How to become a Professional Knitter - Robin Hunter Designs

New video - How to knit bobbles without turning the work

2012-02-15T06:44:00.039-05:00

Tonight, I'll be teaching at the DKC's skills exchange evening. Since most of my readers won't be attending, here's a video presentation on my topic: Knitting bobbles without turning the work. The link is at the bottom of this post. The video includes several techniques for increasing and decreasing the stitches of a bobble. There are two methods for creating bobbles without turning the work, as well as a number of extra tips for successful bobbles.

I also have some exciting news to share from the Patternfish newsletter this month. I have 2 of the top selling patterns. My Prudence Crowley vest is the number 1 vest and Evelyn Howard made it into the top ten in the shawl category. The reason I'm so excited...just look at the other designers represented. Even better my friend Deb Gemmell of Cabin Fever also is in several categories and she and I are currently collaborating on a plus size collection.

Design-a-long - The Paper Pattern Part 4 Dart Placement

2012-02-13T06:28:00.084-05:00

There are a few ways you can introduce a little waist shaping to your garment. Often patterns have you work some decreases below the waist and then some increases above at the side edges. It works well in knitting that has pattern work that would be interrupted by stitch count changes. The drawback is that if too many decreases are worked to close to the hem it can result in a pointy center front. (Ask me how I know that)! This is more of a problem in shorter garments. About 2 inches decrease of total stitches seems to flatter most figures. Remember when you work out your decreases that you have either 2 or 4 darts so you need to divide your number of stitches to decrease by the number of darts to calculate the decreases for each dart. Directions vary due to gauge but normally you work the decreases over several rows, then work even for 1-2 inches and then start the increases. In my case I'm using black yarn which means the detail is not very visible so I'm working a center decrease that removes 2 stitches at a time over 2 right side rows, working straight and then I'm doing increases on either side of the same central stitch to replace the stitches. Like any other dart or in knitting terms, short rows at the bust this shaping will provide extra roundness over the bust area.

Most knitting patterns that have true vertical darts place them in the vicinity of one third to one half of the way between the side seam and center front or back, measuring in from the side seam.This placement is due to the fact that a generic pattern has to accommodate a number of body shapes within a single size. However in a customized pattern, should you choose to use vertical darts you can place them correctly by measuring the bust span. The bust span is the distance between the bust apexes or in other words the summit of the points, often but not always where your nipples are. As always with bust measurements you should take this measurement while wearing a bra. The measurement is what you use for placement of the vertical dart line. If you are putting vertical darts in the back of your garment, you can use the same measurement. Alternatively for even more accurate customization you can take a span measurement from the points of your shoulder blades to place those darts correctly. The closer you get to zero or negative ease the more accurate you need to be with these measurements. If your garment has positive ease and is body skimming or looser you have a wider margin for error that will not negatively impact your results.

Beyond Knit & Purl by Kate Atherley

2012-02-10T06:32:00.022-05:00

Kate is a member of the Pro-Knitters group that I started here in Toronto. I also had the benefit of Kate's expertise when she tech edited a pattern I did for the magazine A Needle Pulling Thread. She spent extra time with me to get it ready for publication. I learned so much from that one session with her that my regular tech editor told me my next pattern was more concise and clear than my earlier ones had been!

Kate has a new book out you can find it here. As Cooperative press says "This book is not just for beginning knitters. Even those who’ve been knitting for years will have an astonishing number of “ah-ha!” moments inside its pages. As a technical editor and more importantly as a teacher, Kate knows where knitters hit roadblocks and how to overcome them, and she shares her many years of experience in Beyond Knit and Purl."

Kate has answered a few of my new questions below and you can read an interview I did with her here that includes links to her blog and to her Ravelry page. I've read about a third of the book and am giving it an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up. This is exactly the kind of book that helps knitters to fill in the gaps in their knowledge that will ensure knitting success.

You've described publishing a book as being a little like birthing a baby. Can you tell us more about how the process works?
I joked with my friends that it was like having a baby because there was lots of late nights and a fair bit of screaming... but it was actually relatively painless. It’s a long process, longer than I expected and there are things I simply didn’t know about before I went into it. Writing really is only a small piece of it; it’s a photo-heavy book, and to get good photographs I was happy with took a lot of time. And layout and editing is complex, particularly because there’s a lot of content in the book, and a lot of pictures tied to instructional content than need to be placed in just the right order. I have a page that teaches Judy’s Magic Cast on,and it took us a couple of hours just to get the right captions on the right photos, and then get them in the right order.

You are an experienced tech editor as well as a designer. How did that background help you to be published.

Well, I’d like to think that my patterns needed less editing, but I’m not sure about that! Being a tech editor is part of what motivated me to write the book in the first place – a lot of what I do when editing is about helping knitters be successful, and that’s my objective with the book, too.

I know you need a lot of ideas for a book. What’s your process for generating them and how did you choose what went into the book?

The content has been developed and refined over the 10 years I’ve been teaching knitting; the specific projects are each designed to be approachable skill builders for learning knitters, and I’ve been lucky enough to be able to test them out in my classes, and to get very candid feedback from knitters in all stages of the learning curve. Essentially, it was a case of choosing what I had tested and what I was confident would work as learning tools, and what would be approachable and what could be successful for even the newest knitter! There was one idea I was excited about early on, thinking it was fun and approachable, but then I remembered my own (not good) experience with something very similar and the reasons why I don’t use that particular type of project in my classes, and I realized it wasn’t going to work for this book.

What are your plans for the future, will there be more books?

I hope so! People seem to be responding well to the somewhat unusual approach I’ve taken, and if so, there’s lots more good stuff to talk about – I hope to be able to cover short rows, Entrelac, Magic Loop, more advanced lace, at the very least!

Prices are Rising on Knitting Yarn

2012-02-08T06:11:00.000-05:00

Last May I wrote about the shortages in cotton availability in this post. The latest issue of YMN addresses the issue of rising costs for both wool and cotton. The bad news is that we can all expect to pay more for our yarn fixes than in the past. Some of the reasons for the increases in price discussed in Yarn Market News include the falling value of the U.S. dollar in the world market. Drought conditions have occurred in many places throughout the world where cotton is produced. Prices peaked for cotton in March of 2011. Wool reached a 10 year high in June 2011 and has also been impacted by drought conditions in New Zealand and Australia. South Africa suffered a Chinese wool ban due to disease in their sheep populations. The Chinese dominate in the manufacture of textiles and are making it hard for other countries to compete with their low labour costs. Interestingly, a knitting friend observed that even acrylics have recently increased in price as a result of the fiber shortages in other categories.

Design-a-long - The Paper Pattern Part 3 Necklines and Shoulders

2012-02-06T06:59:00.099-05:00

I'm still working on the front pattern, the armhole is done. Next, I do detailed planning for the shoulder and necklines.

Using your measurements you drew in lines for the shoulder on the main schematic. I use a 1 inch drop, however you could be using a straight shoulder or a more angled one depending on your needs. I now redo these sections on knitting graph paper and I use the appropriate numbers of stitches and rows. I'm using sport weight yarn so on this pattern I will be doing a 4 step shoulder. If I was using DK or worsted I would probably end up with a 3 step shoulder. The dotted lines are the ones I drew in as guidance. I next draw in lines that follow the stitches and rows so don't forget that each step goes up two squares; one for the right side row and one for the wrong side row. I normally divide the steps as equally as possible, however this is where a little bit of the art comes in that can't be measured. Go look at yourself in a mirror and later when you get a chance look at the shoulders of others. Take a straight ruler and lay it along your shoulder line, starting at the bony protrusion (if that's where you are setting your sleeve). In my case my shoulder line is relatively straight until close to my neck and then the angle is steeper so I put the shortest step at my neck edge if my steps don't work out equally. If you have two completely different shoulders you can either draw the sides separately or use a shoulder pad to even yourself out. Often poor fit draws the eye of the observer to the difference more when one side fits and the other doesn't. It becomes a balancing act in choosing to fit each shoulder separately or to pad one to more closely match the other. If you have balanced shoulders you are probably wondering why someone would bother to do this? The answer is that if you just ignore it and the difference is large enough your hem will not hang straight on one side. Most people are not symmetrical and usually the differences are minor but it's nice to know what the fixes are if you need them.

For the neckline, I go through the same process and mark in my stair step decreases. In this case they turned out to be very even, one decrease every right side row. Sometimes you have to fiddle around and you may have to work in segments, varying the decrease rate to maintain the correct angle. Please do notice that I have a straight bit at the top where the neckline intersects with the shoulder. You want a small section that is knit straight here as it makes for an easier band attachment and looks better on the body. I usually use a little less than an inch for this, however your neckline can be any shape you want. If you are unclear about exact measurements pull something from your closet that you like the neckline of to measure and don't forget that your band width needs to be accounted for. If for example you are doing a jewel neckline with a one inch band you need to draw it in one inch lower and one inch on each side wider.

An Interview with...Tori Gurbisz

2012-02-03T06:39:00.046-05:00

Once a week I post interviews with interesting designers about their insights on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed that every designer makes their living in a slightly different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting world. Tori says that her ultimate goal growing up was to become a fashion designer but she took a more traditional route first after college pursuing another path. Now she balances her time sitting on the couch knitting with running and coaching beginner marathoners.

You can find Tori here and here on Ravelry. You will find all the patterns in the photos here on her website.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration everywhere; from mythology, magazines, stitch dictionaries and definitely wandering the streets of Savannah! There is such an eclectic mix here: young art students, elegant Southern ladies, the coast and amazing historical architecture.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

It is hard to choose a favorite, but I would say that lace knitting is definitely at the top of my list. I love the process, especially blocking out that small rumpled thing into a large and beautiful shawl.

How did you determine your size range?

For garments, I always try to offer at least 7 sizes if possible within the constraints of the design. My first sweater design, to be featured in the upcoming Fresh Designs: Sweaters from Cooperative Press, was required to be offered from XS to 3X so that size range stuck with me. I try my best to fit and appeal to as wide a range of knitters as possible.

Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I do look at other designers' work all the time. One of my favorite things to do while drinking my morning coffee is look through all of the "Recently Added" patterns on Ravelry. I think I have definitely been inspired by other designers' work, which I think is a very large part of any fashion related industry. I also like to make sure that I am not designing something that is exactly like something that is already out there. Since designing is my main job and I am hoping soon it will be my main source of income, it serves no benefit for me to release a pattern that is too similar to something that is already out there because it has less potential to be profitable and might hurt the other designer’s sales (or just upset them, after all they did get there first).

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?

I didn't know there was a controversy! I try to make my patterns easy to understand and to explain all necessary steps to make the piece in a concise manner. Sometimes I may over-explain, but I do feel it is better to err on the side of too much information than not enough. The less time I have to spend answering pattern support emails, the more time I can spend designing!

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

I always knit all of my samples, as I tend to do a lot of my design work on the needles. I do use a few knitters for casual pattern tests, though they're volunteers that do it in exchange for free patterns and eBooks (I have caught wind of that particular controversy).

Did you do a formal business plan?

No, I didn't expect my designing to pick up as quickly as it did, I was caught off guard a bit. This year, as part of my New Year's resolution, I did make a very informal plan with my goals and expectations for the coming year.

Do you have a mentor?

No, I learned to knit on my own and never knew any other knitters "in real life" during my formative knitting years.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?

Not particularly, though I am a big fan of self-publishing.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

It has had a huge impact on my business, because without it - it wouldn't exist! Currently, I only do digital sales. Also, I don't think "knitwear designer" would even be part of my vernacular without the internet and especially Ravelry.

Do you use a Tech Editor?

Yes, for every pattern that I self-publish. I like to put out as clean a pattern as possible, of course things still slip past us as we're only human, but more eyes on a pattern means less errors. Plus it is not just math errors or typos, I love that my editor (Kate Vanover) can take one of my long-winded, meandering explanations and help me distill it into clear instructions.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

I don't, it is horrible! That is part of my informal business plan, to separate work knitting from fun knitting and work internet from fun internet. Last year I would go through stages of intense designing and then I would be so burnt out, I wouldn't pick up the needles for weeks. This year I plan on setting aside a certain number of knitting work hours per day to help strike a balance.

How do you deal with criticism?

Deep breaths and a lot of running! I am fine with constructive criticism given with good intentions, it is the careless comments that you occasionally come across that sting. I try to take it for what it is worth and not let it affect me in a negative way. In the beginning there were a few times that I wanted to give up because I was so thin-skinned every less than glowing comment hurt. I realized that I love this too much to stop, so I had to take the good with the bad.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

I am getting there, hopefully within the next six months.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

Keep at it and be consistent. Treat it as a business if you want to succeed...advertise, promote yourself, blog anything to stay on the radar. Also be true to yourself, do what you love and allow that passion to shine through...they'll notice!

How cute is this?

2012-02-01T06:57:00.003-05:00

I just saw this in an ad for a local drugstore. Blush and bronzer with pressed-effects that look like a knitted cable presented in a velvet-finished box with a gold tassel.

You can find out more here: http://www.physiciansformula.com/en-us/productdetail/face/blush/07338.html

Design-a-long - The Paper Pattern Part 2

2012-01-30T06:12:00.144-05:00

The next step for the Design-a-long is to draft the front. I go through the same process as for the back, using my specific numbers that I've developed by working with my personal measurements and those of a target garment or even several garments that I've taken measurements from. I also use the garments as a point of reference when I want to alter things. As an example, I want a full length sleeve and I have two garments with 3/4 sleeves and one with sleeves that are too long. I used that one by putting a pin in the spot that I want my sleeve to end.

I marked in the major measurements on my graph paper, and drew in all my lines. I added a button/neck band of 1 inch. Your bands can be what ever width you like, you just need to account for them on your schematic. They can overlap at center front if you are doing buttons and buttonholes. That means that 1/2 your band width is subtracted from the measurement of each front. You could choose to do bands that meet at center front and close with a single button and loop with no overlap, in that case the total band width gets

subtracted from each front measurement to attain your target number.

