Knit

I've got something to complain about today but I'm not going to tell you what it is because I wrote a whole bloody post about it and then I realised that I only ever seem to blog when I have something to complain about.  So I won't even tell you about it, I'm going to tell you about a lovely magazine that popped through our door instead. I'm going to talk about Knit Magazine (formerly known as Yarn forward).

If I remember rightly, and I'm not great at dates, this magazine started at around the same time as 'The Knitter' (another magazine I love). If I remember wrongly then really it only came to my attention at the same time as The Knitter...

I'm not a great magazine buyer, you'll know how much I love love love Rav for patterns, information and general yarn chat. I also get a lot of that in the shop and I have access to some gorgeous patterns for free right here in the shop. I also like to make it up a lot. So I've only ever bought magazines occasionally but when I do I buy either Knit or The Knitter rather than Simply Knitting or Let's Knit or any of the others. I tend to think of the latter magazines as beginner magazines, you'll get some great articles occasionally and I think one of them has started some sort of  'anatomy of...' series where they talk about socks or gloves or hats. I don't particularly need it but it's a great feature! Anyway, enough of my magazine buying habits, all I wanted out of this paragraph was to tell you that we get free magazines sent to us so I get to read things that I wouldn't spend money on i.e. magazines.

So, the new issue of 'Knit' plopped through the door t'other day and it's a 'Nordic Special Issue'. Hmm. The Killing. I sort of get it. Sort of.

I love the look of the pattern but it's simple, it's two colour and what knitter hasn't looked through Rav and seen some of the most amazing, beautiful, intricate colourwork designs? Let's face it, it's not as exciting as this is it?

Pattern: Oranje (be still my beating heart), Knitty, Winter 2011

It's a bit like comparing sirloin steak with home-made burgers. Not as bad as Burger King burgers (which might be like knocking up a garter stitch scarf in super chunky) but not as juicy, tender and steak-y as a sirloin... Sorry to all the vege's out there; determined meat eater here.

Anyway, not everybody has access to patterns like the Oranje (be still my beating heart) and I guess an issue based almost entirely around a simple snowflake design will have to do. I'm not sure it's fair but, to be honest, they already charge £4.99 and if we had a magazine full of Oranjes (be still my beating heart) they'd have to charge so much they'd never sell a magazine.

So I get it. Sort of.

There are ten patterns in this issue, high points include: a lovely, complicated, colourwork beret, some stunning blue stripey/zig-zaggy knee socks and a stranded, flowery vest. Low points include some 'furniture feet' (they do exactly what it says on the tin). I might also argue that the jumper based almost entirely on the Killing Jumper was a low point  but needs must and if you can't get hold of Oranje (be still my beating heart), then I guess it would do.

What really  impressed me about the magazine was the article (sort of) on Helene Magnusson and her website icelandicknitter.com. In particular, this dress and in particular, this photo:

Isn't it just divine?!? Or is it just because of the green?? I have this conversation with customers on an almost daily basis. I'm sure a world made entirely of green knitted things would be a very happy and wonderful world indeed. I love her accessories too, especially the brennu-njal (I don't seem to be able to copy and paste all the dots everywhere - sorry!!).

Imagine me in that! I can and I will!

There are a few articles about Norwegian knitting, a lovely article about Faroese sheep and some ideas about where to go shopping should you ever head to Iceland, Finland or anywhere in between (interesting maybe but dare I say it, useless? How big is the percentage of readers who are going to get there anyway? And it literally gives the street address, web address and nothing more - how about an interview with one or two of the owners?). 

Blimey - don't I complain a lot! One thing I really mega do like about the magazine, and this issue in particular, is the fact that there is a black model (it looks like she might actually model for Inside Crochet too which is nice). I like that. I think knitting and crochet can be too insular sometimes, showing either kids or stereotypical knitters; middle class, white, hipster kids or yummy mummies so it's nice to see something different. No fat women though! And only one garment goes further than a 50" bust (the 'Cornflower' goes up to 53.5"). Wrongly or rightly, there are fat people out there and we want to knit things from magazines and when we buy wool we buy a whole lot more than somebody who's a size eight so why not support the LYSO's by supporting fat people?

Haha - even that nice bit turned into a rant... oh dear... 

I like the magazine, I do, I promise! (I know it doesn't sound like it...). 

Anyway, there's a review - how was that?

Love Eleanor. :)