Ah, 'tis the season. Yes indeed, holiday knitting is upon us, and Vogue have released their Holiday 2011 edition. As one would expect, it contains a wonderful mixture of the sublime and the ridiculous. Whilst I will not be knitting a giant stocking cap anytime soon, nor a hat with wings, and I am lost as to the appeal of a bulky skirt with bobbles and giant bows, there are other patterns on offer here that get my needles twitching.

The Mitred Stripe Top is, despite its fanciful name, a mitred stripe top. Echoing the classic shape and look of a Breton t-shirt, it has an interesting construction with an exaggerated raglan forming the shape of the yoke. With loose sleeves and relaxed fit, it looks casual but in a slightly preppy, sail boat kind of way. I confess it doesn't really strike me as a Holiday jumper; in fact it's closer to Spring and I'm sure would be lovely in a smooth cotton yarn. But I like the fact that it's playing with a relatively simple technique to give it a twist, and I think you could have a lot of fun with colour combinations.

The likewise imaginitively titled Structured Jacket is a sideways knit with a garter stitch peplum and shawl collar. Nipping in at the waist with a couple of pretty buttons, it's a flattering shape and ideal for layering over a Christmas party dress. I'm not usually a fan of variegated yarn in a sweater, but the construction means the striping effect runs vertically, which helps, and I think this is one that would put a special yarn or hand-dyed colour to good use.

You can see all the patterns in the magazine here: http://www.vogueknitting.com/magazine/holiday_2011_fashion_preview.aspx