I also do a detailed underarm, shoulder and neckline at this point. I print off knitting graph paper from here in my gauge. I draw in my lines in with every square equaling a stitch. The site says the paper is actual size but I often find it is just a little out over longer measurements even when I un-check fit to file as per the instructions on the site. I mark the shoulder line then the vertical line down to the armhole depth measurement and finally the horizontal line is my front 1/2 bust measurement - the cross shoulder measurement divided by two. I then mark the curve off on the graph paper in the way I will actually knit it. I either use a compass or the edge of a round jar to indicate a curved line. You can see it as a dotted line on my schematic My first cast off is 1 inch worth of stitches. Then I mark off decreases at the rate of one every right side row. If it works out that I need more than 3 single decreases. I rejig and do two initial cast offs. To clarify, in my example I need to decrease 15 stitches. I ended up with cast off 6 stitches, cast off five stitches and cast off 1 stitch 3 times.

I always teach people how to do angles and curves visually on graph paper even though it can be done mathematically. I find the majority of knitters are very visual and once you learn to plot on graph paper you can more easily switch to calculating the numbers. I do everything mathematically on a spreadsheet when I grade patterns, however I still revert back to graphing when ever I do work with unfamiliar shapes.

Reality check: as a final confirmation for the armhole, I use either my flexible ruler or a tape measure standing on its side to measure around the armhole drawing. If the knitters graph pattern didn't turn out at a true actual size, I do a real size drawing to take the curved measurement from. I double this number and using a binder clip or a paper clip I use my measuring tape and make a loop of the tape of the correct measurement. I slip this tape up my arm to my shoulder and make sure that the armhole sits in the correct location on my body. I use the bony shoulder protrusion to find that spot. Check to see that the underarm fits you in a way you like. That's an ease decision, the armhole of a garment usually rests one to two inches below your armhole in a fitted classic cardigan like this.

Next time I'll talk about shoulders and necklines.

An Interview with...Michelle Porter

2012-01-27T06:21:00.074-05:00

Michelle in Fondle Pattern 311 Cable V-neck Vest

Once a week I post interviews with interesting designers about their insights on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed that every designer makes their living in a slightly different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting world. Michelle says that
initially, she began a career in fashion merchandising. However, her real love has always been knitting. As a young child her grandmother taught her the basics of the craft. She learned to follow complicated patterns for doll clothes and advanced her skills very quickly. Since those days she has worked in yarn stores, owned a yarn store, worked for a yarn distributor, taught lessons, wrote knitting patterns and now she designs and writes patterns for her own line.

You can find Michelle here.

Where do you find inspiration?

Inspiration is the most exciting part of designing! It can come at anytime, anyplace – so I always keep a small pocket sketchpad with me for quick notes and drawings. I love to look through fashion magazines and insider reports to see what is trending. I’ll go to stores to see what they are trying to sell and I ask my friends what they are looking for, to buy or to knit. Mostly I try to design things I or someone I know would wear. Once I have lots of notes on possible designs, then I go to the yarns and wait for them to tell me what they want to be. Sometimes I buy bags of yarns that I just like the look or feel of. Other times I’m given certain yarns by the supplier. Either way, it’s the fondling of the yarn that tells me what to make. I do a lot of swatching and mock ups to work out the suitability of designs to the yarn’s qualities and textures. For example, is the yarn slinky and drapey, or is there a lot of body and elasticity? Is the yarn built for outerwear or evening wear? Does it have good stitch definition or a halo of fluff? Sometimes I have to change my design concepts for the chosen yarns, once I really begin working on it full scale. I guess you could say each yarn’s own personality is my inspiration.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

It’s easier to list my least favourite techniques. I do not enjoy intarsia, or stranded colour work that involves more than 2 colours at a time. I enjoy an easy rhythmic flow to my knitting with pattern repeats that can be learned quickly. I usually choose textured stitches that use the features of the yarn to its best advantage. I also have no favourite construction method; seams vs. no seams, top up, top down or sideways – I use them all. I do especially like clever shortcuts and so called “thinking outside the box”. It’s still thrilling to invent or be taught a new way of doing things.

How did you determine your size range?

I am constantly adjusting my size range, based on each individual design. Mostly I design garments that need to fit a certain way – some tight, some loose, so I usually give my patterns 6 sizes: small to 3X-large. This gives the knitter a lot of choices. Also I describe in the pattern how the garment should fit and the intended ease. I give as many finished measurements as I feel are relevant. After working in a retail fashion environment for years (visual merchandiser and fashion consultant), you get to know what kinds of fit people need. Most folks choose sizes too big for themselves. Once you choose the chest measurement, the sleeves and shoulders are the hardest to fit. I try to allow places in the design for you to make adjustments for your individual sleeve and body lengths. If you find shoulders seldom fit, then choosing raglan styles will help out. Basically I try to fit as many common sizes as possible, even though we all know there is no such thing as an “average” body shape.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/slit-sleeve-tunic

Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

Oh, I am always interested in other designers’ work! I buy most of the knitting magazines and although I can’t remember the last pattern I knit from one, I read almost all the directions through. I often wonder why they choose to use certain techniques or yarns. I like to see how the instructions are worded and whether a chart is needed. I admit it can be frustrating though, when you see a really close resemblance to the design you have been working on for months, get published by someone else. But these consistencies in design and fashion are always happening. It’s just a reflection of the trends. That’s why when you shop at the mall; all the stores are selling something similar. We like to think we are immune to this in the knitting industry, but how else could you explain the universal popularity of such items as: ponchos, cowls, infinity scarves, fingerless mitts, ruffle scarves, lace shawls and wildly coloured socks? It’s funny though, lately these items have influenced commercially manufactured clothing, rather than the other way around, as it was in the past. I think most designers are influenced by other designers, whether they are going along with the crowd or against it. And it’s important to know what else is out there. You need to know if you are filling a niche or if your designs are even of interest to anyone else.

Michelle in Diamond Yarn 1461 Galway Leaflace Tunic, Yvonne in Fondle Pattern 312 Lacy Kimono Style Vest

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?

I hope I’m not offending too many knitters out there, but I try to write my patterns for real dummies! I also include myself in this group! If there is any way to miss-read, miss-interpret, count wrong, or measure wrong – I will find it! So, I try to include stitch counts whenever it changes and describe exactly where you are measuring. I remember to state which needles you are using and if increases and decreases are done in pattern, how and where. I hope all the questions are answered on the pattern, with no ambiguity. I feel all patterns should include a difficulty rating and “beginner” patterns should really include nearly everything.”Experienced” patterns can get away with less detailed explanations and an assumption of a degree of knowledge. Every pattern should include a tension gauge done in the stitch pattern used and an abbreviations key. I do try to keep my patterns for yarn companies to 3 pages, though, so it can be printed easily on a folded sheet. For my Fondle Patterns collection, I make them as many pages as I need and include several photographs. I also like to use a flat photo of the sample garment (not on a model) to help with the construction. Sometimes my blog has more photos and notes than the pattern. If a knitter still has questions, I am very happy to answer by email.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

I mostly do all the knitting myself. It’s hard to do all that developing without actually knitting it. I do have one knitter that I can use who instinctively knows what I’m after and how to read my vague instructions and interpret my sketches. She is very good at finding problems and questionable bits of instruction. As good a friend as her, that I know I can count on to meet deadlines, is one of my most valuable resources!

Do you have a mentor?

I can’t say that I have just one mentor, but I have had many. There have been some very precious women friends in my life whose own experiences have helped me in my career path. Their advice and encouragement has been and is priceless. Whenever I run into an obstacle, I know someone in my “circle” has already dealt with something similar.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?

Not really, other than following the old quote “do what you love; the rest (money) will follow”. I also think being honest and sincere will pay off. I don’t believe in “putting on airs” or pretentiousness. I’ll always give my true opinion...sometimes even if you didn’t ask.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

Fondle Patterns is an internet business. I do all my direct selling of PDFs on my website through email or Ravelry. I sell through Patternfish. I also do all my correspondence with the yarn suppliers like Diamond Yarn, through email and websites. Paypal and internet banking are crucial for the financial transactions that make an internet business possible. Facebook, blogs and Ravelry are essential to share our work. Without the world wide web of knitters my knitting circle would only number in the handfuls. Now I can be reached by anybody, anywhere! For me (and I expect most), the internet is essential!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/one-piece-lace-pullover-2

Do you use a Tech Editor?

I actually do some tech editing work myself and it really requires a disciplined amount of concentration. In the past I have used a good friend who is an expert knitter to “proofread” my patterns. She also test knits bits and pieces, critiques and makes recommendations. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get her help in the future, so I’m working on a deal with another designer, that we tech edit each others. It is very hard to find someone else who can knit and read patterns at the level required to tech edit…and is also available and affordable.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

My lifestyle suits my design career very well. There is only my husband and myself, no kids or pets. I am constantly knitting and designing, even as I do housework or entertain friends. Most of my social activities already revolve around knitting, so no one is surprised when I pull knitting out of my bag at a party or camping trip. I sometimes knit all night long, if I’m on a roll or a tight deadline. Sleeping ‘till noon and working in my pajamas aren’t a problem. Neither is drinking cocktails and watching DVDs while I work. I still find time to go to the gym once in a while and pursue my hobbies of gardening and doll restoration (knitting counts as work). I’m happy to say my husband is very supportive and proudly wears his handknits!

How do you deal with criticism?

Without truthful criticism, there is no way to improve, so I welcome it! When I was in art school we did a critique on every piece of work, without showing our names, so we wouldn’t be swayed by whose work it was. This exercise was really helpful to get us used to receiving criticism and giving it out. It’s helpful to think of criticism as another word – “feedback”.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

To avoid being a “one hit wonder”, you really need to have experience in all aspects of the knitting industry. You need to know customers, yarn and selling. Then you have to find your niche. You have to consistently do it well and offer customer support. You also need a reliable secondary income, while you are getting established. A big dose of self confidence is also crucial!

Knitting Perfectionism

2012-01-25T06:56:00.000-05:00

I've recently started a series of posts as a design a long. I'm well aware that most knitters don't want to design from scratch, they just want to knit. My focus will be to help knitters understand pattern drafting for the purpose of modifying existing patterns to personalize them. I’ll give you the basic skills so that you can design from scratch but the real goal is to use this knowledge to take existing patterns and modify and adjust them for perfect fit as well as to flatter our individual bodies. The target garment is a basic cardigan with a set in sleeve and a classic silhouette. I picked this garment as it gives me the opportunity for the highest level of fit in a single sweater. I originally learned to draft patterns when I was sewing, purely so I would have the ability to modify patterns to fit me. I also wanted to be able to do simple things like change a neckline on a pattern that had all of other features I wanted. Some of what I will cover will be fairly complex but broken down step by step none of it is difficult.

I have so much fun with knitting my own garments and wearing them, that I want all of you to enjoy the process and the end result just as much as I do.

Too many Knitters suffer from perfectionism, when it comes to making garments you will sometimes knit things that are not perfect or even more likely don’t totally align with the internal vision you had of the garment. The sooner you accept this, the faster you can get on with making improvements and learning, rather than giving up. You’ll never be 100% sure a pattern will work out to be perfect in advance, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing to modify it will make it more likely. So get on with customizing the pattern. Either you will succeed or you will learn vital lessons that will make the next project better.

Design-a-long - The Paper Pattern Part 1

2012-01-23T06:08:00.223-05:00

We're going to start on your customized paper pattern. This may take a few posts to finish. You have taken your measurements and you've done some comparison to garments you already have in about the same weight of fabric that you will be knitting. I ended up using three different garments for comparison, two were purchased sweaters and one was a cotton cardigan I knit a few years ago. All had details that I like but none was perfect on its own for the sweater I want to create now. Keep in mind that this fitting garment will be a work in progress. You may want to develop more than one according to the weight of the project yarn or even variations based on silhouette, say a classic body skimming cardigan that hits at the high hip length vs. an oversize cardigan that hangs much longer that perhaps you wear over another garment.

Ease is extremely personal and accounts for most of the difficultly in choosing sizes when working from patterns. One of the things that I noticed when going through the comparisons is that I like different amounts of ease for different parts of my body. I like minimal ease on my bust but more around my waist. I like a little ease on my sleeve, but no where near the large amount sleeve ease that appears on most patterns. Many designers use either 1/2 the torso ease or 2 inches for the top of the sleeve. It depends on the overall silhouette of the garment. I'm not going to get into specific numbers because the whole point here is to figure out your personal preferences. Other details to watch for are the depths of necklines, (v necks are always too low for me on purchased garments) and lengths for hems and sleeves. Think about what your personal fitting issues are and check those numbers carefully. Do you get garments that pull in unusual ways on your body? If you do, look at the wrinkles created, they normally point either away or towards fitting problems. As an example, vertical lines on the lower back may indicate a curved upper back. The fix may be some short rows or darts in the back. Pulling at the shoulders may indicate that you need a steeper shoulder line, working more rows at the neckline edge may solve this problem. There are so many variations that the best advice I can give you is to look at books for sewers that target fitting and adjustments. Something like Fast Fit (Easy Pattern Alterations for Every Figure) by Sandra Betzina or The Vogue Sewing Book of Fitting, adjustments, and Alterations by Patricia Perry will help you to understand necessary adjustments.

Go through your numbers and make a third list. Your first measurements were of your own body. The second measurements were ones taken from a garment and possibly changed to get closer to your ideal. The third list numbers are your pattern numbers. They have the ease incorporated.

I like to work on graph paper that is four squares to one inch. I find it's easier to plot in my measurements that way. I use one square to represent one inch.The first decision to make is based on your measurements of your front and back. You may be able to simply divide your total circumference in half and use those numbers or you may need to split the numbers like I do making my back smaller. You can also choose to put more ease on the front than the back. Knitting is stretchy, if you stretch it horizontally there is less stretch left in the vertical direction. That vertical stretch may be enough to avoid needing short rows for the bust line. Test your swatch, when I pull mine horizontally the hem rises. If I pull it vertically I get less stretch but I still get some. Fine tune by checking your measurement from the top of your shoulder over your bust line and down to where your hem should land. A "large" difference as compared to your length measurement means short rows will be required. Large is very hard to define, I've seen it by cup size and by measurements but for your pattern it's something that needs to match up with your measurements and preferences. You can put your test garment on and look at the hem at the front compared to be back. Is it pulling up? If it is by how much? This will give you an idea of how much longer the front needs to be if you do need short rows.You could consider placing those short rows at the hem instead of at the bust line. I wrote about another solution here. Waist shaping can also improve the fit.

I mark the center of the page for the bottom hem and start plotting in the other width and length points and then I draw in the lines. Use the back schematic I've got at the top of the post as a guide. Did you have a big difference between your cross front and cross back shoulder width? Most people are wider across the back. You need to make a decision here, you could average the two numbers, you could use the larger or the smaller number. You could also assess your swatch for horizontal stretch, I can stretch mine 1/2 inch without noticeable distortion, over the width of my back I could easily get an extra inch and keep my fronts in perfect alignment with my shoulder line. The decision is yours to make.

