Knitters Do You Sew your Buttons on with Yarn?

I get asked the question which is at the top of this post a lot. Most often it's when I teach my Buttonhole Boot Camp class. The answer is "no", I always use thread. I do this mainly because I spent so much time sewing it wasn't something I originally thought to do in any other way. Now that you've asked I do have some reasons. 

Thread is often stronger than yarn.

I don't want to sew in more ends of yarn. I know some knitters use a single strand weaving it from button to button. I don't like to do that on the back of a button band because it can be seen sometimes and it interferes with the stretching of the band.

Yarn is often too thick to go through shanks and buttonholes. Many knitters split the plys to fit, but then it is weaker.

A slippery yarn may not stay knotted.

Yarn can stretch, thread is more stable.

I can create a thread shank to make sure my button floats above the knitting without distorting the band. Thread has more body than some yarns.

How to Choose Needle Sizes for Mystery Yarn

I've been knitting so long I have a fairly clear sense of needle size from looking or touching the yarn. That skill has taken a long time to develop and does occasionally fail me however, in my knitting travels I've come across three other methods that I'll share with you. These also work if you want to work with more than one stand of yarn to mix or substitute for something else.

The first is to lay two strands of yarn across a needle gauge. When you find the hole which is covered by the two strands, try that size of needle as your first swatch. When you experiment with this take notice of how yarns with a halo are pushed away from one another. A contrasting colour under the gauge makes this easier. Check each size one by one.

The second method is to take your two strands, twist them together and compare to several needles, you are looking for the size which is most similar in width to the twisted strand.

The third method is to start with some yarn you know the weight of. Loop one yarn around the other, twist and run your fingers across the join. If the yarn is the same weight you will have almost no discernible difference. If the difference is large try comparing with another yarn. To get better at this, experiment by starting with two loops of the same yarn before trying other weights.

These methods will give you a starting point for swatching, ...yes you still have to swatch!

An Interview with ... Helen Rose

Wandering Woods

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 Helen here, and here on Ravelry.
 

Where do you find inspiration?
All over the place! Mainly from my children and babies at my pediatric practice. For my adult garments, I love perusing fashion magazines to get ideas for necklines or unusual shapes. Also, my stitch dictionaries often inspire me. I will sometimes design a whole sweater around one particular lace pattern.

Catherine Rose

What is your favourite knitting technique?
I really enjoy cables, lace, and colorwork. I find constant stockinette stitch too boring and get frustrated easily. I love charts, and find that time goes quickly if I am checking off rows on a chart.

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 and look at what is popular on Ravelry, but I tend to file it away for later so it’s a distant memory! Inspiration is great, copying a design is wrong.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?
This is a hard one because the more I knit and design, the harder my patterns get, and harder patterns aren’t always the most popular. I try to find a middle ground. I try to include interesting and special components to each pattern, but maintain an overall ease to working the pattern.

Gypsy Woman

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?
I almost always knit at least one prototype sweater while coming up with the pattern. I use test knitters on Ravelry and sometimes ask one of the test knitters to knit up a certain size and send it to me for photos. For my more complicated patterns, I will pay a tech editor to double check my final draft.

Did you do a formal business plan?
Not yet. My youngest goes to Kindergarten in the fall of 2015, so I plan to come up with one at that point. Right now it’s 100% hobby.

Do you have a mentor?
No, but sometimes I wish I did!

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?
No.

Tiptoe

How are you using social media to grow your business?
I will use Facebook to post my new patterns, but I’ve really had to focus my energy in as few places as possible because of time restraints. I mainly focus on Ravelry.

Do you use a tech editor?
My goal is to use a tech editor for all my adult patterns. For the simpler baby patterns that have been tested extensively, I don’t use one.

Alice Tee

How do you maintain your life/work balance?
I try to do a little bit of knitting or knitting related work every week, but don’t pressure myself to do a certain amount. Some weeks are more crazy and knitting is last on my list and that’s okay.

