Review Knipmode February 2018

What type of sewing month is February for you? I'm usually finishing the last winter garments, or make a few basics like jeans, cardigans or a blouse. When it comes to coat making I feel it's too late to start another winter coat and a little early to start a spring coat as not all new fabric collections have yet arrived. In the February magazine Knipmode is keeping all options open with a mix & match coat pattern that allows you to design a coat for any season.

Coat 12 (Lana) in boiled wool

Spring coat 13 (Marlou), biker jacket 14 (Nella) and trenchcoat 10 (Jadi)

In the basics the pattern is the same for all of these coats. There are different collar options,  a hood, you can choose several pockets, a variety of closures and different sleeve types.

Parka 11 (Kee)

This parka is a must have for many of us Dutch people cycling to work since we won't be surprised to see four seasons in one day. It's made from windproof scuba and has a detachable inner coat. All five coats shown above are included in a single PDF file.

Pattern overview Knipmode February 2018

Line drawings Knipmode February 2018

Much to my surprise one of the themes mentioned on the cover was  'patterns for plus sizes in knit fabrics'. Did I miss anything? Since the restyle of Knipmode in 2015 and the change to an all-inclusive size range all patterns come in European sizes 34-54. Apparently in the eyes of the editors some patterns are more plus size than others?? That's ridiculous.

Those 'special' patterns are shown elsewhere in the magazine on different body types so I thought I'd put them side by side in the next two collages. Looking good on everyone!

Top 18 (Rivka)

Jacket 25 (Yasmijn)

Another surprise, this time a pleasant one, was seeing the photography of these skirts:

Skirt 3 (Carla), skirt 20 (Tirza), skirt 7 (Geertje)

Don't you love it when the focus is all on the garment? And nobody is sitting, twisting or otherwise hiding seam lines and pretty details! Such a nice change from the usual fashion style photo shoots.

Of course fashion style photo shoots can hide a multitude of sins. If you want to see the true colours of a pattern you can always check the pictures at the PDF page. Let's for instance check the green jacket from the cover.

Jacket 16 (Pam)

In the magazine picture the forward bending makes it less obvious that the waistline is rather high and the pocket placement is a bit odd. The model's hair hides the collar and you could get the impression that the twisting of the sleeves is caused by her posture alone. While I first liked the look of this jacket I now think the proportions are off. When in doubt, check the PDF pics!

Let's try another one!

Cardigan 17 (Quin)

Cute cardigan......or Monstrosity of the Month?

I was firmly in camp Monstrosity when a really nice version of the same pattern showed up in my Instagram feed. A timely reminder that there are a lot of factors that have to be considered when judging magazine pictures of sewing patterns. For starters the patterns are not custom fit. Maybe the model is taller, has a different shoulder slope, cup size or back length than what the pattern is drafted for. Maybe the colour or fabric choice for the sample is putting you off.  Nothing a few adjustments or a different fabric couldn't fix. Anyways, I like the option to see more and different pictures of the patterns. They may be less glamourous but they're definitely more informative!

Finally a few of this month's dresses:

Designer dress 22 (Vivien), dress 5 (Elena) and dress 19 (Saar)

I'm pleased to see the return of the midi skirt. Dress 19 is firmly on my wishlist!
What do you think of the February patterns?

Happy sewing!

Disclaimer: this review contains no affiliate links. I paid for my copy and all opinions are my own. Photocredits: Knipmode