I've also indicated my waist level and roughly where I'll be putting in some body dart lines. I'll write a little about dart placement in the next post. You could choose to work shaping at the side seams instead, or not at all. As an aside, I think even the smallest amount of waist shaping has a large impact on figure flattery, just the suggestion of a waistline makes everyone look slimmer. Boxy garments make people look boxy.

You may want to start testing and assessing all of these possible choices and potential solutions on future garments to expand your repertoire of skills and determine your best possible customizations on a project by project basis.

An Interview with...Mary Jane Mucklestone

2012-01-20T06:07:00.076-05:00

Retro Andean Pullover from

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/color-style-innovative-to-traditional-17-inspired-designs-to-knit

Mary Jane is best known for her colourful and inventive stranded colorwork designs featured in Interweave Knits, Twist Collective, Classic Elite Yarns, Alchemy Yarns, St. Denis Magazine and an assortment of books. She has a BFA in Printmaking from Pratt Institute, studying fashion at Parson’s School of Design and Textiles and Historic Costume at the University of Washington. She also worked in the fashion industry in New York City and the related fields of advertising and interior design. She is the author of 200 Fair Isle Motifs: A Knitter's Directory

You can find Mary Jane here and here on Ravelry.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration everywhere I look. From architecture to the colors of a misty sunrise. Canned food labels and a pile of grass clippings. There are patterns and interesting color combination's everywhere. I also find inspiration in books and films, magazines and browsing the Internet.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

Well, I like all kinds of knitting. I love to learn about traditional techniques and I’ve done quite a bit of traveling to learn firsthand. For Fair Isle knitting I’ve been to Shetland a couple of times, I’d love to make it a yearly excursion. I’ve learned so much just seeing the scenery, the colors of the countryside are exactly the colors you find in the yarns!

I’ve also been to Peru to learn how the amazing men’s hats called “chullos” are made. They use an interesting form of intarsia in the round, as well as having some darling and fun to knit trims.

Muckle Mitts

from MaryJaneMucklestone.com

Do you look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I love to look at other designer’s work. I’m not afraid of being influenced, it is bound to happen, but I’d say “inspired” is a better word choice.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?

Being a self taught knitter, I kind of resent the dumbing down of patterns but maybe not in the way you mean. I had to figure out how to do so much on my own, there just were not books to describe the techniques that I saw, which led to a lot of experimentation, which makes for a better knitter I think.

If you mean dumbing down patterns to make them fit into a magazine format, I’ve got mixed feelings about that. Luckily we have places like Twist Collective and Ravelry now, with downloadable patterns, so a designer can make their pattern as many pages as they’d like.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

I do most of it myself, and only occasionally use sample knitters, who are a wonderfully patient breed. But since I design on the needle, I can’t really farm the work out. I’m starting to use test knitters for alternate colorways though. Anyone care to sign up?!!

Did you do a formal business plan?

Nothing recent and I have to do it.

Do you have a mentor?

I have a few trusted friends who I can talk the biz with, a couple are my knitting idols so I feel very fortunate.

Do you use a Tech Editor?

Tech Editors are the gods of the industry!

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

My working style is probably not the best. I work late late late for days on end, and then crash and read detective novels.

How do you deal with criticism?

I think criticism is helpful. I try to learn from it.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

I’ve learned you can never stop and take it easy, gotta keep your nose to the grindstone!

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

Go for it!

An Outsider's View of Ravelry

2012-01-18T06:03:00.001-05:00

I recently stumbled across an article about Ravelry from last summer. It's an interesting read and the article really does a great job of highlighting why Ravelry has been such a great addition to the knitting world. You can read it here:

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2011/07/a_tightknit_community.2.html

Design-a-long - More details on Swatching

2012-01-16T06:39:00.117-05:00

I ended up struggling a lot regarding my yarn choice for this project. What I wanted was a gorgeous, solid, densely coloured, black yarn with maybe just a bit of sheen in either DK or sport weight yarn. I looked at numerous options, generally blends of wool and silk. You can see a Ravelry search here that shows there were lots of possibilities. Then I started looking at some garments I already own. I have a lovely silk and wool blend cardigan that I bought last spring that already shows a shocking amount of abrasion wear after not very many outings and no washing. Making a plain black sweater while useful isn't really very exciting so I want to make sure it stands up to lots of wearing and washing. Hummmm, more thinking and pondering and more looking at yarns I've already knit up. What wears best generally is sock yarn, I don't knit a lot of socks but with one exception (that didn't wear well) all mine have some nylon and have been washed and dried many times more than a cardigan will be. The next search was this one. Many options turned up again, so I started looking for black and reading reviews. I ended up with Knitpicks Stroll Sport, you can read the comments here.

I've knit two swatches as you can see in the photo above, one on a 3.25mm and the other on a 3.75mm. I didn't find the yarn splitty, but then I like my needles to have rounded not sharp points and I prefer soft materials. I did one swatch on my Denise circulars and the second on an old pair of needles that were my mothers. I think it's metal set but a relatively soft one as they bend a little. I did the first swatch plain but the second has 3 yarn overs and 3 purl stitches to indicate that it was done on a 3.75 mm. I forgot to use the same marking system on the 3.25 mm swatch. Full disclosure: I have given up on writing notes about what needle I used because I invariably lose the notes!

I like to know if there is any shrinkage in the length before I start knitting, so I can add in extra if that is a concern. I do it by percentage if I do get shrinkage. I check this by lightly steaming my swatch with my iron not touching the knitting, and smoothing it to make it lie flat. Then I drawn out the size on graph paper as a comparison tool for after blocking. The swatches are now in a laundry bag being machine washed on delicate with some other black things. I'll update this post after the machine drying.

The swatches are dry. I had to steam them to lie flat and then I let them rest overnight. The one on 3.25 mm needles is exactly the same as before. I got 23 stitches for 4 inches not the 26 that the ball band suggests. I'm happy with the fabric which is a little firm and bounces back when I stretch it in either direction. Interestingly the swatch on the 3.75 mm needle did shrink a little in both directions. I already knew the fabric was too loose but I went ahead and washed and dried it anyway. I'm guessing that perhaps the looser gauge allows more for shrinkage. The other factor is that while the fabric looks fine it does not bounce back as quickly after stretching.

An Interview with...Lori Versaci

2012-01-13T05:45:00.000-05:00

Lori wearing (un)expected, to be published in January.

You can find Lori here and here on Ravelry.

Where do you find inspiration?

While I’m influenced by many things -- movies, magazines, nature, dreams -- I’m inspired most often by the yarn itself. Knitting a test swatch can cause me to change my plan entirely, no matter how far I have gone with the original idea.

Recently I bought a skein from which to swatch for a new design. I loved the feel of it and how it knit up, so I ordered enough for the sweater in the online store. But when I received the package, I was busy with other projects and put it aside.

In the meantime, I had bought a skein to test for another sweater design. As I began to knit the swatch, the pattern for the first sweater began emerging from the needles, and it looked great – fabulous, actually. Of course, I had to go with the new yarn, and the yarn I ordered first is still sitting in my studio.

Classic Baby, 2011.

What are your favorite knitting techniques?

My favorites change continually. From the beginning I have collected knitting books and patterns and have built a good library. It amazes me how often I still turn to printed books for ideas and inspiration for something as simple as a different cast on or finishing technique, a new way to do a twist stitch, or a new stitch pattern. I confess, though, that I have never steeked. I just can’t imagine cutting into a finished piece!

Of all my books, Barbara Walker’s books of pattern stitches are my favorites. There is nothing I love more than pulling one out and spending a whole day, or two, or three knitting a long scarf-like swatch of pattern stitches. I guess that is my favorite knitting technique!

How did you determine your size range?

I first began writing my patterns to submit them to Knitty. A friend had introduced me to Knitty, and I loved how the magazine and website made great design accessible to everybody. I also loved that Knitty welcomes submissions from nonprofessional as well as professional designers, so when I decided to publish, I thought of Knitty first. I started writing in sizes XS to 5XL because that’s what Knitty requires, and I have continued to do so with each new pattern. I sometimes curse this practice, however, since writing a pattern in nine sizes is extremely tedious!

Spoke, published in knitty.com, Winter 2009.

Do you look at other designers' work, or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I am not afraid to be influenced by other designers. We are influenced by each other’s work all the time. It’s part of the creative process. I must admit, though, that there are times when I feel intimidated by other designers’ work and think, “I could never do anything like that! How can I even dare to compete?” Then I remind myself that I am an artist, and I do this work because I have to. Knitwear design is my passion, and I am committed to this journey of evolution and discovery.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?

I don’t know about the controversy. When writing up a pattern, I have one goal: to clearly communicate what I did so that it is understandable and elicits as few questions as possible.

I do have a problem, though, with one aspect of the virtual knitting world – that is, the way in which free patterns are used increasingly by merchants to sell yarn, magazines, and ad space. This proliferation of free patterns devalues the work of professional designers. It creates an expectation that yarn costs money but that patterns are free.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

Although I dream of having a whole gaggle of test knitters, I do it all myself.

Did you do a formal business plan?

I am still working on one. As a business school grad, I know well the need, but it’s still hard for me to balance the artistic and the business aspects of being a designer.

I spent two years doing nothing but knitting, and I loved it. Then I decided to publish my work. All of a sudden there were a million things to think about that had little to do with creative design. I think about where to submit patterns for publication, whether to publish a book, whether to find a publisher or self-publish, in print or electronically or both. Now that I have a blog, Twitter, and stores on Etsy and Ravelry, I think about mailing lists, domain names, user groups, contests, labels, packaging, layout, photoshoots…and of course, a business plan! It’s complex and overwhelming but also invigorating. I have learned more new things in the last two years than in the previous ten!

Right now I am setting goals for 2012. I want to publish at least one new pattern each month, submit proposals each cycle to Twist Collective and Knitty, establish a process for managing each design from conception to publication, broaden my pattern distribution beyond Ravelry, and more.

tranquil, 2011.

Do you have a mentor?

Not yet. Amy Singer and her crew at Knitty took me by the hand and helped me get off the ground as a professional designer, even saving a great design that I had butchered with poor yarn selection. Shannon Oakey has also been a fabulous resource and teacher. She is author of The Knitgrrl Guide to Professional Knitwear Design and founder of Cooperative Press. But no mentor yet.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?

While I admire some models, I don’t emulate any, since for me this pursuit is personal and privately motivated. I am older and no longer have that raw drive to achieve success with brute force -- been there, done that! I am forging my own course based on my passion for design, with firm parameters for what I am and am not willing to do to be successful. I do feel fortunate to be involved in this pursuit right now, when self-publishing is readily available, and Ravelry and the virtual knitting world are going strong.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

All of my pattern sales are conducted on the Internet, and I don’t see that changing in the next year or so. But as a knitter, I will always shop at local yarn stores as well as online. It’s important to see, feel, and touch the yarn before buying; photos don’t communicate the qualities of yarn very well.

Do you use a Tech Editor?

I am fortunate to have the world’s greatest tech editor, although I resisted hiring one at first. Knitty had handled editing for my first patterns, and I couldn’t imagine paying someone to edit the ones I was self-publishing. How could I ever justify that expense?

After a few issues arose, I bit the bullet and did what any self-respecting designer in 2011 does. I went to Ravelry’s independent knitting designer group and read all of the entries about tech editors. One really struck a chord -- a seasoned professional tech editor who enjoyed working with new designers to help them find their voice. I sent her a note, and Charlotte Quiggle wrote me back!

Working with Charlotte is wonderful, and I am learning an unbelievable amount. I’m glad we are doing this electronically, however, because if Charlotte sent my patterns back marked up with a red pen, I know I would cry each time!

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

In my prior life as a management consultant, I traveled a lot, juggled multiple projects, and handled the staff and daily office operations. I did this all with four children, three dogs, two houses, and a husband. And it was hard!

My current work is much easier to control. I get to decide what work to do, what trips I want to make, when and how I am going to work. This is much better for me, even if I do end up knitting through family functions!

How do you deal with criticism?

I don’t think of criticism as a bad thing. Of course, I don’t like getting nasty notes or seeing negative posts about my work. Who would? But generally, I feel that I work too much in isolation, and I value critical input.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

Well, I could either say that I have been supporting myself since I was in my twenties -- or I could laugh heartily at the idea that my knitting design work could ever generate that much income! My goal is to make VERSACIKNITS income neutral.

One of the most disturbing and honest things I learned in Shannon Oakey’s book on Professional Knitwear Design was that only a very few designers earn their living from their work. Most have to add to their income with something related -- teaching classes, for example. To supplement my work, I have a line of handmade cashmere wear that I sell in my Etsy store. So please visit my store and help support an artist!

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

All my siblings are artists. My older brothers are architects, and my sister designed a line of fashion accessories. As the youngest child, I thought I needed to support all of this artistic activity, so I went to business school, finally, I am pursuing my own creative passion.

My advice to anyone thinking of a career in knitting is simple. Start figuring out the non-knitting pieces now, because eventually you will be doing them all yourself!

a)symmetry, 2011.

All of Lori's patterns are available at http://www.ravelry.com/designers/lori-versaci

Startitis - Is there a cure?

2012-01-11T06:06:00.010-05:00

I've been suffering from a huge case of Startitis. For the record this is a disease that knitters suffer from, initially identified and documented by the Yarn Harlot. You can read more about it here and here on her blog. It hit me immediately after the holiday season festivities finished. Symptoms include many skeins of yarn, books and needles that have somehow migrated out of the spare bedroom where they normally live and into the living room where I normally knit. A secondary symptom seems to be related to doing more thinking about knitting than actually knitting real projects. The final clue is the high volume of swatches that have begun to pile up with no related project on the needles. Hmmm, what exactly is going on?

The biggest problem is that the onset seems to have started at the same time that I started working through some New Years resolutions about limiting the number of projects that I work on. It's almost as though I'm rebelling against my own goal setting process! I have noticed that high project numbers seem to lead directly to high UFO numbers which is why I want to curb this behaviour. UFO's may be a symptom or perhaps a related form of the disease. More research is required to determine which. I think this may be one of those diseases that can't be cured but will benefit from careful management.

