Review Knipmode March 2018

The March issue of Knipmode is the one I'm always looking forward to the most, for a variety of reasons. Firstly it is all about new spring fabrics, prints and colours. Secondly, I find spring collections so versatile. In our Dutch climate we need those 'in between' clothes almost all year round. There may be a few days each winter when we really need to bring out fake fur and heavy wool. If we're lucky there will be days to wear sundresses and shorts during summer. But apart from the extremes our weather is mostly of the 'in between' type and you can't go wrong with jackets or long sleeved tops and dresses.

Pattern overview Knipmode 3/2018

With seven jackets, a cardigan and four long sleeved tops in numbers the March collection is as could be expected. But, what's new? To be honest, nothing much. It's more of the same trends we've seen for a while now: athleisure, ruffles, flounces, statement sleeves. When we zoom in on the fabrics we see flamingos (not again!), bold florals, monstera leaves, black and white, pastels and nudes. Some linen, but also a lot of viscose and polyester. I do hope my daughter returns from Paris this week with more exciting news from the Premiere vision fabric expo!
At the end of the month I'll be visiting the spring fabric market in a nearby town, curious to see the new collection of my favourite fabric sellers.

Jacket 7 (Geesje) + pants 16 (Peppe), sweater 18 (Raja), jumpsuit 14 (Nadien)

I haven't worn athleisure since I lost my beloved red Adidas hoodie from the seventies but the style is once again very popular in our streets. My 70-year-old cousin successfully adopted the style by wearing black trousers with two subtle metallic stripes along the outer leg seam.

Jacket 10 (Jara) + trousers 2 (Bruni), blouse 6 (Fleur) + trousers 2, Jacket 9 (Ilona) + trousers 1 (An)

Knipmode has offered patterns for floral suits for months in a row now, but so far I have not seen any of these out in the wild. Same goes for the pyjama style suit. Interesting to see if these trends will make an appearance in our streets any time soon.

Dress 11 (Klaartje), dress 17 (Qaya), dress 4 (Daan)

Two woven fit and flare dresses and a straight jersey dress. Nothing spectacular but these patterns can all show off a pretty print very well.

Dress 5 (Elize) and top 12 (Liese)

Two of my favourites. Dress 5 is a straight shirtdress with hidden button placket. The use of stripes and the half tie belt create an interesting asymmetric look to an otherwise straightforward dress. The top has cut on sleeves and a peplum.

Dress 23 (Wilma)

This month's designer dress looks very attractive in this flowy fabric with a good drape. With all the flounces along collar, hem and sleeves selecting the right fabric will be crucial to make this dress work. I'm tempted to give this pattern a try with a slightly longer skirt.

Jacket 22 (Vero), jacket 21 (Ursa), coat 20 (Teddi)

Three jackets, all different views from the same pattern. Sadly none of these jackets is lined. The sturdy floral linen is holding up okay but when you look at close-ups of the white linen coat you'll see a very wonky zipper, facings and seams showing through and imagine how wrinkled it will look after a day's wear. With a little extra work these jackets could look and feel so much better!

Coat 20 (Teddi) and McCall's 7730

Actually I quite like the coat in black jacquard. I've had my eyes on McCall's 7730 for a while and I think I still prefer that pattern. It is lined and has set in sleeves, a better look on me than raglan sleeves.

Cardigan 8 (Hana) + skirt 19 (Sandra)

I'm always hoping to find some truly unique patterns in the newest Knipmode collections. This month cardigan 8 was the only one that showed a few surprising details. I'm not into short and boxy cardigans for myself but I do like the use of organza for the ruffles and extra set of lapels, combined with a soft merino jersey. 

All PDF patterns can be found in the Knipmode webshop. I used both pattern names and numbers to make it easier to navigate the site. But, in a new mysterious move, it looks like Knipmode is now back to using only numbers in the shop where last month it was all about the names. Weird!

Traditionally at the beginning of a new season an extra supplement is added to the regular magazine. It is heavily sponsored by fabric company Hilco. The 11 bonus patterns are not available as PDF, but some of them may show up in the coming months as happened before.

Pattern overview and size chart bonus supplement March 2018

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Shirtdress 110, blouse 103 and jeans 102

The garments on the right will make a nice outfit for gardening, bike rides and grocery shopping. The shirtdress, another one with a twist, will look great as a casual dress for hanging out with family and friends. 

All in all, although not groundbreaking, a nice bunch of new patterns and I can't wait to start sewing for spring. Well, after I finish that emergency cardigan because it's freezing again!

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