knitting to other garments in wardrobe (and at this point I have no idea what my fall wardrobe will contain). Luckily it is easier to sew something to go with a sweater than the other way around, although I have been known to do both. I feel I should keep this book by my sewing table as it is so perfectly suited to rounding out several different outfits. At any rate, I know that I can imagine myself making most of the sweaters in this book, or at least some variation on most of the sweaters. This is a 30th anniversary issue that I could probably use for the next 30 years.
Vogue knitting seems to blow hot and cold. The big anniversary issue (last year) left me completely cold. This issue however has quite a few things that have tickled my fancy. Most of them aren't really practical for me — and there are quite a few in which I like the idea more than the I like the problem of altering extensive cabling or color work for length issues.
I am thrilled that there are many long sweaters and especially thrilled that there are some long cardigans. Even though I will not get to all of these this winter, long cardigans remain my favorites and there are many seasons worth of new sweaters here.
These three cardigans in particular are nice, although I can't really decide which one, if any, I will make:
The first two, with the cables along the front bands, feature more prominently in my thoughts at the moment, but this could change. Any decision will probably depend on the choices of yarn and yarn color as well as whether the fall and winter wardrobe presents itself with specific gaps that need to be filled.
Then there are the sweaters that really fill my imagination at the moment:
I love this cabled sweater. The color work at the top which draws the eye upward, the lengthening cables, the A-line shape: These are all pluses in my book. This is a sweater that will make me look long and lean, or at least feel like I look long and lean.
No small part of the fascination is the A-line shape, which is good for me and which seems to be an obsession at the moment. I am collecting a-line and fitted and flared sweater patterns at a truly amazing rate.
The next sweater on my list also includes a little more color work. This one is not long, but I love the way the color work bodice is done, working from center back to cuffs. The shorter sleeves make the dolman look much less overwhelming and the broken rib lower body and wide front bands are an elegant touch.
Last but by no means least on my list is this long cabled pullover. Admittedly I am mostly fascinated by the cables. But the length is good for me and the style is one that I would wear frequently throughout the winter.
This sweater is the highest on the list of "must makes" from this issue. I am already thinking of yarns and colors, although nothing is quite decided as fall yarns are just starting to show up in the LYS. The only rush is to be sure that I get just what I want. There is no rush to begin knitting this. It is, after all, still mostly hot and humid here, and the thought of sitting with mounds of heavily cabled bulky wool is not enticing.