Wikipedia says: "Disease management is defined as a system of coordinated health care interventions and communications for populations with conditions in which patient self-care efforts are significant."

Does this mean I need therapy? I hope no one stages an intervention!

Design-a-long - Swatching (yes you have to!)

2012-01-09T06:06:00.015-05:00

Small variances in gauge can add up to large inaccuracies in sizing. The rule to remember is that less is more and more is less. In other words less (stitches per inch) is more (knitted width) and more is less. As an example, if you are working at 5 stitches per inch and want a measurement of 20 inches, 5 x 20 = 100 stitches. If your swatch shows that you are getting 4 stitches per inch instead (less), 4 x 20 = 80 stitches. If your gauge was measured inaccurately, you cast on 100 stitches, and your gauge is 4 not 5 stitches per inch the knitting will be 25 inches wide (more).

Alternatively, if you are working at 5 stitches per inch and want a measurement of 20 inches, 5 x 20 = 100 stitches. If your swatch shows that you are getting 6 stitches per inch instead (more), 6 x 20 = 120 stitches. If your gauge was measured inaccurately, you cast on 100 stitches, and your gauge is 6 not 5 stitches per inch the knitting will be 16.5 inches wide (less). So more (stitches) equals less (knitting).

A standard 4 inch swatch may give you enough information to choose your needle size but it doesn`t really tell you how the garment fabric will behave in terms of stretch and drape. These qualities of the fabric are critical to the final results that the knitter achieves and are difficult to quantify in advance. My experience has also been that my gauge is more likely to vary from the swatch once I start working on a larger piece of knitting. Pattern makers have the benefit of being able to adjust the pattern from the finished garment to match the actual gauge. Once an item comes back from test knitting, pattern numbers can be adjusted to match even though the tester got the right gauge on their swatch. As well gauge is normally stated in whole and half stitches but rarely in smaller increments than that. We all know on a large swatch you can calculate gauge to a smaller fractional number. Be prepared to rip back and change your cast on numbers once you see what is happening with the first piece you knit. It`s better to rip back 6 inches of knitting in the beginning than have a completed garment you will never wear.

Hanging gauge is rarely considered by knitters. If you are using a nice springy wool yarn it probably won`t be a factor necessary to consider. If you are using a fiber that lacks elasticity it could have a big impact of the length of the garment pieces once they have to live vertically on the body instead of laying flat on a table while you measure. The simplest way to assess this is to take flat measurements and then hang the swatch for a day or two. Re-measure and note the percentage increase in the length to apply this info back to your garment. Small areas with seams are not as likely to stretch. The armhole is likely to be stable in a set in sleeve silhouette however the sleeves and torso will need to be adjusted to maintain the desired hems. In a dropped shoulder design the simpler seaming and shaping does not give the garment the same support so you will have to adjust the entire garment for hanging gauge.

Proper blocking of the swatch can also reveal potential problems with stretching and shrinking that you should be aware of.

Row gauge is frequently ignored and this leads to all sorts of fitting issues as the proportions of intersecting knitting don`t align in the way the designer intended. Bands are too short or too long. Necklines don`t sit correctly or raglans have odd little puffy underarms. All of this can be corrected even if you can`t get both stitch and row gauge by recalculating angles and curves of the original pattern.

I'll start working on detailed posts describing the drafting of your customized pattern in the coming weeks.

An Interview with...Me

2012-01-06T06:50:00.002-05:00

I recently got an email from a student asking to interview me. Ryan wrote to me and said that he will be "participating on a project where I get to learn about anything that interests me. I have chosen to learn how to knit because I get to challenge myself and learn a skill that I have always been interested in. In my independent learning project I will learn the basic skills of knitting a scarf and slippers and keep a weekly journal on my progress".

I've found that answering someone else's questions has the benefit of clarifying my own thinking. I was also interested in hearing what would a non-knitter ask me. Ryan is going to provide me with a copy of his final project and I'm intrigued to hear about the learning process from the very beginning, perhaps I will get some insights that will improve my teaching. I'll let you know the outcome when I see the final project. Ryan's questions and my answers follow:

1. How long have you been knitting?

I've been knitting steadily since my teens, so over 35 years. I have absolutely no recollection of learning how to knit. My mother and both of my grandmothers knit so I assume that one or all of them taught me. I do however remember the first sweater I knit and I still have the pattern.

2. Why do you knit?

I find knitting to be amazing in both it's simplicity and it's complexity.There are really only 2 stitches, knit and purl. However, we could argue that there is really only 1 stitch since they are the reverse of one another. Combine them in different ways with different yarns and the possible variety of outcomes seems to be mathematically impossible and in an odd way, mysterious and mystical.

It is an artistic pursuit and a technical challenge for me. I love to make beautiful things and to work with the wonderful colours. As well there is a feeling of comfort when the yarn moves over over my fingers and I enjoy the fabric being created. Knitting fulfills an inner need for self expression.

Knitting makes me happy!

3. Does knitting help you relieve stress? If so, how?

Ask any knitter and they will confirm that knitting reduces stress. It is a form of meditation. Recent scientific studies have found that knitters can actually lower their heart rate by about 11 beats per minute when knitting, brain waves are slowed at the same time. As well, research shows that knitting, similar to rhythmic breathing, yoga and other meditative movements, calm an individual. The trick is to choose projects that have a rhythm for calming periods and attack the challenging bits at appropriate times.

4. How has knitting changed your life?

Knitting has provided a rich, full, beautiful life for me. I have many friends that I met at knitting events. I regularly attend a small knitting group, a large knitting guild, http://www.downtownknitcollective.ca/ and a professional knitters networking group. Now knitting is also my career as a designer, blogger and teacher.

5. What does a career in knitting involve?

I've been interviewing professional knitters on my blog knittingrobin.blogspot.com for 2 years. The careers vary widely. There are technical editors, hand dyers, wholesalers, distributors, yarn shop owners, teachers and designers. The work varies widely from one individual to another. I spend most of my time writing, either patterns or on my blog and developing course materials for when I teach. I knit everyday but most of that is in the evening in front of the TV or at the knitting events I attend. I also have days dedicated to photography and I'm starting to work on instructional knitting videos.

6. How have you made an impact in the knitting community?

I've been teaching knitting classes for the past 25 years in various venues in my hometown Toronto, Canada. I'm passionate about teaching and the face to face contact lets me know that I'm passing the skills of my craft onto others. I have a very strong background in sewing, tailoring and millinery. That impacts my approach to knitting. I'm also very interested in mainstream fashion which influences my design aesthetic. The professional knitters group I mentioned earlier is a group that I started a little over a year ago and we continue to add new members. I've done several presentations at my local guild on topics including body image as it relates to knitting. Recently the numbers reading my blog have really started to grow and I get a lot of emails from readers telling me how much they enjoy the posts.

7. What is your favorite thing to knit?

I work mainly on women's wear, both garments and accessories. I like to experiment with lots of techniques. I especially like to take knitting classics and add a new twist with a unique detail.

8. What lessons can knitting teach you?

Knitting can teach you very basic things like manual technical skills, mathematical relationships, garment construction, three dimensional spatial relationships, logistical thinking and technical writing. More importantly it reflects your character back to you as you learn and grow as a knitter. It teaches persistence, and how very small seemingly insignificant actions (a single knit stitch) can add up in a big way. It also teaches us a lot about our societies perception of time and it's value.

9. Why is knitting a good skill?

It's a way to be productive in unproductive situations, while commuting to work or waiting for appointments. It's a stress reducer in a hectic world. It teaches us many things beyond the actual knitting skills, bringing an unexpected abundance to our lives that surprises knitters as they move from novice to experienced knitters.

10. What is your favorite type of yarn to use?

I tend to prefer natural fibers in a wide variety of weights and textures. Yarn is a medium, just like paint for a artist or wood for a cabinet maker. It's hard to express the feeling I have for fiber. It is something like a cross between love, admiration and awe at it's infinitesimal beauty.

Problem Solving in Knitting Patterns

2012-01-04T06:13:00.007-05:00

Don't name the problem!

I know it sounds counter intuitive, but really, don't label a problem that you are trying to solve.

I spent a lot of time helping knitters with problems when knitting from patterns when I worked in my LYS. I quickly learned not to listen to them when they told me what the problem was. Whenever I did it slowed down the process of resolution because often they were wrong! That's why they couldn't figure it out for themselves. Naming the problem stopped them from looking at other details, and that was often where the error in the work was. I had a number of situations where the knitter said the problem was in a specific section of the instructions. Often when I went back to the beginning of the pattern and checked the work I found the error earlier on. By naming the problem the knitter stopped looking in the right place so they were completely unable to determine what was really going wrong. BTW, these were accomplished, smart knitters that just focused on the wrong thing for too long and that is why they needed assistance.

Stripes - Breaking Fashion Rules

2012-01-02T06:11:00.065-05:00

I'm always suspicious of simplistic fashion rules. You know the kind I mean, the ones that are supposed to apply to everyone equally. I think they are like using stereotypes to describe people, there might be a tiny kernel of truth that applies in some cases but the real problem is that they limit our thinking and stop us from considering variations.

Almost everyone says not to wear horizontal stripes or you will look wide, yet stripes are a fashion classic and they are one that knitters seem to be afraid of.

I would like to suggest that you challenge this fashion rule. Stripes are an easy to knit pattern that can add colour and freshness to your wardrobe. So how do you make them work? Take a look at the images above. I've kept it simple and only used black and white / red and white samples. Look at each example, first compare the width of the stripes. Do you see what happens as we go from wide to narrow stripes? That is what is known as the ladder effect. Narrow stripes encourage the eye of the viewer to climb up the body. Visually that works like a vertical line which makes the eye move in the same way. At the far right the patterns become so busy they come very close to reading more like a solid, especially when viewed from a distance.

Next, look at the garments in the center. Where does your eye go? Mine immediately drops to the wide band at the bottom. Does that give you any ideas about how single wide stripes should be placed on the body. Maybe at the shoulder it would be more flattering? Or, what about doing a folded knitted hem so that the pattern repeats evenly right to the edges on the garment?

I choose highly contrasting colours to demonstrate stripe effects. What if you did stripes of low contrast colours? How does that change the look? What if you varied the width of the stripes from narrow at the hip to wider at the shoulder? What if you used more than 2 colours? What if the contrast colour was low contrast at the hem and high contrast at the shoulder? Are you getting a sense of why I don't like a single simplistic rule?

Do you have any other observations?

You get extra credit if you made note of how matching stripes across the body and sleeves ups the flattery quotient and that dropped shoulders lowers it by pulling the eye out and down to the armhole where the lines converge. More credit for anyone who saw the flattering diagonal lines created by the cowl neckline on the red and white garment on the far right.

The KnitMeter Challenge

2012-01-01T06:28:00.039-05:00

I love their logo!

Happy New Year!

I've added a KnitMeter gadget to my blog. You can get it here. You can display it on your website, blog or facebook profile. I'm going to track my knitting volume this year to see how I do month by month. To make it simple I'll do my input as I finish each full or partial ball of yarn. I do a lot of swatching but I will be excluding that knitting just to keep things simple. This is meant to be a personal assessment for me.

An Interview with...Sandra McIver

2011-12-30T06:28:00.212-05:00

All patterns pictured are available in the book

Where do you find inspiration?
I find that inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere, and often from the least likely places. I still laugh to myself when I think that the circular Swirl form was inspired by a rectangle—that wonderful large, long garter stitch rectangle that makes up the bottom portion of Sally Melville’s “Einstein Coat.” I found myself entranced by the sculptural quality of that length of fabric as I bent and twisted and manipulated it into different shapes. That experience had a huge impact on me as a designer. From that point on, I wanted to create clean, sculptural designs defined primarily by their contours, with seams artfully placed to support, not interrupt, the interconnected energy of the knitted form.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

Learning new techniques was the driving force in my knitting for many years. During that time my favorite technique was usually the one I’d just mastered. As my interest in sculptural form grew, I found myself going back to simple knit and purl stitch combination's because they provided the strong structure, simple shaping and clean lines that I was after. While knitting for my book, I did develop my own technique for a “No Twist Join” that has proved to be extremely helpful in ensuring that the lengthy first rows of a Swirl can be reliably joined into a circle without that dreaded twist. Given the amount of anguish that discovery has saved me, I’d have to say that’s currently my favorite technique.

How did you determine your size range?

It is difficult to talk about size in a Swirl without talking about style in the same breath. Swirls, by virtue of their circular shape, bias drape, and lack of size-defining seams, are highly adaptable; all sizes are suitable for a range of body types and dimensions. The same size can be a fitted jacket on one person and a flowing cape-like coat on another. As long as appropriate sleeve length adjustments are made, a knitter’s choice of size should be as much about style as it is about how big or small it needs to be to accommodate a given body. I offer three sizes (one, two and three) in order to offer a range of fit and styling choices. Size Two could be considered a “one-size-fits-all” version, with size one and size three extending the range of size and style for all.

Do you look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?
I love to look at and learn from other designers’ work! I’m thrilled by the thought that today’s designers are still inventing new techniques and creating new approaches using a centuries old art form. There are times, however, when I think it is appropriate not to study another designer’s work. When I was working on knit, Swirl!, Hanne Falkenberg, whose designs I greatly admire, released a new pattern for a circular sweater. I studiously avoided acquiring any knowledge of that pattern until after my book was done….and was much relieved to find that our approach differed substantially. One day, though, I’d love to knit her version.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?
I’m happy to say I’m ignorant of the controversy. Swirls are simple to knit, not in deference to the knitter, but because that approach results in the clean, sculptural form I was after. I want my patterns to be attainable for relative beginners, but still interesting for seasoned veterans. In my book, I explain in detail the techniques that I feel are very important to use. On the other hand, where a pattern direction can be satisfied by a variety of techniques, I leave the choice to personal preference. I recognize that in doing so I may leave the less experienced knitter needing to do a little research, but researching the various ways to accomplish basic knitting tasks is the best way to learn. I still find myself going back to my favorite how-to books on a regular basis and never cease to come away with a new insight.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?
I design as I knit, so its important for me to do most of the knitting myself. I knit all but one of the garments you see in the book, and several that didn’t make it in as well. Recently I began working with four excellent knitters who have helped me to create additional Swirls in a range of sizes. One just set a new record, knitting a Swirl in a week! Those garments make up four traveling Swirl trunk shows that have begun to make the rounds at local yarn shops and knitting venues.