How do you deal with criticism?
I answer questions and concerns quickly and thoroughly and try not to take things personally.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?
My business makes very little money (if any), but I enjoy it!

Spring Picnic

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?
I’m not the person to ask just yet, maybe in a few years…

What’s next for you?
I would like to work on my website, have tutorials and a blog, and maybe eventually a book. Right now I need to finish this adult sweater in sock yarn with a lot of stockintette stitch!

Marguerite

Free Pattern Promotion for Robin Hunter Designs

I have a problem, my pattern sales are good and seem to be steadily if rather slowly increasing but only a few of those sales are showing up as projects in Ravelry. Update May 25 2016 my pattern sales continue to increase but I still get very few project pages. I'd like to get a little more action there and to do that I'm running a special promotion. From now until August 31 20156, if you post a project page with a photo of any of my patterns shown with a completed project , I'll give you a promo code for a free pattern. You can choose any of my patterns that are available on Ravelry. Just email me (my contact info is at the top of this page) give me the project page link or the details, your Ravelry name etc. I'll send the promo code to your email. Happy Knitting!

Mission...Possible

"Good morning, Ms. Hunter. The yarn you are looking at is Jacques Cartier, Qiviuk, 28 grams, 218 yards of delightful, soft, warm fibre. Your mission, Robin, should you decide to accept it, is to make the most of this yarn and create something truly special. As always, should you fail in your assigned mission, we will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Robin."

I did it, this is what is left over:

Here it is being blocked:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-vivien-barnaby-shawlette

It's a slightly smaller version than the original, the pattern is adjustable. I adapted the final chart at the outside edges for a different stitch count because I stopped halfway through Chart 2 rather than waste any yarn.
 

An Interview with...Michelle Krause

This is a soon to be published design. Check Michelle's Ravelry page.

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. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sweet-summer-shawl

You can find Michelle here, and here on Ravelry. 

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration everywhere, really. I’ve always been interested in fashion so that’s a big source of my inspiration. I am also inspired by things I see on TV, in magazines, online at sites like Pinterest and Ravelry, and just in my general surroundings.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

That changes for me frequently. I love to learn, so my favourite technique is usually whatever I am learning at the moment. It can also be a seasonal thing. In fall and winter I love ribbing and cables. In spring and summer I fall back in love with lace.

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

I definitely look at the work of other designers. It inspires me to strive to do my best work and it keeps me abreast of what is current. I don’t think I could design without being aware of what is happening in the industry around me. I am also always learning from others. Knitting someone else’s pattern teaches me so much about pattern writing, knitting techniques, and design.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bestie-slouchy

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

That’s an interesting discussion, for sure. I know knitters of an older generation who knit from very vague patterns (or no pattern at all) and are very happy doing that. They have their own favourite techniques and lots of experience and can create an item that is unique to them. It used to be more common for new knitters to learn directly from those experienced knitters. But today, we learn more from books, the internet, and magazines. So more detailed, step-by-step patterns make knitting accessible to new knitters and that’s also a good thing. I think there is room in the knitting pattern market for both kinds of pattern and it’s wonderful that there is so much choice.

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

I knit all of my samples myself. That’s part of the fun! But I have a group of wonderful test knitters in my Ravelry group who test my patterns before they are published.

Did you do a formal business plan?

When I first started publishing my paid patterns I did do a business plan of sorts. I wouldn’t call it formal! In a creative business it can be tricky to balance the love and passion of creating what I want with smart business decisions that will increase profit and grow the business. So I follow a skeleton plan and try very hard not to get sidetracked with too many projects that don’t fit the plan!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/coco-cowl

Do you have a mentor?

I do not have a mentor, no.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?

Not really, but I do pay attention to how other designers run their businesses. This was especially the case when I started out. I find inspiration in the ways that other designers have become successful and how they stay successful.

How are you using social media to grow your business?

I’m working on that. I’m not a very outgoing person so I have to push myself to get out there on social media. I am getting more and more comfortable, though. I have a Ravelry group, Facebook Page, Twitter account, and Pinterest account. I use them for promoting new pattern releases, connecting with knitters, and sharing news.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fashion-forward-hat

Do you use a tech editor?

