MagKnits April
MagKnits April is up.
I am very taken by the cabled tank -- Calla. There's an inch of negative in built in, and I quite like the garter stitch straps.
It's got to be one of the nicest non-accessory patterns I've seen in MagKnits.
I just wish they could really get their publishing together. There are several 404 (page not found) errors (including the link to Slick Silk), off-site links that aren't coded properly so they don't work, and mailto links that don't work. These errors would easily be found if someone went through the whole site before launching (and before sending out an announcement email). It would take less than 5 minutes.
I love their model of free publishing, but I think that the haphazardness of their publication damages their credibility.
Thanks for letting us know it is up :) For me all the links to the patterns worked. I didn't check the links inside the patterns though.
I like slick silk although I find it a bit too feminine with that lace running up the front :)
I find there are a bit too many wintery items in there still. I think they rushed to get it up before the Knitty went up.
Cheers Eva
I didn't realize it was up -- thanks for the heads up. I agree with you that Calla is an inspired pattern. I usually only find one or two accessories at Magknits that I might knit so this may be the first piece of Magknits clothing.
On your second point -- Amen! I find I don't give Magknits the attention it may deserve because I run into errors, links not working and well, in my opnion the layout isn't too appealing. I think a few tweaks here and there as well as a good editing and it could be kicked up a notch!
I agree, it's very frustrating to have the links not work. Usually you can figure out how to make them work manually, but still, a bit of a pain. I never go back to check if they get fixed later, but I'm assuming that they don't.
That said, this is the best Magknits ever! I'm really impressed with the designs and there is actually stuff I'd think about knitting in this one... the Svale top being #1!
Yup, yup and a big YUP!
Yeah, I'm with you on MagKnits - rather frustrating to use. Particularly if you're trying to navigate their archives. Argh.
Yeah, I agree on the publishing. I wish the online knitting magazines had slicker publishing in general. Someone could probably modify Movable Type for them or use Dreamweaver templates, or some open-source software to keep the links in line. Though this is easy to say without volunteering for the job!
AGREED about Magknits. Drives me nuts, I don't even look at it anymore. Knitty is free too, but it all works...
Love that baby blanket you are making also!
As a (former) contributor, I agree. I spent a great deal of time on an article (about deconstruction of clothing) that tied into my pattern and the article has never been published. It just has a coming soon sign hanging on the page...after a year or so.
Additionally, I had a copyright violation and the editor does not back pattern's copyrights but asks the designers to deal with that problem. In publishing, that seems a bit odd as my work could not have been taken unless it was in this magazine. (Unless I put it on my blog.) I would not submit to MagKnits again. And a lot of print magazines are really stealing from blogs and on-line mags now in their pursuit of profits.
My main problem with MagKnits (besides broken links) is that it's impossible to navigate the archives. Actually, the link to the achives is broken right now, and when I try to fix it I get a 404 error. Ususally the problem is if you don't know which issue the pattern you're looking for was published in, you have to click into every single one to find it.
I also would like it better if you could navigate between different patterns in an issue from the individual pattern pages, instead of having to go back to the main pattern list every time.
I was thinking the same thing - using that funky bind-off for the next pair of toe up socks. Whichever one of us does it first tells the other how it works out, deal? :)
And of course - spectacular shawl!