Did you do a formal business plan?
The first years of working on the book were all about learning and designing. The last two years required a plan to get the project to the finish line and deliver a book that would make my investment in writing and self-publishing worthwhile. It was at that time that I finalized the book concept and developed a time line, marketing plan and budget.

Do you have a mentor?
I do—several of them in fact. Cat Bordhi is my mentor-in-chief (I prefer the title Fairy Godmother). She is ably assisted by the “Visionaries”, a group of self-publishing designers who annually attend Cat’s “Visionary Retreat” to review our collective books-in-progress, give input and suggestions, and help each other deal with issues we each face along the way. The mentoring of one another continues throughout the year via chat group. Knit, Swirl! is just one of several truly excellent books by our Visionary Authors. For a list of our authors and their websites go to www.visionaryauthors.org.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?
The business model I follow is the one I learned from my father and used for 25 years on a much larger scale as co-founder and president of a small ultra-premium winery. It boils down to this: produce quality.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?
The impact has been huge. Knitting blogs and online newsletters have provided the lion’s share of the coverage my book has received. I keep in touch with Swirl knitters around the world via my website, www.knitswirl.com, emails and the “knit swirl” group on Ravelry.com. In terms of sales, half of my US sales are made by my distributor Unicorn Books & Crafts (a company with a significant Internet presence) to local yarn shops, many with robust online shopping components. The other half I sell myself through Amazon’s Advantage program, a program that is a boon to small entrepreneurial efforts like mine.

Do you use a Tech Editor?
Absolutely! Tech editors are essential. My tech editor, in addition to doing all the usual spotting of errors, inconsistencies, and omissions, took my cumbersome design calculations and created elegant spreadsheet formula pages that were able to do the work faster and with greater accuracy than I. Beyond that she was a great sounding board at all times and the only person with whom I could speak “Swirl” through the years that it took to write the book.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?
I work at home and am blessed to have the undying support of my husband, children and grandchildren. I am able to deal with the priorities of both life and work on an as-needed basis. My days are all long and frequently hectic, but I enjoy almost all of what I do. Hey, I get to knit and call it work! How bad can that be?

How do you deal with criticism?
Happily, the growth curve that took me from avid knitter to self-published hand knit designer, has taught me to truly appreciate and welcome constructive criticism. The other types of criticism, especially the overheated Internet communique type, I’ve learned can best be handled by being as nice and as helpful as possible in my response. I almost always get an immediate note of thanks along with an apology. The criticism that I admit still gets to me is the type that comes in the form of just-plain-mean public review postings from folks who have clearly made snap judgments after a cursory look at my book. Slowly, I’m even learning to live with those.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?
I am pleased to be able to say that after seven months in the market, sales of my book have covered my writing and self-publishing costs (photography, book design, tech editing, printing, shipping and marketing) and returned a profit sufficient for me to feel I’ve been reasonably well compensated for my investment of time and energy. A third printing appears to be imminent, so that picture will continue to improve.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?
I’d say first explore the industry fully to identify all the avenues out there for a career in knitting. The list is much longer and more varied than you might initially think. In your search you may even discover an unmet need or an unfulfilled consumer interest that you are uniquely able to address. Are you entrepreneurial at heart or are you happier working for someone else? The answer to that question is important in charting your course. Take it slow. Be persistent. Identify at least one opportunity a day, and act on at least one a week. And lastly, believe in your potential for success.

Flat Pattern Drafting

2011-12-28T06:51:00.000-05:00

Flat patterns are the standard in the knitting world and we rarely give the concept any intense consideration. (Many designers of woven fabric use draping techniques instead. To do this you have to work with existing fabric to cut and pin into place).

Stop for a moment and think about this. We take a one dimensional piece of knitted fabric and wrap it around a three dimensional body that is made up of many planes and angles, and then we are surprised that it does not fit well. Add to that the varying individual shape of women's bodies. It’s no wonder that Knitters struggle with fit. Many fitting adjustments are tiny little shaping changes that need to be assessed with a garment on the body to see just how much fabric needs to be added or removed.

If you take pattern drafting classes to develop your own pattern for fitting, the final step is a trial garment. Corrections are made to that garment and then those changes are transferred back to the pattern. The most talented custom clothing creators all do several one on one fitting sessions, before a garment is completed. Couturiers have mannequins created to match the bodies of their clients so that fitting can be customized. Your fit can be continually improved if you begin to keep careful notes about your personal fitting preferences.

But we knitters, we create the fabric at the same time we create the garment and don't always appreciate just how complex what we are doing really is. Maybe we need to appreciate how very special what we are doing really is?

Design-a-long - Taking Measurements

2011-12-26T06:31:00.016-05:00

Standing straight, wearing lingerie or lightweight clothing take your measurements with a flexible measuring tape. If you have someone who can assist you in taking the measurements, that’s even better to ensure accuracy. Take your measurements with the tape horizontal on your body. The tape should lie firmly against your body without being snug. You will also require length measurements for your intended design. You can use a narrow belt, a piece of elastic or a length of yarn to define your waistline.

When dealing with knitwear garments the upper body measurements are vital, as this is where the garment hangs from. The bust is measured at the bust point or at its fullest part. Your high hip measurement is about 6-7 inches below your waist and needs to be considered if you are creating longer garments, especially if your hips are much bigger than your bust. The full hip is measured at your derrieres widest point if you are knitting a garment of that length. The cross shoulder measurement is taken between the shoulder points directly above your armpit where the sleeve seam should be. It will be different at the front than it is at the back. The middle back to wrist measurement starts from the bony protrusion at the base of your neck out and around your arm with your arm bent at a slight angle. Some people like sleeve to hang longer and if you do take the measurement level to the base of the thumb. The back neck to waist measurement also starts at the bony protrusion at the base of your neck and is required if you are planning to have waistline shaping.

The silhouette of the garment you are planning determines the actual measurements required. The fabric that you are creating has varying amounts of stretch that you need to be comfortable with. Some people are happy with negative ease and others are not. Some of these measurements are very difficult to take directly on the body but much easier to take from an existing garment that you can lay flat.

Put the target garment on and note any changes you would like to make in fit or lengths. Pay attention to where the hems hit your body and if you would want the garment to be tighter or looser. Mark your actual waist and where you would like your waist to sit if you want to adjust it for better visual proportions. Some of us are narrower below the bust line than we are at the true waist. You can use pins to mark any changes you would prefer. You can also choose to use several different garments for comparison as the information you are getting here should be highly individualized to your preferences.

Take the garment off, lay it flat and take measurements from it that correspond to the body measurements that you have indicated on your chart. The chart is meant to become an ever evolving reference for your knitting. Use a notebook not a single piece of paper to save these measurements. Don’t be surprised if you find as you work through several projects that you will continue to refine the numbers. You may even want to make your ease notes based on yarn weights as thicker yarns generally call for more ease than fine yarns do.

There is another important factor that I want you to consider and that is that bodies are not static. When we move, our measurements change. Take your arm measurement with your arm straight and then compare that measurement to a bent arm measurement. It will not be the same. Check your bust measurement when wearing different bras, the measurement will change with the amount of support and padding. Body measurements and shapes change with movement. Take your waist measurement in a standing and then in a seated position. Compare the two, are they the same? Have you noticed garments that fit snugly when standing straight can become uncomfortable when you sit down? That's why understanding ease is so important.

An Interview with..Hunter Hammersen

2011-12-23T05:26:00.100-05:00

You can find Hunter here and more about her books here and here.

Pattern available in the upcoming book The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet

Where do you find inspiration?

Just about everywhere! I use the camera on my cell phone to snap pictures of all sorts of crazy things when I'm out and about. So far I've grabbed snapshots of things like ironwork fences, really hideous upholstery fabric on a hotel sofa, and the tracks my shopping cart left in the snow. I can't draw at all, so having an easy way to grab pictures is tremendously

helpful.

For larger projects like the books, I like to work within a theme. It's easier to have a dinner party if you have a theme, and I'm convinced the same holds true for a knitting collection. For those, I find myself drawn to historical subjects.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

Oh, I more or less like it all! I'm not quite sure if it counts as a technique exactly, but I find I really prefer working in the round. For me, it's faster, more even, and easier to manage while I'm working.

How did you determine your size range?

I have really big feet (my mother would say I 'have a firm foundation'). I know first hand how frustrating it is to fall in love with a project and see that it won't fit your needs. So I try to include several sizes for all my socks (and for most of my other projects too). At the same time, I think you can do a lot of fine tuning by adjusting your gauge and yarn choice too. This works especially well for something like a hat or a mitt where sizing by adding an extra pattern repeat doesn't always work out. To help people feel confident doing these sorts of adjustments, I've started including information about sizing at a variety of gauges in some of my patterns. I think it helps knitters make informed decisions about their projects, and the response has been very positive.

I’ve noticed that you work mainly on accessories and specialize in sock designs, could you tell us a little more about your design focus?

I'm kind of a lazy knitter. The idea of making sweaters or shawls or anything else of that size just makes me feel a bit weak in the knees. I think that socks and accessories are a much smaller time commitment, but still let the knitter play around with just about any technique imaginable. It's a better fit for my attention span!

Pattern available in the upcoming book The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet

Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I mostly avoid it. It's too easy to have something sneak into the back of your mind and pop out later. Though I must confess I do glance at the new issues of a few favorite online magazines when they come out.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?

I think every pattern is a balancing act between clarity and brevity. I also think that it is flat out impossible to strike the perfect balance for every knitter in a single pattern...someone will always want something different. With that in mind, I tend to err on the side of assuming knitters are clever folks. It's my job to be clear enough (and encouraging enough) to give them the confidence they need to tackle the project at hand. That doesn't mean extensive hand holding, but it does mean being careful to be as explicit as possible.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

I usually have each pattern tested by at least 3 or 4 people, sometimes more if there are lots of sizes or if the project is complicated. I've got a dozen or so folks who help me with sample knitting for books, though I make my own samples for individual patterns.

Did you do a formal business plan?

Not at all. I stumbled into this by accident, and no one was more surprised than me when it turned into a job!

Do you have a mentor?

There are lots of folks I admire, and a few I go to with questions, but no one who I'd call a mentor in a formal sense.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?

Not really. So far I'm working on the assumption that if I put out a product I'm really excited about, that others will like it too. It's worked so far!

Pattern available in The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

I wouldn't even knit, much less design without the Internet!

Do you use a Tech Editor?

Yes, and she's a genius and worth her weight in gold.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

I'm not sure I do. Then again, I'm not sure anyone who is doing something they're passionate about really does. It's the trade off for a job you love, and I think it's worth it.

Pattern available The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet

How do you deal with criticism?

Fairly well I think. If there's actually something that needs to be changed or corrected (a typo in a pattern for instance), I'm glad to know about it and happy to make the change. And if it's criticism that I have no intention of acting on (someone who doesn't like the name of a pattern for instance), I just laugh it off.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

I've only been designing for a little over two years. The first year, I broke even. The second year, I made a profit. This year, I am actually making enough money that I need to do things like talk to an accountant and a lawyer. But it's not really at the point where it would pay all of my household's expenses...give me a few more years!

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

The organizational and administrative parts are every bit as important as the creative parts. Find a way to make them manageable for you, even if they don't come naturally. Mastering them will help you have this be a career, not just a dalliance.

Pattern available here.

Do You Ever Knit the Same Pattern Twice?

2011-12-21T06:17:00.001-05:00

I sewed many of my own clothes for years. I also used the same patterns over and over. Once I had something that fit me well I would return to that pattern often. I would make it in a different colour. I would make a jacket with a matching skirt, then I would make the same jacket with pants. Then I would make it in a print fabric, or a tapestry or a knit.

When I was machine knitting I used a knit radar for shaping. It's a charting device that allows you to draw your garment shape. You select settings by your stitches per inch and rows per inch, and let the Radar guide you through the shaping of your garment piece. By simply changing the gauge settings, you can knit this same garment over and over with a variety of yarns and stitch styles. I used to knit the same basic garment shape, change the neckline, shorten or lengthen sleeves and the hem, and no one ever noticed that I was knitting essentially the same sweater over and over.

Now I often do the same thing with my hand knitting. I layer new or different details on the same basic garment shape. In the LYS that I worked at we had only one customer that I was aware of who did this with a pattern. She had an old pattern, that fit perfectly, she only worked in one gauge but substituted many different yarns. She varied the length from garment to garment and substituted short sleeves for long on summer sweaters but that was about it....and no one noticed what she was doing.

BTW: do this if you really want to understand the illusive concept of ease, as it is impacted by fabric weight and drape. In the photos above look at the sleeves. The jacket on the bottom right is made from a tapestry print, it is the stiffest fabric in the 4 jackets. Did you notice how those sleeves stand away from the body? Once you make the same pattern with different yarn types your understanding of the concept starts to crystallize.

Design-a-long - The Measurements

2011-12-19T06:45:00.006-05:00

I've given you a drawing to help while doing your measurements. Not all measurements will be applicable to the garment you are making. There are a few that you will need to get some one else to assist you with. The numbers on the drawing correspond to those in the list. The wrinkle is that you will take the measurement both on your body and on the garment that either fits you already or has been pinned to fit you. You should make a chart in your note book with four columns; one for the name of the area being measured, one for your body measurements, one for the garments measurements and one for the ease difference between the two. If you aren't doing the DAL but would like to understand ease more fully, try doing this exercise with a variety of garments in your closet. Choose things in various weights from a thin machine knit to a heavy coat and see how different the garment measurements are even when they all fit in an appropriate way. The list also includes some measurements that are broken into front and back separately, this is done to refine the fit. Current patterns typically make the front and back the same and count on the knitting to stretch to accommodate the differences. Since you are customizing it makes sense to at least consider these differences. My next DAL post will give additional details on how to take measurements.

1 Shoulder width front
2 Shoulder width back
3 Shoulder length
4 Chest
5 Bust
6 Front side to side
7 Back side to side
8 Armhole depth
9 Raglan depth
10 Waist
11 Hips
12 Width at hemline
13 Neck width
14 Front neck depth
15 Back neck depth
16 Torso length (back)
17 Torso length (front)
18 Hem to armhole length
19 Hem to waist length
20 Sleeve length
21 Wrist to wrist length
22 Upper arm width
23 Wrist/ hand width

An Interview with...Hannah Fettig

2011-12-16T06:43:00.067-05:00

You can find Hannah here and here on Ravelry. All patterns in the pictures are available on her website.

