Inspiration?

I received my new Knitter's magazine yesterday and settled down to look at it last night. The first thing I noticed was a note that I only have 2 issues left on my subscription, so I was thinking I'd have to decide if I was going to renew. Lately I've been somewhat disappointed in them, and I was interested to see if they would change my mind with this month's issue. Well, in a word, NO. I hate to state it so strongly, but the patterns ranged from pedestrian to just plain ugly. No interesting shaping, some really awful fit, colors and yarns were uninteresting. There were just no redeeming features whatsoever. So, I believe I'll just let it run out. You might think that the cover sweater isn't so bad, but it's actually a tube top with an asymmetric cape over it. The model has been carefully posed in this photo as in the others, the most charming body area of the arm/body junction is prominently on display under the short side of the cape. Ick, even on the model. I have to say that several of the most uninspired and amateurish of the designs are from the magazine staff. I don't know if they had to whip up something quickly because they were short or if they're practicing their design skills on the paying public, but either way, it's a mistake, in my opinion.

And now for the much better stuff.

Today I got my first issue of a new subscription to Piecework. It has a cute Nancy Bush knitted sock pattern as well as an article on metal thread embroidery, and a project to try it. I have just scanned quickly through it, but it appears to be worth a more in-depth read.

Summerset has been putting up a vintage pattern with each post from a collection she was given. Today's offering is a 1970's sailor style pattern She mentioned that her MIL remembered wearing these styles then. Well, me too! This immediately took me back to my first "with a pattern" 4-H project. It was a sleeveless sailor top and straight elastic-waist skirt in a lavender-blue/white windowpane check with a solid blue skirt. I remember redoing the point of the V-neck where the collar sets in over and over and over again. My top didn't have a CF seam like this one does, which would make it much easier, but what did I know? I don't remember actually wearing it a whole lot after I finally got it done, entered in the fair, modelled in the Dress Review, etc. By the time I was actually free to wear it, I think I was probably sick of looking at it. But, I still like that style! What does that say about my fashion sense? Set in stone at age 10, apparently.