Ensign Ricky & Magazine Reviews

Some days I feel like Ensign Ricky - Some days I feel like Mr. Spock.
The way things are being managed at work this month is highly illogical (it's end of the work year craziness) and I know it will get better and I know I'm not going anywhere but my sanity may be expendable. Time will tell.

To deal with the month from "you know where" I decided to treat myself to a few new knitting magazines. Some people drink. Some people take drugs. I do knitting.

Interweave Press has come out with a new magazine without a date on it so I'm thinking it's a one time special issue. Maybe it will be popular enough to do once a year.


Knitting Traditions
As the cover says there are socks, socks and more socks but not the usual we see today. These socks are Turkish knitting stockings (cover pic), Bulgarian stockings, Ellis Island socks, socks two at once knit inside each other and more.

There's baby patterns from the past, knit figures from Peru around the time of Christ, gloves from the 1600s and 1800s, shawls from cultures big into lace, the Wild Apple Bohus sweater, and so much more.

When I first got the email blast from Interweave saying this was coming out I got excited. I like tradition. I like knowing how things we have today came into being. This magazine is a bit pricey ($15) but for me it's well worth it.


The Knitter
This is one of my regular magazine purchases. It's glossy paper makes the pictures stand out and make it something worth keeping. The patterns are some new - some from other sources. This works for me because some of the patterns in past issues are ones I was interested on but didn't want to buy the entire book they came from.

This month (issue 14) just came out for America as we're usually a month behind the UK in these magazines. The main focus is Designs for men but as you can see from the cover the patterns can be guys or gals. Kaffee Fassett has a vest sweater combination called Rochester which is done in his usual colorful manner. A few of the sweaters take cables in new directions. One sweater has the normal columns of cables but then takes another set of cables and cross hatches the entire sweater. The combination of the two cables group mingling with each other creates an interesting optical illusion.

For me this magazine is a good resource item. I read, look, enjoy and add it to the library I've created knowing I'll be pulling them out for years to come to get inspiration.


Simply Knitting - issue 63
I like this magazine. It's another UK magazine and for me, it's my "everyday lady" magazine. It doesn't think it's better than the rest, it's just for everyone to enjoy. Each month Alan Dart has a knit toy. This month is a pair of french doll (Pierrot & Pierrette). There's socks, quick knit gifts, sweaters, yarn reviews. Unfortunately because we get it a month late there are Valentine ideas that will have to wait until next year to try.

Every month there is a gift included with the magazine. I look forward to these gifts and have made great use out of many of them. Over the past few years I gotten diaries for the new year, a cute sheep measuring tape, a small project sack that goes with me often, wooden shawl pins and much more. This month should have been another tape measure but for some reason when I went in to get the magazine there was no plastic bag around any of them. No free gift even though the first page says there should be one. I hope this doesn't mean America is going to miss out on the gifts. That would make me sad.

Lunch and a good read

One of my weekly treats is going to Panera Bread for lunch. I get the Pick Two lunch and sit back to enjoy great food and read a book or, when it’s the right time, a new knitting magazine. There’s a JoAnn next to the Panera so when the new magazines come out, I run over to JoAnn – grab the latest magazine and – enjoy my lunch break.

Today I got two of the latest UK magazines. Anyone reading this in the UK will not be too excited because we get the magazines a month late so you’ve already read these and enjoyed them. Those of us in the US – if you haven’t seen these 2 magazines yet, there’s some good knittin’!

Simply Knitting – Issue 52, April 2009. I get this magazine every month. It comes with a free gift and I LOVE getting free gifts. Several of the gifts have become part of my basic knitting tools. Most issues have a toy designed by Allan Dart. I should rephrase that – cute toys from Allan Dart. This issue has a special knit wedding cake from Allan. It’s not my thing but it is cute. What has me excited about the issue are a couple sweaters. The cover sweater is small squares of knit and purl, button up front with a scoop neck and a nice collar. It's comfortable looking but nice enough to use as a business sweater. It’s made from Rowan 4 ply Soft which is a 100% Merino fingering weight. There’s also a sweater made from Boucle called Country Style. It’s a jacket with a pleat in the back and on the sleeves. Another good business sweater.

The Knitter is a new magazine from the UK. (sample of issue 1) Issue 3 is filled with Felted Moebius baskets from Cat Bordhi, A cable Sampler Afghan from Melissa Leapman, Nora Gaughan’s Starfish Shawl, a child’s sweater from Sasha Kagan, an article by the Mason-Dixon ladies and so much more. This magazine is serious about knitting!

One thing I love about knitting magazines is their collectability. I have the first issue of Knitter's Magazine. It's still a keeper. These two new magazines will be keepers too.

Mom, I'm a keeper too, right? - Chief