I’m totally bored with this issue, so I apologise for going through the motions here. KnipMode have really taken a turn for the dull over the past few months, as far as I’m concerned, and this issue really just highlights what’s wrong with the new leadership at the magazine.
This issue is almost entirely comprised of “mix & match” garments – if you’re familiar with the Simplicity Project Runway patterns, then it’s the same concept here: choose a bodice, choose a collar, choose a sleeve, etc, and put together the garment you prefer. In principle, this is a great thing, and I’ve been enthusiastic when they’ve done this with cocktail dresses and blouses in the past.
The problem here is that every single one of these garments is b-o-r-i-n-g to start with, so choosing between several boring customisation options just doesn’t make it any better. It’s like someone at the top heard the concept was popular with readers, but didn’t actually go so far as to make sure the underlying patterns were desirable before running away with the concept…
Case in point – the jackets. I’m not particularly a jacket person anyway, but I swear KnipMode have already published princess seamed jacket patterns for every single one of these variations in the past six months anyway. And the sleeves – changing the length is NOT a variation, as far as I’m concerned. I mean, why aren’t they changing the sleeve cap to gathered, or making one a wide cape sleeve, or a cap sleeve on one or something?? There’s so much you could be changing here but they’ve just missed the opportunity.
Dresses – again, those bodices and skirts are just not different enough. This is the same freaking dress across all the options.
Trousers. These are all wide-legged trousers, and tucking them in at the ankle does not hide the fact that it’s the same damn trousers pattern over and over again! Seriously, there was way more variation in their January 2011 “Trouserpalooza” issue than in this.
Complaining is really hard work. I’m just going to post the rest of the mixes and let you fill in the rant.
The only part of the magazine that wasn’t mix & match was the “Take 5” feature, where they show a pattern made up in five different fabrics. But I’m not even fond of the top or skirt here, bah.
In fact, the only reason to buy this issue is to get the enormous, fold-out, poster of all the tech drawings from 2011 (this scan is just a very small portion of it)
They started this in 2010 and it’s a really useful reference – already I’ve seen some patterns from early 2011 that I’d forgotten about, and it’s nice to see everything categorised by garment type rather than issue.
My subscription still has about 7 or 8 months left, so I still hold out hope that KnipMode can turn things around the way Burda did at the end of 2011 after an entire year of “Blah”. I mean, the February 2012 issue is amaaaaaaazing!
UPDATE: My February Knip just arrived this week, after writing this post but before it went live. February’s issue is a little better, thankfully.