First Interweave Review?
I picked up Interweave Knits Spring 2007 yesterday and after Googling for reviews today and not finding any it occurs to me that I could be one of the first to review it! This never happens! Except you know the whole thing about if you don't have anything nice to say...?
Well...first of all, they've re-designed the magazine. Pam Allen does a great job of explaining the reasoning behind this in her editor's letter but I really don't think I'll get used to it as she urges us to do. I really loved that the layout of Interweave was different from the typical fashion layout with patterns in the back approach. I loved not having to flip back and forth to see a close-up of something. Patterns are now arranged in thematic 'stories' and I hate to say it but I thought it was an ad for several pages before it clicked that I was in fact looking at the heart of the issue! This move towards a more commercial look just doesn't do it for me. But! I'm sure many will love it. Example:
How about a moment of silence for all those involved with the silk thong--designer, future knitters, wearers, um...beneficiaries? I actually love the two camisoles and the socks.
I'll be honest, I was sort of more excited by the actual ads. I tend to not care much for the warm weather issues. I finally 'cheated' on Webs and purchased a set of Options needles:
Shh, don't tell anyone, they might revoke the Ms. Webs crown! Then I'd have to blubber at a podium for a 'second chance'. Speaking of the ads, have you ever seen me so very groomed??
This ad from Blue Moon Fiber Art has me thinking that this will be the year I finally buy some Socks That Rock yarn at Stitches. In the past I've thought my sock knitting skills too shoddy for $$ yarn, but these colors...I just hope they aren't exclusive to the Sock Club. Because I'm a vendor's employee I will have the distinct pleasure of getting a crack at it before the masses descend upon it which, truth be told, is the real reason I haven't purchased any so far. The melee (which I'm sure some of you have been party to!) is downright ugly, I think the word 'scrum' is really accurate.
On the crafty front I made some book weights! This was great practice for making straight seams and just generally getting aquainted with my machine. I made several, tweaking the design as I went. They're filled with popcorn and (I think) adorable! This was all inspired by Anjali asking what to do with very precious fabrics and by Ysolda's amazing Reading Jumper. Ysolda and I even have some reading in common!
My set-up (the awesome mixed-up fairy tale fabric is from the swap I had with Anjali!) EDITED TO ADD: I started whipping these bad boys up for all my grad school friends and one of them called (just as I was sewing his, no less). I excitedly told him about it and he said (in a very HIM tone) "Is it particularly tiring to hold your books open?" I realized that the main reason I was making these was because I knit and read at the same time unless the book won't stay open. Other people don't necessarily have this problem, but I did make a pretty good case for free hands leading to better notes. I tell you, as a grad student reading is no laughing matter. We continually have debates about favorite highlighter brands, scamming free copies and holding books hostage from the library. Good times!
That is a Zimmerman book in the back there, I needed some reading knitting of my own so I cast on for a Baby Surprise Jacket (my first!). A professor/friend is having twins soon (a boy and a girl!) and while they wanted gender neutral, I couldn't help putting these colors together. They will most likely have dark hair (who knows, but one of the parents is Italian and dark hair IS a dominant traits...) so I hope the brown is suitably non-traditional for them. Now to decide which side is cuter...I'm thinking 'wrong', the one with more striping!
Lord knows I love my stripes...
CR
Labels: finished object, review, sewing
posted by Cirilia @ 6:15 AM
12 Comments:
How in the world did you get your hands on a magazine that doesn't come out for another 15 days?! I have to agree with you that I will hate having to flip to the back to see the pattern. Why would IK do that?
And you look super cute in that ad! :)
I also like the wrong side of the Baby Surprise jacket. You never know about the dark hair; my dark-brown-haired self and my black-haired hubby somehow managed to produce a flaming redhead. Those colors would look good on any baby, though!
We had it in the classroom Thursday night and did not love it. Katy also thought it was an ad in the center. When I saw it I almost cried. I loved that they were not the same as everyone else, and I too think the flipping back and forth it annoying.
Bay Surprise has a right and wrong side? I just went with the one I liked. Brown and pink belong together.
Book weights! What an absolutely fabulous idea - I only wish someone had told me about them sooner. Those will make it much easier to read while I am eating. Thanks.
http://meli-mello.livejournal.com/
I haven't seen the new issue yet, but I just wanted to say that those book weights are such a great idea. I'm always trying to sit and knit and read using my foot to hold the book open.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I thought it was just me, who was a bit teary upon opening the new Interweave Knits. Here's what I hate about it- the pages where the pattern info is across the page from a full page ad (which is - as you point out - more interesting than the pattern), so that it is kind of jerky and distracting. The last two issues were so good, with a real range of projects and a clear layout that was easy to follow and open up to a single pattern (which is described in detail). I assumed that my reaction to this issue was age-related..
Anyway, I'm glad to see that others are finding this redo a sad event.
I thought the same thing about the new layout. I was skipping through, thinking I was looking at ads, when it finally hit me that these were the actual items. I'm sad - I loved the old layout. One item per page - it was fun to wonder what was going to be next! I just found you from the Thermal knitalong, and look at you, a magazine star! I had to scroll down to find out if you were pulling my leg!
I just got my IK the other day and wanted to blog about it but didn't have time. Yes, I had that exact reaction too, about thinking that they were ads, and not wanting to flip back and forth. I was especially peeved when I had to wait to the end to find out who the designers were. I was like, oh, Stephanie Japel designed that sweater!
But I also love your book weight idea! Hey, if that guy doesn't want his, I'll take it. :-) I actually just figured out another way to address the exact same problem--I bought a binder at Office Max and a bag of the strongest rubber bands they have. So now I can lay my book against one of the binder covers and secure each end with a rubber band. It also acts like a little podium, because it's angled.
I didn't like the new IK layout much, either. I'm like you--I gravitate towards the ads!
The "wrong" side of the BSJ is very cute with the extra striping. I think the colors will look great on dark-haired babies!
I'm in love with your BSJ. Those colors are scrumptious - when I had a daughter after two sons, people wanted to shower me in pink, and I usually hate it, but those rich purpley pinks paired with that chocolately brown are beautiful and almost edible. I think you've got me considering a striped sweater for her...
I think the ticking look of the wrong side is really awesome, as well.
I'm so sad about Interweave! They're the only knitting magazine I consistently love, and to hear that they've gone over to the formatting Dark Side is heartbreaking. Boo! Hiss! I love many of the patterns in the current issue, and intend to purchase it, but my heart won't be in it.
Thanks for the great review!
I have to admit that I also thought I was looking at an ad for a few pages and that I did like not having to flip back and forth in the magazine. On the other hand, I like that I can look at all the patterns quickly and pick the ones in which I am interested knitting and the whole layout looks more polished. So I guess it's a little of six of one, half a dozen of the other for me.
I allowed my subscription to IK to lapse (gasp! horrors!) when I saw the new magazines in Walmart 7 to 15 days sooner than I, a subscriber, saw the magazine in my mailbox. I emailed the magazine and stated my complaint, but apparently, distribution is out of their hands?
I did not like the fashion layout when I subscribed to VK, and I did like how IK thought of us first as knitters ... give me the pattern, and no B-S-; (preferably in larger print so I don't have to find my bifocals!). It will be interesting to watch how things shake out.
To you, Cerilia, thanks for sharing the book weights idea. What a charming use for charming fabrics! I'm making some ... just because I like them! (Much cuter than the pricey ones I see in those leather catalogs!)
Thanks,
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