Where do you find inspiration?

I'm most inspired by vintage and current fashion, and my hometown here in Portland, Maine.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

I love short rows, I'd like to use them more! It's such a great technique for shaping.

How did you determine your size range?

My technical editor, Tana Pageler, has been really good about helping me with this. My designs are typically simple enough, they translate very well to a wide range of sizes. I want my designs to be accessible to as many knitters as possible!

Do you look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I do look at other designers' work, but not as much as I used to. There's no time! I do feel like our industry is very supportive, for example when I announce on my blog or Twitter that I have a new design, many other designers chime in with praise. It's nice to feel like we're all rooting for each other. In terms of being influenced by other designers, everyone's work is so accessible with the Internet and Ravelry, it's hard to think we aren't all influencing each other. It's exciting, really.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?

hmmm, sorry Robin, I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean?

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

I used to do all my own sample knitting, but have found it necessary to regularly use sample knitters so I can continue coming out with new work. Having a toddler means I don't have as much time as I used to for knitting! I'll work on the tricky bits of a pattern on the needles, and then send a rough draft of a pattern to a knitter who communicates with me as they go about any possible issues.

Did you do a formal business plan?

No. I never anticipated that I would end up where I am today with knitwear design. I was just having fun, and the next thing I knew, thanks to Ravelry, I had a real job on my hands! At the beginning of this year, and did start pursuing the wholesale market, which has been very successful. And for Coastal Knits, Alana and I did have a business plan of sorts. But again, we never anticipated that Coastal Knits would be as successful as it was!

Do you have a mentor?

I really haven't had anyone guiding me along this road. Most of the work over the past few years as taken place in the seclusion of my home. I have always liked to have other people to bounce ideas off of, Alana has been that person for a long time. Recently I moved my office in with Quince & Co., and it's been nice to see other industry people so regularly.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

As I mentioned earlier, it's had a huge impact. I don't think I would have had the success I've had without it, or at least not so quickly. Whisper Cardigan and Featherweight Cardigan benefited from the fact that word spreads so quickly on the Internet. Those continue to be my two most popular designs!

Do you use a Tech Editor?

I do, for Coastal Knits Alana and I actually used three. Tana is instrumental to my pattern writing, particularly sizing.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

It's been a struggle. I've recently been trying to outsource as much as possible. I hired an assistant the beginning of November, and this has been a welcome relief.

How do you deal with criticism?

It can be challenging, but I try to keep perspective. For the most part knitters are very happy with my designs. Some days I'll find myself getting hung up on a negative experience with a Knitbot pattern reported on Ravelry, I hate to think of someone having to frog an entire sweater because they weren't happy with the end result!

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

I'd say to be patient, building a reputation takes time. Establish an on-line presence, for blogging purposes I think a good camera is a worthwhile investment. Presentation can be everything. Slowly build an audience, if they like what they see they'll come back for more!

Problem Solving in Patterns

2011-12-14T06:53:00.008-05:00

In my designers group we spend a lot of time discussing the kinds of details that cause knitters problems when working from patterns. We are all looking for the perfect instructional language that can't be misinterpreted by anyone.

Now stop laughing!

We try really hard to make patterns easy to follow. However every knitter brings a set of prior experiences to their knitting and that prior experience can determine how they interpret a given pattern. I've noticed that when the knitter can see a real error in the pattern, that they can quickly articulate what that error is and what the correction is. When the knitter can't explain or identify the error that often means they have misinterpreted a previous instruction, which is why the current instruction makes no sense to them. Often when a knitter tells me where the error is but can't resolve it, they turn out to be misdirecting me. I've learned through experience that the error actually occurred earlier on in the knitting and that they are simply looking at the wrong part of the pattern.

In these cases take a step back, pause, take a deep breath and go back through the previous instructions to see if you have missed a critical earlier step.

Design-a-long - Tools and Supplies

2011-12-12T06:05:00.000-05:00

Tools,supplies and information for the DAL:

Choose your yarn. I'm going to recommend that you pick a standard gauge yarn that you will be likely to use the same weight again on future projects. If you normally like worsted, use that, if you prefer finer weights choose DK or sport.
You will need some graph paper, to draw your basic schematic on. I like to use the 4 squares to an inch size.
For calculating curves and angles you will need knitters graph paper, you can print it off here once you know your gauge.
A pencil, an eraser, a hard edged ruler. A curve ruler if you have one. If not, a compass or various household containers can help you to draw any curves if you are not happy with hand drawn ones.
Measuring tape.
A notebook that you can record the measurements in and keep as a permanent record. The details you learn working through of a project like this will help you to choose sizes and make adjustments to existing patterns. If you keep notes on future projects in different yarn weights you will grow your understanding of ease requirements and fabric characteristics which is the true key to attaining perfect fit.
An existing garment in roughly the same weight of fabric that you will be creating. This garment should be one that either you like the fit of, or that can be pinned to correct the parts that you don't like.

I'll list anything else I didn't think of as we go along.

I'd also like to mention that you should check your measuring tapes for accuracy. The fabric tapes do stretch out of shape with age. I've also seen dollar store tapes that were not accurately printed. Just compare it to your hard ruler as a precaution.

New video

2011-12-09T06:57:00.023-05:00

My husband and I have fallen in love with the process of making video's. So much so, that this year for our Christmas present to one another, we are buying a new camera lens that will allow us to do close up shots. The plan is to work on a series of technique based videos. The new video is about the design inspiration and insights into my process for some of my existing patterns.

Are there any techniques that you are interested in seeing demonstrated. Please let me know what they are.

Which Knitter are You?

2011-12-07T06:32:00.005-05:00

There is nothing more frustrating to a knitter than running into a problem when knitting from a pattern. It breaks the zen experience that so many of us search for in our knitting time. Having helped many knitters, one thing I've noticed is that some of them assume that they are at fault and others assume that the pattern is at fault. Which one are you? Be honest!

Now that you figured out which group you belong to, remember this and the next time you are frustrated with a pattern, I want you to flip to the other group while assessing what is going wrong. Just make the opposite assumption and see where that leads you. I can't tell you how often I have discovered that one of these assumptions is what is standing in the way of a knitter resolving the problem. Once you commit to a paradigm it can block your thinking by closing doors to alternative pathways of thought and therefore solutions. Challenge your assumptions and see where that takes you!

Knitting the Basic Boring Garments That We All Wear Most Often - Design-a-long

2011-12-05T06:52:00.003-05:00

The West End Wrap, pattern available here.

I knit the shawl in the photo above for myself. I made it because I was wearing one of those cheap dollar store pashminas in black. I wore it so often that it seemed ludicrous not to make myself something nicer.

That shawl has traveled on every vacation I've been on since I made it and at home I probably wear it at least 3 or 4 times a month. It's knit from alpaca, it's very soft and amazingly warm. It's been invaluable and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize what a great time investment, knitting a plain black shawl would be.

I need to knit myself a basic boring black cardigan. It's one of those holes in my wardrobe that needs to be filled. Yes, I know I could just go buy one, but to get the quality and fit that I would like is difficult. Even petite garments have sleeves that are too long for me. I'm also thinking that to do a lot of plain stocking stitch I want a really durable yarn. Maybe a wool blend that will stand up to long wear?

I still have lots of my corporate work clothing, the kinds of things that I used to wear with a business style jacket. Many of these items would be wearable in my new more casual life style with a simple cardigan sweater. Of course, I keep knitting things that are more appealing to me with great colours or textures.

So to engage my interest in making it, I'm thinking of doing a blog design-a-long. I've written a lot lately about customizing patterns and I've taught the skills in classes before but it's difficult in a class setting to have enough time for everyone to keep up with each stage of the process. I'll do it as a series, step by step, so you can see each part of the process and jump in and do your own, if you would like to. If not, I hope it will advance your understanding of the process. The garment will be a classic cardigan with set in sleeves. It will have few details so that I can wear it with as many things as possible as a completer piece, not the star of the outfit. I'm thinking of pairing it with the many print blouses and dresses I have. Is anybody interested in joining me?

An Interview with.... Katarina Rosen

2011-12-02T05:45:00.000-05:00

Classic Elite is now the exclusive US distributor of MillaMia, a fabulous children's brand already established in Europe. MillaMia, started in 2009 by two Swedish sisters in London, is coming to the United States! MillaMia’s products include Naturally Soft Merino, a 100% extra fine Merino machine-washable sport weight yarn in in 17 colors, a collection of beautifully styled patterns for children, and cushion and stocking kits for the holidays. MillaMia’s signature look is bright colors, high style and modern takes on classic techniques. The photography is crisp, clean and whimsical. Publications include Bright Young Things, The Close Knit Gang, and Wonderland, each featuring 18-20 bright, fun and modern designs for children aged newborn to eight years.

Tell me how you got into the business of running a yarn and pattern company?I have always loved knitting – since my grandmother taught me when I was little, and I took up the craft again when pregnant with my daughter (now 5). At that time I struggled to find enough really modern, stylish patterns for children that I not only wanted to knit but also wanted my daughter to wear once completed. Luckily my sister Helena is a fashion designer and so we decided to design a few of our own – it quickly spiralled into an entire first collection of children's wear patterns and so MillaMia was formed!

How long have you been in business?Just over two years. We launched in the UK (where we now live although we are both Swedish) in Oct 2009.

Do you run the business by yourselves or do you have employees, if you do how many people work for you?
We have a mixed set up - I work full-time for the business while Helena is still busy with her day-job in the fashion industry. As Creative Director of MillaMia this means she has to fit in all the MillaMia design work and any of our visual stuff (e.g. photo-shoots etc.) around her other commitments. While this makes it tough for her to get any free time, and life is a constant juggling act I think it benefits MillaMia as her day-job ensures Helena stays right up to date on trends, and the bigger picture fashion scene.

We also employ 2 office assistants – 1 of whom is part-time, as well as a couple of sales agents for the UK and Australia who work on a part-time basis also.

How did you choose the yarns that you carry at MillaMia?

It quickly became apparent when Helena was designing that colour was really important to her and texture, so we knew we would have to create our own yarn line to be able to achieve her design vision. For me as a knitter it was important that any yarn we produced met certain criteria – that it was high quality natural fibre; that it was not too chunky for childrenswear yet also not too fine as we wanted it to be quick enough to knit with; super soft so that children would want to wear the end result; machine-washable so that it was practical too; and also that it just had a ‘nice’ handle – hard to describe but I did not want something too floppy or that split or made life hard for the knitter.

With those criteria in mind and a bit of luck we met a fantastic mill in Italy who worked with us to come up with our Naturally Soft Merino Yarn. We are delighted – especially as our hard work in creating it seems to have paid off – we get a lot of feedback that people love knitting with it, we have a great Ravelry rating and as a result very loyal customers that come back again and again.

At the moment we only have the single yarn range in 17 different colours and I think that is part of our appeal for lots of shop owners – we are a concise yet comprehensive range. All our MillaMia patterns are created with just this yarn and I think our ability to refresh and renew through pattern design is a real testament to Helena’s talents.

Where do you find inspiration?

I think Helena finds inspiration all over – nature, art, photography, people in the street - alongside fashion trends.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

I am a continental knitter so in terms of process I like anything that relies on the knit stitch – would it sound terribly lazy if I said garter stitch?! From a visual perspective though for me you can’t beat Fair Isle (perhaps it is our Scandinavian background). So my ideal pattern might be a fair isle knitted in the round.

How did you determine your size ranges?

One of the things that really frustrated me when I was knitting for my daughter was when I found a pattern that I really loved for her but it only went up to the age of 2 and she was perhaps 3 at the time. If I looked at the design there was no reason that it would not also be appropriate for a 3 year old to wear and that annoyed me. Thus when we started MillaMia we made a very conscious decision to grade our patterns to a wider age range where appropriate. Obviously there are limitations as to how far you can push this without losing the design and shaping, but I hope we have struck a good balance.

Our first two books The Close Knit Gang and Bright Young Things have patterns graded from 0 to a generous age 5 and our latest book Wonderland even has some patterns going up to age 8. As children’s sizing is not an exact science and the average size of children by age even varies by culture and country we always urge people to check the measurements given to choose the most appropriate size to knit as opposed to going by the age guidelines alone. We know that some of our patterns are quite generously sized and we therefore try to give our knitters this advice when we meet them in person, on Ravelry notes and also by notes in reprint editions of our books.

Do you look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I look at other designers work if I am browsing through an LYS as I am still always looking for fun things to knit myself. However as I am not the design side of the business I am not that concerned that I will be influenced. Helena finds it interesting to look at new designs – whether they be hand knit or ready to wear. It can be a tiny detail that you take on and reinterpret into something completely different. We’re lucky that Helena has her own signature style and vision and as long as she is true to that then we know we are acting with integrity and deliver collections true to the MillaMia concept of cool, contemporary style.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?

I have to say I don’t know anything about this controversy. As we are based in the UK it may be something that is topical right now in the US but I can’t say it has reached us here yet.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you?

Lots! We truly believe that samples are such a powerful way of communicating our designs to knitters so we really like showcase these as much as we can with trunk shows and at knitting shows. Also as we like to show items in more than one colourway and size in our books we always have test knitters working to help us get ready for upcoming photo-shoots. I would say we rely on about 4 regular test knitters who we send stuff all the time and then we have another 4 or 5 that we use occasionally when we have lots to do with a short time frame!

Did you do a formal business plan?

Actually at the very start we did not. We had a hunch and a hope! But as we got more serious and started investing more time and money we realised we needed one to make sure that the business is viable and to help us set goals and monitor our progress and to make strategically sound decisions. With a background in business consulting writing the business plan was actually the easy part compared with some of the other stuff we have had to learn.

Do you have a mentor?

We are lucky to have several friends who are successful entrepreneurs in their own right who provide a useful sounding board for us. While not in the knitting industry they have retail experience (something I lacked) and that has been a great support. I must also acknowledge the role my husband plays in the business as unofficial sounding board and chief champion of MillaMia – without his belief in my abilities and Helena’s talent I am not sure we would ever have had the guts to start the company.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?

