Summer KnipMode roundup
29 July 2009, 17:31It’s about that time again, so here’s my highlights of the June, July and August issues of my favourite Dutch sewing pattern magazine, KnipMode!
June 2009
KnipMode turns 40 this year, and to celebrate, June’s issue is a special “40 years, 40 dresses” issue! Now, that doesn’t actually mean there’s 40 dress patterns, since some of the dresses are restyles or variations on the same pattern elsewhere in the magazine, but there are still a TON of dresses here, and only a very few garments.
My personal favourites of this issue are the Bottega Veneta & Martin Grant runway homages. Ooh, that BV wide neckline and the pockets(!), and the MG gathering is just spectacular, especially in the tartan that really emphasizes it!
My mom brought fabric with her to make one knit and one woven dress while she’s here with access to my sewing room, and for her red cotton, she’s picked out this red ruffled shirtdress.
I always think KnipMode are the best at producing consistently great and interesting Plus sized designs, and I was stunned by how great this surplice pleated Plus knit dress is and how flattering it’d be on larger bodies, especially teamed with a RTW belt.
July 2009
I’m uninterested in cropped trousers and shorts (don’t wear ‘em, don’t sew ‘em!) so for me, this issue was all about the “Hotel vs Camping” feature, with a bunch of wearable coordinates dressed up or down. In particular I love the vest top in silk satin (especially since I’ve got a few 1m cuts!), the wrapover knit top (ditto!), and the button tabbed skirt in the camping section.
KnipMode always have at least one pattern per magazine that isn’t really a pattern, but an easy garment made entirely from rectangles you measure yourself. It sounds dull, but I’m continually amazed at their creativity in coming up with wearable designs for beginners to sew in an afternoon, like this boxy cowl top.
August 2009
Now, the other months were good issues, but August is a spectacular issue that’s got me so excited to be back on my feet and into my sewing room! This one ranks up there with May for me as being one of their best this far this year…
From the Couture feature, this assymetrical ruffled silk Marni blouse and wool Schiaparelli funnel-necked coat are joined by a Cardin skirt suit and an YSL studded dress (very in fashion again!).
Another of those easy patterns made of drafting rectangles, this one is for a tube top with an attached halter overlay, that just looks SO cute and would be a perfect beginning sewing project for a teen!
KnipMode have been rocking the 1 pattern, 4 looks feature since their redesign in February, but this one just makes so much sense I’m amazed they hadn’t done it before. They look the same trouser pattern, and modified the rise so you can have it end at your hips, below the waist, on the natural waist, or extra high. What a great idea!
Never one to shy away from a terrible pun (“tas” is Dutch for bag, uuuuggggh), I am so smitten with this weekend bag pattern that I’ve already earmarked some fantastic IKEA canvas for it, though I’m definitely customising it to add more pockets. Just off the top of my head, the lower side portions can be doubled for pockets there, I’m adding a half pocket for magazines to one of the big sides (hello clever fabric pattern matching), and definitely a bunch inside, too. And I’ve already got plenty of O rings left from my many Nairobi handbags (shhh, they’re curtain rings from the hardware store!).
I’m not sure how I understand the “Amazon” title, but this fall fashion feature with a gorgeous white shirt with neck and cuff knife pleats instantly made me think of Cidell, and you can see the details here for the ruffled riding jacket, too, which is just gorgeous.
And Meryl Streep is certainly making her way round the pattern magazines at the minute (first Manequim’s Oscar feature, now Knip’s celebrity dresses feature!), and my mom really loved this one until I voiced some skepticism about the inverted V on pear shapes. Was I wrong to shatter her dreams?
Oh, and I failed to scan it for some reason, but my mom found her knit dress pattern in this August KnipMode, too! So it looks like everyone’s going Dutch this summer!
tags: knipmode
I can barely find Burda where I live; I hope that I can find this somewhere in stores!
— TheLuxuriousVagabond Jul 29, 06:17 PM #
Ohhh, thanks for sharing. Love the tas and amazones jacket.
I think your mom could wear that dress if she was careful with the fabric and brought the interest up to her neckline. It is an a-line dress with a solid shoulder, which looks good on pears. The seaming is so different I would definitely do a muslin first to see what the overall look would be. If she has a waist that she likes to show off, she may be unhappy with the outcome.
How are you feeling? Are you getting any energy back?
— Cindy Jul 29, 06:56 PM #
Thank for the review. I am about to make my first garment from knipmode. I sew BWOF alot and was wondering how the sizing compares? Would I be the same size in knipmode?
— Rachel Jul 29, 07:18 PM #
Ha, from the July preview on the Knip site, I thought the hotel vs camping bit was actually about travel, not featuring travel clothes. That’s much cuter!
Glad to read you’re home and hope you’re doing well.
— Laura Jul 29, 08:04 PM #
I don’t see any reason your mom couldn’t wear that dress. FWIW, I am a pear myself.
— Grace Jul 29, 09:15 PM #
I think your mom might be all right with that dress. It says on the page that it’s loose fitting at the front, and more tailored at the back. That should mean it will gracefully cover a pear shaped body. Especially if she uses the same fabric for the V and the area around it (like Knip does). Just some some extra information on Knipmode for the other commenters: if you want to buy the magazine, try www.naaipatronen.nl it is in their ‘magazines’ section and they sometimes offer discount deals on back issues. I’ll be posting the sewing terms translation (Dutch to English) which I send to Melissa earlier on my blog today.
— lauriana Jul 30, 08:25 AM #
I love Knipmode. If anyone is interested in a subscription you can contact Ms. Lia Dangerman-Barthel at l.dangerman-barthel@sanoma-uitgevers.nl. To the USA a subscription is about 108 euro. Your hair will go back and their are some fantastic wigs out their. I recently went on a trip where I was amazed at this woman’s gorgeous straight brown hair and someone told me that it was a wig as she had had treatment for Hodgkin’s disease. Then I had to admire her even more for her attitude because I didn’t sense an ounce of self-pity from her. We all admire you too. When your hair comes back it will may be curly for a while then it will go back to straight eventually.
— Karen Jul 30, 04:39 PM #
Yep. I totally love that blouse and am pretty keen on the weekender bag too!
— cidell Jul 30, 04:59 PM #
Well, I’ve been quite vocal about my love of the August KnipMode on PR so…what you said, LOL!
Re: Amazones, I know the Fr refer to female horse riders that way all the time. I guess it’s a Euro thing. But the jackets are soo cute!
I can’t wait for your feed back for the kimono top you made in blue.
— Lakaribane Jul 30, 06:52 PM #
I have the August issue winging it’s way to me. I am sorry I didn’t get the July issue when it was on Ebay, but I so rarely wear dresses. I do love that BV dress but that neckline isn’t so flattering on my DD bust. Do you have a subscription to Knip these days? I am making a skirt from the May extra on skirts, but I needed Sigrid’s help to figure it out. I am constantly impressed that you manage to make so patterns without translations.
— Nancy k Aug 3, 09:21 PM #
Hi there, love your blog. Just about to start making my first knipmode dress. I’m so excited and have some amybutler fabric ready and waiting. I don’t speak dutch and have spent the afternoon on google translation!!! Think i’m ready to start, but if you are feeling generous it would be great to have a copy of your translation of common terms so that i can progress with confidence.
Love your work x
— Pam Nov 6, 04:25 PM #
I enjoy your magazines!I’m a fan for many years and I always keep them, no matter how old. I’m wondering if it’s possible to order a pattern from 1999. Thx in advance for replying xxx
— Caroline Jan 24, 08:58 PM #