Review Knipmode June 2018

Just a quick post for those of you interested in the contents of the Knipmode 6/2018 magazine.

Pattern overview Knipmode 6/2018

The emphasis is on dresses. Many different styles and lengths, and, apart from a few exceptions, all necklines look very modest. Peter Pan collars, fully buttoned up shirt dresses and neck ties. No halter necks or strapless dresses for the beach, but if you're looking for an office approved summer dress there may be something in here.

Dress 5 on the left doesn't exactly look like a summer dress to me, the autumn vibe we've seen in all spring Knipmode magazines this year is continuing. And so demure. Is that a fashion trend?
Dress 15 (middle) is a combination of tunic 14 and skirt 16. Looks like separates, but the pieces are sewn together and have a long zipper at center back. Not sure why you would want to do that as those individual pieces would be much more versatile. (In the picture below you see the tunic on the left and the skirt on the right)

These garments are all part of a mix & match holiday wardrobe. The pants are a repeat of the same shapeless variety we've seen in previous magazines and I've seen better versions of a cold shoulder dress. But the cropped jeans jacket looks good, either paired with shorts or over a dress or jumpsuit on a chilly night. 

Mix & match holiday capsule

Although it's not my usual style there is something about this month's designer dress (23) that makes me want to sew it immediately. With a v-neck perhaps.

These linen trousers (7) are also on my to-sew list. It's a simple pattern with a v-shaped yoke at the front, slash pockets and a side seam zipper. Not too many details so the focus will be fully on perfectioning the fit.

All in all I'll rate this issue as a useful one. The longer I look at it, the more I like it.

Happy sewing everyone!

Disclaimer: this review contains no affiliate links. I paid for my copy and all opinions are my own. Photocredits: Knipmode. All pdf and paper patterns can be found at the Knipmode shop

Review Knipmode May 2018

Bamm! Another 25 sewing patterns and 1 knitting pattern just landed on my doormat. I can hardly keep up writing these reviews, let alone keep up with the sewing! Although Knipmode made the latter easier by producing a few boring issues in a row. Let's see what this magazine brings.

Pattern overview Knipmode May 2018

For a mid- to late spring collection again a lot of long sleeves. And just like last month, many drawstrings and belts to suggest shape in otherwise shapeless patterns. But the overall vibe is certainly less depressing and a wider range of colours, prints and shapes makes this edition definitely more interesting than its predecessor.

Dress 7, Jacket 1 and pants 3, tunic 15 (a long shirt with attached wrap)

Three versions of the same easy pattern, (22, 21 and 20) 

Quite different looks and styles. I like how the belts completely hide the elasticized waists.

Dress 23

May's designer dress is a flowy knit dress with piping along the yokes and belt.

Coat 17, culottes 10, maxi dress 8

I hope I'm not offending anyone with plans to sew is this yellow coat, but it's a strong contender for the 'Monstrosity of the Month' title. Please prove me wrong!

Coat 17, jacket 18, pants 4

Nope. Not getting any better in close-up, and imagine how long it takes to dry after a spring shower with all those pleats! It does look much better as a short jacket. It's not just the shorter length that improves the proportions. The neckline and cuffed sleeves also create a more polished look that goes  well will the slim capri pants.

Skirt 19

I had to blink a few times when I first noticed the plaid skirt. Really, Knipmode? 'Let's turn the bottom part of that yellow coat into a skirt! It would be a shame to only use those awesome pockets once!' But okay, if you're into the style I can see how it works in satin with a good drape.

Four versions of blouse 24

From crispy white cotton to drapey olive green rayon, these pictures highlight the effect of the fabric on the overall look. A nice and versatile shirt pattern. I'll put this on my to-sew list to compare this to the M6436 shirt I posted last week. I like the slimmer sleeves and it's interesting to see if my usual FBA ends up with a less gigantic dart.

Dress 5

Interesting seam lines! Six darts in the bodice, four in the skirt and one in the sleeve cap. Nice!

Dress 6

Same bodice with a pleated skirt in a lovely mix of fabrics. The pleating looks different from the line drawing, check the unfortunate placement of that pleat on top of the models hip! 

Well, overall not an earth shaking collection, but at least a few patterns that I consider making.

And now for the latest Knipmode news: remember how back in January the editors announced changing the pattern nomenclature from unique number code to female names? And we wondered how long this silliness would last? Now we know: four months. Back to numbers it is.

In other news, chief editor Peggy Weyergang will retire in July. It will be interesting to see whether the new editor has a background in fashion, publishing or marketing and whether or not she/he has affinity with sewing. More on that later when the new chief editor is announced.

Disclaimer: this review contains no affiliate links. I paid for my copy and all opinions are my own. All patterns are available as PDF over at the Knipmode shop  Photocredits: Knipmode.

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