Not really – we have our own business model which is based on finding the right segment of the market for our product by working with the right shops to help us reach this customer.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

We started the business in 2009 so the Internet has always played a key role in it. From helping us to research the industry and suppliers when we were new through to the impact of social media today we can only claim a positive influence of the Internet.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

It is tricky – especially with two small kids and my main office being at home. The temptation is to always be working and as a growing business there is always something to be done! Also now that we have come to a fantastic arrangement with Classic Elite Yarns to distribute our yarn exclusively in the US, the time difference means that I am working with our American colleagues a bit later into the evening. My solution is to try to keep the weekends free of MillaMia so that I can focus on my family. It is hard to keep the energy and enthusiasm up for the business without this break. Of course this is not always possible – for instance when we are doing trade shows that are at the weekend or photo-shoots, but as a general principle it works for me.

How do you deal with criticism?

We have been lucky so far I think and not yet received much criticism, but when we have we try to see if we can take something constructive from it – that has been a useful lesson for me as a way of putting any criticism into context and not dwelling on it, which can be counter-productive. In specific situations if appropriate we will always try to respond and see if we can make the situation right.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

It has taken 2 years – we paid the people working for us before I paid myself anything. And to be honest my compensation from MillaMia is not yet comparable to what I used to earn when I was working for someone else. However we take a long term view and the potential upside for our business combined with the flexibility it allows me and the incredible sense of satisfaction and pride in terms of what we have achieved, more than balances out any financial down-side in the short term.

What is the biggest lesson running a yarn and pattern company has taught you?

Have dreams and goals – they can come true! When we first started the idea of selling our product in the USA and being widely available there seemed like a very distant dream. Now two years later we are working with Classic Elite Yarns - one of the most respected and known yarn distributors in the USA - and will soon be available all over the country – who could have dared imagine it?

What is your favorite part of what you do running the business?

My favorite part is actually product development – so helping to get Helena’s designs from the initial design phase through the technical process and into our distinctive book and pattern formats. There is something very tangible about the end result – a bit like when you finish a piece of knitting!

We've seen many cycles in the yarn industry of the market increasing and then falling again. What are your thoughts on where things might be headed now?

I think we are going to maintain the current level of demand as more people find the craft with the recent spate of publicity surrounding knitting. I hope the wholesale prices of wool level off (after their crazy increase in the last year) so that knitting with wonderful natural fibres like merino wool remains an affordable luxury for people.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in the knitting industry?

Find your own niche, utilize
the Internet to its full potential, understand that things might start slow but can then take off, and finally make sure you focus on quality.

There is a give away for a MillaMia Stocking Kit here.

Knitted Running Shoes

2011-11-30T06:19:00.003-05:00

Katie of PrettySneaky makes these great running shoes. I find them to be very amusing. I love to see knitting used in a different way. Do you think wearing them could make me knit faster?

Refining Sleeve Caps for Better Fit

2011-11-28T06:13:00.004-05:00

Low cap High cap Standard Cap

In my previous post on sleeve caps I mentioned that they can be adjusted to improve fit. Above you see 3 sleeves and sleeve cap variations. All 3 are from my drafting program and they all fit into a Misses size 10. You will notice that the low cap requires a wider sleeve so that the cap will measure long enough to fit the armhole. In the case of the high cap the sleeve can be narrowed. All these are subtle changes that can improve the fit of your sweaters. My personal preference is the high cap and narrower sleeve. It creates a slimmer proportion and is more flattering to my short arm length. The information I'm sharing with you is to help you to customize for your best personal fit. That may mean that you would be happier with one of the other 2 types. Most patterns currently use the low cap version. So give it some thought and take a look at garments you already own to analyze what cap type is most flattering on your body. The second factor to analyze is how much ease you like on your sleeves. Patterns generally use one of two standards. Sleeve ease is either 50% of the ease number used on the body or it is 1 inch on the lower arm and 2 inches on the upper arm.

An Interview with...Alasdair Post-Quinn

2011-11-25T06:02:00.109-05:00

He is a lifelong crafter who lives in Cambridge, MA, with his wife and cat. When he’s not knitting, he enjoys cooking, fixes computers for Brandeis University, listens to esoteric music, audiobooks, and NPR, and tries to spend as much time outdoors as possible.

You can find Alasdair here, here and here. He is on Ravelry here.

You've been working on innovations with double knitting techniques. Could you tell us about how you came to focus on double knitting?

I've always been fascinated with the efficient use of space. I can't say my everyday life is an illustration of that, but it always makes me feel good when I find a better way to organize things. My online handle "fallingblox" predates my knitting life, coming from my obsession with Tetris-like games from an early age. I guess when I taught myself to knit, I was disappointed with the wasted space on the "wrong side". Most knitting is not meant to be framed on a wall; it's three-dimensional and I feel like both sides should be attractive. When I began designing knitted objects, I started with Moebius scarves in reversible knit and purl patterns. It's only natural that when I decided to add another color, I found double-knitting to be the most fitting technique. The irony is that, to this day, I have yet to design a double-knitted Moebius scarf.

How did you develop your new charting method?

I assume you're referring to my two-pattern notation, which allows you to chart both sides of a double-knit fabric in different patterns. It was really just a matter of thinking logically about what I was doing, then laying out the two sides and interlacing them. At the same time I worked out two-pattern double-knitting, a small meme must have been released because two or three other people elsewhere in the world simultaneously worked it out and found their own ways of notating two-pattern charts. However, while others decided to try to squeeze both colors into a single chart element, I took a more literal approach. If you read across a row of one of my two-pattern charts and compare it to the finished row on your needles, you'll find that the colors and stitch types correspond exactly to the pattern -- like any other knitting chart. Essentially what I've done with these charts is to show you literally what you're doing using familiar notation. Because of this, I've heard reports of people with no double-knitting experience successfully knitting one of my two-pattern charts. The other strength of my notation method is that it frees you to design in any number of colors without changing your notation style -- although there are practical limits to how many colors you can double-knit with.

Where do you find inspiration?

Utica. Hah! That's what Gary Larson used to tell people when they asked where he got the ideas for his Far Side comics.

To be honest, I think there's just something a little unusual about my brain. I find beauty in the oddest places, and I wish I could tell you where the ideas for my work come from. I love geometric interactions and the interplay of colors, and I find those things anywhere I look -- even when I'm not looking. But lately, the techniques have come before the designs. I'll think of a technique and work out a design that fits it well. In the process of adapting the technique to double-knitting, the design may change several times from the original concept.

Do you look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I've had this issue for a long time. Yes, I'm afraid of being influenced too much by others' work, but in this day and age we can't help it. If you don't look at other people's work, you won't know what's in fashion, and you also won't know what's already been done. If you do look at other people's work, you may never start for fear of being accused of copying someone else's idea. Now I don't care so much about fashion -- I'd like to think most of my designs are outside that limitation. Also, if you start a large double-knit project for something that's fashionable now, it might be out of style by the time you finish it. Hats, scarves, mittens, neckties, baby booties, blankets, etc -- these things don't go out of style, or not as quickly. They're also much easier to finish in a reasonable amount of time. To return to the question, I don't think it's possible to look at everything everyone else is designing and still have time to design yourself. So I don't avert my eyes from the work that people are doing in my knitting groups, or what people are wearing at fiber festivals and similar gatherings, and I stumble across stuff online and on Ravelry, but I don't make a point of researching trends or studying other people's work.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

It depends on the project. For my recent book, it was about half and half -- patterns I knew worked I would send to sample knitters; patterns still in development I would work out myself, then come back to them and check them over, possibly knitting them again. For my first independently-sold pattern, the Falling Blocks hat, I drew from the pool of over 2000 double-knitters in my Ravelry double-knitting group and selected 10 likely folks with varying levels of experience to test the pattern. Many of my patterns are proof-of-concept pieces -- they're designed only to show that something is possible to do -- so I'll be the one knitting the sample. If I have doubt about my notation, I may send it on to further test knitters.

Did you do a formal business plan?

Not really -- I've been flying by the seat of my pants for the entirety of the book writing period. I've just tried to keep one eye on the goal and one eye on the next several steps so as not to get overwhelmed. It didn't always work, but everything fell together rather than apart in the end. The patterns I'm working on now will go up for sale on Ravelry as a test of how my rising name recognition affects sales of patterns. I may never reach Stephen West levels, but I never expected to.

Do you have a mentor

In the sense of someone who has nurtured my growth as a knitter from early in my career and who I look up to as a student at the feet of a master? Not really. I'm a self-taught knitter and something of a loner in general. But I think the person who fits most comfortably into that space would be Cat Bordhi. Sure, she's a mentor to many, especially aspiring self-publishing authors, but I feel I would not have come as far as I did as quickly without her help at the Men's Visionary Retreat.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

I probably wouldn't have even had a business without the Internet. The Internet allowed me to connect with other people who were doing double-knitting, and without them it would have taken me much longer to realize that the stuff I was doing was actually innovative and hadn't been documented before. I wouldn't have known that people liked my patterns and wanted to knit them too, and I wouldn't have had an easy distribution method. At the same time, the Internet is a big risk for anyone doing business in digital-format books or patterns, since the difficulty in securing them is often more trouble than most want to go to, and there's a large network of piracy out there. But it's a risk you take. I think knitters are fundamentally decent people who would like to see the designers they admire continue their work.

Do you use a Tech Editor?

As I started working with Cooperative Press, yes, I had a tech editor working on my manuscript. However, I have not released enough patterns outside of the book to require the regular services of a tech editor. I do all my own charts and most of my work is either not sized or sized very simply -- or would require a very specialized tech editor. I have some patterns in the future that will definitely require tech editing, so it's about time I find someone with that specialized skill set.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

Poorly, my wife would probably say. To be fair, it's not just life and work -- knitting is still not my primary job, so I have to balance my day job, my knitting work, my social life, and my marriage. It hasn't been easy over the past 2 years. I didn't have a good road map for the things I'd need to do for the book, and it seemed deadlines would creep up and pounce at inopportune times, as they do, and I'd have to drop everything and, say, print off my book and proofread it, or knock out a new website, or iron out travel details, etc. The saving grace has been that my wife works 12-8 and I work 9-5, so I have some evenings where I can work without distraction for a few hours without causing offense. My social life has really gone from sparse at best to barely existent, except for knitting-related activities. I expect this will change as I get further from my book's print date. My boss at my day job is a sometime knitter and as such is supportive of my projects, even when they require I take time off from work, as long as my work gets done.

How do you deal with criticism?

I'd like to say I take it in stride because I know everyone's taste is different and I can't please everyone, but I'm a sensitive guy and I'm sure if I start getting lots of criticism I won't take it well. However, I haven't had much yet. When my Four Winds hat first came out in Twist Collective, I had one person write a critical post about it, but when I went to read it I found he had cut down virtually every pattern in that issue. So the best I can say is, I'd take any criticism I get in context. I had the book endorsed by three knitting luminaries I admire greatly and I think it would take a great deal of criticism from random people before I decided to disbelieve the glowing compliments I've gotten from people whose opinions I value more.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

I'd have to check with my mother for sure, but probably around 2 years like most other people. Oh wait, did I misunderstand the question?

Actually, as I mentioned before, this is still not my primary job and I'm not sure it ever will be. My patterns take me less and less time to design, but as I get into finer-gauge work, they take more and more time to knit. Even if I start using sample knitters more heavily, I may save myself some time but it will cost me more money. In addition, my work is a niche within a niche -- the majority of knitters will never try my patterns because they're into quicker knits and less into technical challenges. If I ever manage to support myself, it will be like Kaffe Fassett, where I design countless beautiful things and barely ever knit them myself. That doesn't sound fulfilling to me.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

As far as I can tell from talking to others who are closer to the path of a full-time knitting career, success in this field requires an eye for the ever-changing fashion of the day and a good feel for shape, design and construction. Like any other field where your success is dependent on the opinions of others -- from graphic design to food service -- be prepared to put some of the things you might really want to design on the back burner while you design things that will actually pay the bills, so to speak. I find that the pattern of mine that most people gravitate to first is Corvus, my first double-knit pattern, simple and elegant, (and free on Ravelry). It's the sort of thing that even a non-double-knitter might say "I could do that" about. It is my hope that it will be a gateway into the more advanced and interesting patterns, but I have to be satisfied if some people knit that and never go further. I could design more elegant simple double-knitting and sell more patterns that way, but I'm happy to keep pushing the boundaries of my chosen technique and releasing patterns that may never sell more than a few hundred copies. For that reason, I am not likely to have a full-time career in knitting anytime soon. But if that's the way you want to go, I wish you the best of luck.

We Need a New Word

2011-11-23T06:08:00.003-05:00

I frequently refer to non-knitters when writing blog posts. I've decided we need a new word for that group, something that defines them separately from our sub-culture. I'm thinking of something similar to "muggles", the name J. K. Rowling uses, that refers to a person who lacks any sort of magical ability and was not born into the magical world.

I think knitting is also a form of magic, especially when observed by non-knitters.

I used a word generator and came up with a few suggestions nontes, knitnos, noniters, knitnions and noles.

If you want to play too, the generator is here. Let me know in the comments if you come up with something good. The idea of a special name for "them" tickles my fancy!

Sleeve Cap Adjustments Due to Height

2011-11-21T06:36:00.106-05:00

Height adjustments are made at the lines indicated

Getting the armhole right is one of the most difficult parts of pattern making and modifying existing patterns.

The best way to measure your armhole depth is to take something flexible like a magazine or a thick pad of paper. Hold it under your arm parallel to the floor and bend it around to the front of your body. Measure from the top of your shoulder down to the straight edge of the item tucked under your arm. Measure at the outside edge since the sleeve cap attaches there. If you are modifying an existing pattern remember that on a sloped shoulder the measurement is longer on the inside edge of the shoulder. Normally the schematic will reflect this. Add 1 - 2 inches to your personal measurement for ease.

The lines on the schematic pictured above show where you would add or remove length to adjust your garment for better fit.

A sleeve cap should fit easily into the armhole without having to be stretched or squeezed to fit. In knitted garments the sleeve cap is symmetrical, however if you are having major fit problems in this area you can consider making the cap fuller on the backside edge by slowing the rate of decrease. Look at the back of most women’s arms and you will see that often it’s much fuller than the front.

Cap height is shorter than the total armhole depth. It is based roughly on a proportion to bust measurement. For busts up to 30 inches the sleeve cap is 2 inches less than armhole depth for 30 – 48 inch busts it is 3 inches less and over 48 inches it is 4 inches less.

This info is meant as a starting point only, as cap height can be manipulated for better fit in a number of ways. As an example, when narrowing a sleeve for a closer fit, the cap must become higher to reach the same final cap length to fit into the armhole.

