Today I am adding to discoveries by talking about magazines out for knitters at the moment .We have the standard 3 best rating Uk knitting magazines and then we had Yarn Forward introduced to us by Kalmedia . Most knitters then can add to this stash of magazinbes by buying the Rowan magazine and importing Vogue or Interweave .So with all these we should have it all covered or do we??
Well we got excited when we learnt a new magazine was coming a promise of 15 or more patterns every month complicated and challenging .First issue arrived and there was a buzz until it was studied in detail and to be honest the only thing that appealed to me was a kit from Cucumberpatch which actually was an advert . Still I awaited issue 2 as did everyone well sorry but I want more than repeat patterns, that is not fair to the knitter,we have the Rowan books etc there were only a handful of new patterns in the issue . Issue 1 taught us the Turkish cast on and even I as adesigner have superceded this with the Helsinki cast on demonstrated in Lets Knit,Erica Knights top was nice but not madly different, I missed the deadline for complicated cable patterns and yet the cushion covers the reader got had mistakes in, I want a magazine not focused on Rowan or the Rowan team, I buy the Rowan mag for that and they are collectors pieces as are Vogue and Interweave , so come on Future publishing there are plenty of stylists and designers to do theme boards away from the Rowan studio, let us have yet another differing eye –if the same team is used the look will eventually become the same .
I like the Jean Moss piece apart form the neck tie which to me looks as if there was no blue yarn left to work into the colour palette and sadly it stands out away form the rest of the top –a nice touch would be for the designers to put what knitting software they have used to create the patterns and charts and then find a universal one for the magazine so that all the charts do look the same .Nice to see the advert for Rowan workshops but what about all the other workshops happening around the globe that could have deserved a mention.
We have avisit to this country by a cruise ship full of American knitters who will cruise from America being taught enroute by Barry from Trendsetter Yarn ,I was hoping that having a brand new magazine with challenging patterns in that would really excite our visitors but maybe only because they have not been buying the Roawn mag etc for the last 30 years .Knitting is still so much treated as a craft not an art form here and we so need a mag for the knitters.Knitter has along way to go, and the faltering first steps that were excused in issue 1 cannot be excused in issue 2 .
On a totally differing point I wonder how many people remember the beautiful books and designs from Knitter extraordinaire Alice Starmore .Well I sent for a kit from the isle of Lewes and Alice’s hand dyed beautiful yarn and pattern for a shawl .My delight when it arrived in a brand new box (not one having seen better days ) my name and address clear on label not scrawled illegible on the box and inside it was a pure joy my yarn wrapped in tissue and the pattern I want to frame to put on my studio wall .
Alice we all have a lot to still learn from you ,the joy of receiving my yarn has lasted all day and I know the joys in store as I wind my skeins watching the evoloving colour scheme unfold in front of my eyes as I try to imagine what it will look like knitted up.This shawl is my present to Chrissie for working hard, it is my spring knitting, knit simply for the total pleasure in the whole event and I cannot wait to start my journey so thank you Alice for the pattern, for stunning photograpy, for beautiful quality yarn, in a wondrous colourway but most of all thank you for your care.
Trendsetter Yarns
oh wow!!!!what a feast was set before me, i now sit in my counting house counting out my money, never mind the bread this week, say farewell to any honey i have to find a way to buy say au revoir to all my money.
seriously to all non americans reading this as surely all natives must know of trendsetter existence log on hold tight and prepared for a yarn thrill. go on go on go on enjoy
Talk to you all real soon, tomorrow is a yarn sorting day -whew that is hard WORK and some work to do on the pear trees now the blossom has fallen.The afternoon must find me penning notes to two children( young people) at opposite ends of this country and both too far away from me.Did i see a message there.
received a text from a friend last night it read ‘Chrissie ill phone tomorrow’. oh I fretted and worried send back a message about chicken soup etc etc.So along comes today the phone goes and i hurriedly ask’how are you oh poor you’ hey i am ok was the reply.but you text me to say you were ill . No Chrissie just forgot to put the apostrophe in ,message should have read I’ll phone tomorrow’. wow what a load of sympathy went west there–and I am in credit now.
Tried to persuade the long suffering oppo non yarn addict otherwise known as Nigel to let me have a dog! just a little one– got nowhere not even an inch was he moving on the firm no. I ‘ll keep drip feeding got to work sometime .
On that note goodnight yarnies wherever you are keep on clicking.
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