Oh KnipMode. What happened? You were so awesome in 2010, but then these last six months or so have just been so… blah.
If it carries on like this, there’s no way I’m renewing next year, especially as this is by far the most pricey of my three pattern magazine subscriptions (thanks to the exchange rate, it’s almost twice the price of Manequim or Burda).
There was a feature on winter white that had nothing to inspire me, so let’s move on to the pretty party dress feature. Surely there will be something there for me… and yes! This dress with criss-crossed chiffon is lovely, especially in these colours.
This dress, however, is a whole heap of hot mess. The fabric is terrible for this pattern, the princess seams are lumpy, and the colour just looks cheap and nasty on this model’s colouring. Eugh.
You know how much I love lace, right? Well it should tell you something that, in an entire feature on lace, the only thing I liked was this totally non-lace asymmetrical pleated skirt.
I found it disappointing that there were no “real life” reader models in this issue, but I’m glad to see Knip are still at least showing some fabulous older ladies in their magazines, even if it is still depressingly mono-racial this time around. This lady just looks fabulous in all the red clothes in this feature, and my favourite is this oversized jumper. Not enough to make what’s essentially a sack tunic, but I really like it on her.
The other interesting garment in this red feature was a tabbed jacket, and they’ve given photo instructions for it in the glossy section.
Lastly, there’s an expanded Plus section in this issue, with a few decent designs. The twist knit dress is a bit Yawn, but I like the frilled blouse and the faux-wrap tunic, though the model’s pose is cringe-ingly awful.
But the real kick in the teeth to Plus sized Knip fans is that they’re starting up their plus-sized magazine, Knip XL again. This should be good news, but you can’t buy it in stores. Or as separate issues. You have to buy a subscription. And you can only subscribe if you buy it along with the regular KnipMode subscription. What the freaking crap is that about? Did no one stop and think about this? No. Sense. Whatsoever!
I just knew that new editor was up to no good…
Handmade at Hermitage
Attention Londoners! The residential moorings across the river from us in Wapping are holding a special handmade Christmas market for week only (Dec 3-11, though not Friday the 9th) with lots of seasonal food and drink and crafts on sale.
(I can’t find an official events page for this – I was emailed the flyer)
We’re going to stop by on the Wednesday late opening as they’re the “sister” community to ours and we want to go show support, but also to nose around all the nice barges and see how their new Pier House is coming along. Oh yeah, and scope out the crafts! It’s like etsy on the water!