The length of the armhole and the sleeve cap are closely related

The beginning of the sleeve cap starts with cast offs and decreases that match those of the underarm. The next section tapers the sides until you are about 1 inch away from the top edge. The third section casts off stitches quickly at the amount of 1 inch or less worth at each end and the last cast offs should be in the amount of stitches equal to .25 of the upper arm width. The last 2 cast off segments vary in width according to designer, generally the very flat topped sleeve caps create a loose fit. You can use graph paper and plot in the numbers you know and then draw in the rest. Your cap should be a little bigger than the armhole by approximately 1 - 1.5 inches and should be set in smoothly across the top of the shoulder with a little easing on the sides. To measure, chart both the armhole and the sleeve cap on knitters graph paper. You can then use a flexible ruler or a tape measure standing on its side to compare the two. It is surprisingly difficult to do this on a first try. I usually have to fiddle around with the decreasing and shaping to work out the sections between the initial cast offs that match the underarm and the top of the cap which I drawn in according to row count.

You should know also that designers vary widely on how they create sleeve caps. They also differ on opinions as to the fit of the cap. I like a larger cap eased into the armhole. Some prefer an exact match and still others prefer to stretch the cap to fit.

An Interview with...Jessica L’Heureux

2011-11-18T06:09:00.095-05:00

The pattern for the wrist warmers Jessica is wearing is available here.

You can find Jessica here and here and here on Ravelry.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dittany---womens-hat

Where do you find inspiration?

Usually a design starts with a color. I like to design textures and patterns that represent, in some way, the color I’m working with. If a particular dye lot reminds me of fire, or a stormy sea, or a leafy vine, I’ll try to reflect that in the stitch pattern or overall shape. Sometimes I’ll design something with a particular person in mind, but again, the color is my jumping off point. That person’s favorite color or a color that makes me think of them will be the very first thing I define about that pattern. From there, I just go with the flow and create around that colored inspiration. Once the design is done and named, I let that initial color demand go and let the pattern speak for itself.

In my teaching, I’m inspired by the “ah ha” moments - those moments when I realize my student has had a breakthrough and I’ve enabled them to do something they couldn’t do before. Few things are more fulfilling.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cotton-carry-all

What is your favourite knitting technique?

Cables, hands down. I’m not a mindless knitter – you’ll never see me knitting in a dark theater. I get bored very quickly with stockinette and garter. I enjoy lace, but the perfectionist in me gets fussy quickly. Cables run through my knitting mind like water in a river. They add excitement and visual interest. I’m forever messing with different cable patterns, taking stock stitches and tweaking them to better represent my design concept. I’ve literally squashed completed designs and patterns because I wanted more from the cable stitch I incorporated, be it more or less twist, stronger definition, more or less prominence, or better actual flow in the knitting process. It is important to me that my designs look interesting and intricate, but have easily mastered repeats and offer a kind of a roller coaster experience where the knitter knows this is an action row, this is a rest row, this is a different action row. Knitting should be fun!

How did you determine your size range?

My designs are generally hats and I’m expanding into wraps and shawls. Sizing is based on appropriateness. If the design is meant for an adult woman, it will be sized as such. If I get requests for a child’s version, I’m happy to make one.

Do you look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I LOVE looking at other designers’ work. Few things are as inspiring and driving. Generally I’m not so influenced by their design as their construction. I’ll see a construction I like and then put my own design on the silhouette or shape that construction technique achieves.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dittany-sprouts---baby-hat

How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?

I’ve thought a lot about this question ever since the first time the subject was brought to my attention whilst reading your interviews (which I’ve followed for a LONG time now). When I’m writing my patterns I catch myself thinking “oh, I don’t need to include that… it’s obvious” but then I think about my intended audience, and honestly I think that is the birthplace of this controversy. It is only a controversy if you aren’t designing to your intended audience. If your designs are meant for expert knitters and include intricate or complex skills, you should write to the general expectations and skill levels of your expert knitters. I’m a knitting instructor. I’m likely to teach my designs. I want my students to gain confidence. To build a sense of security in their skill set, to build confidence in my intended audience, I write to their level and tell them what they need to know. Do I tell them to slide the stitch marker? No – pointing out the bleeding obvious is “dumbing down”. Do I tell them they may want a stitch marker and where to initially place it? You bet. Creating a pattern that is clear, concise and will allow anyone with the basic skills of the pattern to complete a project with success should never be considered controversial.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

Generally I knit all my tests and samples. Often during this process I not only make corrections but improvements or changes, which I then test knit again. I like having my hand directly in the process. Once I’m fully satisfied, I generally rely on a friend or some of the amazing members of Ravelry to do a final test knit for me. This enables me to check in with my intended audience and see if my writing and instruction fits their needs.

Did you do a formal business plan?

No. I detest formal business plans. I find them too rigid and no where near liquid enough for me. My business is my dream. I dream of teaching. I dream of designing. I dream of enjoying this art form. Dreams don’t have formal plans. If my dream changes tomorrow to a dream of test knitting for others, or tech writing or opening a store, I want to follow my dream, not sit down and hammer out yet another draft of a formal plan. Sure, I want sales and money, but they are results of doing the things I dream of and doing them well. A formal business plan isn’t necessary. Being realistic is about your business is. My experience has been that providing the best product and the best customer service I can, with reasonable marketing, at a logical price is the best plan for me.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-gnome-hat-3

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

The Internet is everything. Without it I wouldn’t have a business. All of my pattern sales are online. More than 80% of my research is online, and probably 80% of my community is online. Blogs, websites, online classes, videos, and knitting community sites all feed my creativity. The only aspect of my business that isn’t directly online is my teaching, and even that gains greatly through online advertising.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

Precariously. Sometimes I’m too focused on my knitting, sometimes my knitting doesn’t exist. I try to do a little everyday, but as a nagging shoulder injury reminds me, breaks are good too.

How do you deal with criticism?

Through my professional “day-job” in which I do other design work, I tell my clients I am “an entity without feelings” so that my clients feel confident and secure in being openly critical, driving projects to be completed to fit their vision, rather than my own. My knitting is very different. It is my personal expression, and not contracted design. At first I took criticism very personally. I’ve had to learn to land somewhere in the middle. Ultimately a criticism is an opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. Likewise, we are all entitled to agree or disagree with the opinions of others. Without opinion there isn’t variety. What appeals to some will not appeal to others. I use criticism to broaden my vision and approach things from a different vantage point. I may or may not choose to incorporate what I’ve learned, but I’ve learned none the less.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gracie-womens-hat-pattern

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

(Wild laughter!) Yeah, no. I don’t have expectations that I ever will support myself with my knitting. Sure, it would be nice, but knitting is my creative outlet and my hobby and my relaxation. I suspect if I ever work hard enough at it to support myself I will lose these elements. I’ve seen amazing designers get to the point of self-sufficiency and then muck in, stress out and start dolling out rout mediocrity repeating brilliant projects with weak imitations and variations until they either hate what they do or themselves for doing it. There are many this never happens to, and I’m not suggesting that if that it is your goal you should forget it – hardly! I will stand behind anyone with a dream. That simply isn’t my dream. My goal is to have fun and support my stash, and I’m better than halfway there.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

Go for it! Just because I’m not out to get rich at it doesn’t mean you can’t. Do what you love and love what you do – it will show in your work and that in itself will draw success to your business. Oh, and always remember “NO” is simply an acronym for “Next Opportunity”, not a personal assault, opinion or judgment. “NO” only tells you this isn’t the right person, place or thing…keep going and move on to your “Next Opportunity”.

Knitted Art - Who Really Does the Knitting?

2011-11-16T06:57:00.021-05:00

I'm currently reading Astounding Knits by Lela Nargi. It covers many artists who work with knitting as a form of expression. What suddenly struck me as I was reading the artist explanations of the work is how many of them rely on other knitters to produce their work. In some cases it is because they work with "found" objects like thrift store sweaters and integrate them into installation work. In others the artist does the the design work and then gets other knitters to do much of the knitting. This is most common in the large scale installation work.

I know other artists like Jeff Koons, have a studio system that involves assistants creating their paintings and sculptures or they out source work to China. When Jeff was interviewed here he said "I used to make all my own sculpture, my paintings, but if I did that it would severely limit the range of projects that I could be involved with. I follow my interests in some way that feels profound to me, those that seem to have a deeper meaning. I feel completely free to do whatever I want to do. But I have to edit my work a lot, because of the process, the amount of time it takes to actually make things, you really have to make the things you want to make, otherwise you’re wasting a lot of energy."

In his comments, while he acknowledges not creating the work personally, it is clear that having others make the pieces has no impact on his ownership of the art work as his. I'm curious, how many of you realized that the artist can be very distant from the actual knitting of the art?

Adjusting Knitting Patterns for Height

2011-11-14T06:28:00.010-05:00

Did anyone notice in my recent posts on pattern sizing that while I mentioned target height ranges for retail sizing that knitting patterns never give you height information?

While discussing pattern fitting and the assumptions inherent in each size range, it came to my attention that petites and tall women are adding or subtracting length in the body of a garment (often at the hem). It is rare to find someone who adjusts anywhere else in a pattern.

As height changes from whatever standard a pattern maker is using, it changes proportionally in all areas of the pattern. That means that length should be added or removed not just in the body but in the armhole as well. If the design has waist definition it means that the torso should be changed above that shaping and not just adjusted at the bottom edge. Most pattern makers put 1/3 of the change into the armhole and 2/3 of the change between the waist and the armhole. If you change the length of the armhole the sleeve will require a corresponding alteration. This unfortunately is where it gets complicated. I'll do a post later on adjusting sleeve caps for set in sleeves.

An Interview with...Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton

2011-11-11T06:00:00.030-05:00

Once a week I post interviews with interesting people about their insights on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed that every one of these individuals makes their living in a slightly different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting world.

You can find Cornelia here and here on Ravelry.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration all around me... sometimes in architecture, fashion, nature, crafts, sometimes in something that I mis-perceived... everywhere... If a yarn does not inspire me though I generally won't work in it...

What is your favourite knitting technique?

Don't have a favorite technique... I guess whatever helps me to get the results that I want at the time. Like things to flow though...

How did you determine your size range?

I do the sizing of each design separately... every garment's variables are different and I work from these. Some garments can be sized big while others wouldn't work in bigger sizes. Sometimes the construction of the garment forces limitations to sizing... it all depends.

Do you look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I generally don't look much at other hand knitter's work... Not out of fear, but more out of respect... we pick up things very easily and it is almost impossible not to be influenced by what one sees both in good ways and bad ways... I really try to work from my own creativity as much as possible. I do look quite a bit at designer's of ready-to-wear... I also enjoy looking at the work of artists in other mediums...

How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?

Don't know anything about that controversy... I write patterns for people that have a basic understanding of knitting.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

I like to design on the needle so my more innovative designs I have to knit myself... at least until I 'know' how I want something to turn out. I have had two people that have helped me with knitting for years.

Did you do a formal business plan?

No. I am an intuitive type of business person... I still don't do budgets, etc... I have a very good grip on my business though, but not in a conventional number-crunching kind of way.

Do you have a mentor?
Not really... there are people though who I speak with and who I ask advice of depending on their area of expertise. My experience is that every person and market are different and everyone has to find their own way in the end.

Montauk Cabled Vest - Pattern available here

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?

No. And I have found during the course of my career that the 'normal' models applied to businesses do not work in our branch. I have always tried to think creatively and outside of the box which has helped me. Keep things flexible, let your business grow organically, figure out your niche would be my advice...

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

It has had a huge impact on me personally and also on my business... I honestly don't think that I would have been able to stay in the business if computers had not come along!! And the Internet is very helpful as a tool for marketing and communication!

Bohemia Shawl - free pattern here

Do you use a Tech Editor?

I knit my garments and then write the patterns afterward... I then have someone check them.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

Have never been able to... love me, love my work!! I have yet to meet a person with a balanced life in this business.... at least not any professionals... it is definitely one of the downsides of the business. The biggest problem is the time-consuming aspect of our work... you really have to have knitting not just as work but as a hobby too.

How do you deal with criticism?

It depends on the source and a lot of other factors... Basically I take it to heart and try

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

I have working for myself for 30 years. Been supporting myself for the past nine years. But my income is not just from designing. The Internet has vastly changed the prospects of making a living for designers but it takes many years to really hone the craft. Recently I was thinking about what specific qualities that people who have been designing hand knits for 30 years have in common. I decided frugality might just be at the top of the list! Another one is tenacity. And having endless curiosity and more ideas than you have time do anything about.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

Don't quit your day job! If you can think of anything else you might be happy doing to make a living - do it! Might sound harsh, but it is basically that difficult. If you have to pursue a career in knitting, have a rich husband :-) or a couple of years worth of income in the bank as a buffer. Make sure you like to work alone and that you can deal with the self-discipline and self-motivation required in self-employment.

Heavens Hand Yarn

Styles of Learning for Knitters

2011-11-09T06:47:00.005-05:00

Have you ever thought about how you learn and how that may be affecting your knitting? It is not news to most of us that we have preferences in how we like to receive new information.

You can take a test here to determine your learning style.

Once you know your style you can use that information to improve your learning opportunities.

These are my results:

You can see that I am very visual so charts and diagrams work for me but not at all aural so music and rhymes will not help me to learn. I'm high on the physical learning which makes sense as I am a swatcher. I think we know many knitters do not enjoy swatching but most designers do. I also lean towards solitary learning. That one was a surprise to me because I'm very social and extroverted but it is true that I like to sit down alone and work things out by myself. I also love teaching classes, however when I took classes I often worked through the notes again when I was alone. I thought I was doing that to reinforce my learning but after doing the test I think maybe I didn't understand my own motivation for re- reading class notes. I do know I always want good notes as reference from every class I take.

What about you? What's your learning style and how will you use that to improve your knitting?

New Pattern - The Marina Gregg Pullover

2011-11-07T06:53:00.002-05:00

Pattern available here.

I've got a new pattern up on Patternfish. This is one that the concept just wouldn't go away. I keep a list of design ideas because I have far more ideas than I can possibly ever execute. This one has been on my list for a while and it kept bubbling up as one I really wanted to knit. The inserts on the side create shaping. I've seen many garments with side panels that do this but only in garments sewn from woven fabric.

Many jackets use side panels as a way of building in shape in the same manner. The sections are joined where a dart could be placed and the width of the dart is simply eliminated from the pieces to create torso shaping. I may not be done with this concept yet, it's something I would like to explore further.