Yes and no. I no longer use a tech editor for small, simple accessory patterns, especially if they are similar to patterns I have previously published. But for more complicated designs, I do. Anything with lace, shaping, or multiple sizes requires tech editing.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fashion-forward-cowl

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

That’s a great question. Right now I am taking time off from my full-time job in education. When I was working it was so hard to fit designing in with work, family, and other commitments. With this time off I expected to spend every day designing. It hasn’t really worked out that way. I think I was more productive when I worked full-time! What it has taught me is that balance is hard to find no matter what is happening in my life. It’s about prioritizing, making choices, and not pressuring myself.

How do you deal with criticism?

I haven’t received a lot of criticism in my designing work. I do know, however, that it is really important to not take criticism too personally. If criticism is constructive and well-intentioned, then it can help me grow and learn. But if it is mean-spirited then it’s about the other person, not me.

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

I’m not there yet, but it is a goal of mine! At this stage in my life and because of where I live, it’s not going to happen right now. The cost of living is very high here and it is somewhat isolated. To make a living in this field, I would need to diversify and there are limited opportunities for teaching and travel is expensive. So for now, I am focusing on self-publishing only. In addition, I am still raising a family - teenagers are expensive!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heavenly-cowl

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

A career in knitting is only possible if someone is passionate about it. It is slow, not profitable at first, and time-intensive. It takes dedication and passion! Having said that, it is very rewarding for anyone who wants to express themselves creatively through knitting.

What’s next for you?

Right now I am learning all about sweater design. I am reading, taking Craftsy classes, knitting sweater patterns, and sketching my ideas. I am very excited to try my hand at sweater design. It’s a logical next step for me, I think. I also want to branch out at some point from just self-publishing my designs and try submitting to publications. We’ll see what happens!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-lady-scarf-2

 

More Tips for Knitting Lace

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-elsa-hardt-shawl

Check Ravelry, look at comments and check for errata before starting to knit.

Look at the schematic. If there isn’t one, draw the shape and the direction of the knitting.

It’s all about mind set. If you think you can, you’re right, if you think you can’t, you’re right!

Choose lace stitch patterns with strong visual design lines.

Stitch patterns with wrong side rest (purl) rows are easier to learn.

LACE knitting has REST rows, kniTTed lace has paTTern on both sides.

Enlarge the chart if it’s difficult to see.

Colour around the repeats if chart is black and white.

Understand stitch orientation. The yarn goes over the needle from the front to the back. The front leg is on the right, the back leg is at the left. When working yarn overs before and after purl stitches maintain stitch orientation. Try reversing stitch orientation, if knitting style creates holes of varying size.

Lace patterns with static stitch numbers have a decrease to match every increase. Lace which grows in size, has extra yarn overs.

Work out how to splice your yarn before you start the project based on the fibre content. Can you do a felted join with moisture and friction? Will a Russian join work? Are you comfortable weaving in ends?

Put charts in the order to be knit. Sometimes publishing space concerns create reverse order layouts. Just photocopy the pattern and rearrange.

When reading charts, knit the right side from right to left. Knit the wrong side, reading left to right.

Repeat sections are marked on the chart, knit to the repeat, knit the repeat as many times as it fits in the number of stitches on the needle, knit any additional stitches outside the repeat to end the row. Extra stitches beside the repeat are there to make balanced complete patterns.

Use different colours and styles of markers to mark off different sections; for example pattern repeats vs. borders.

Use lifelines. To create a lifeline, finish a row of knitting and then using a needle, thread a smooth yarn such as cotton, in a contrasting colour through the line of stitches on the needle. Make sure the contrast colour dye does not rub off. Use a length longer than the width of the work plus enough to tie knots at each end so you can still spread the work out fully. It’s easier to work in the centre of a circular needle or off of a smaller needle. If you make a mistake, you can rip back to the row held by the lifeline, replace the stitches back onto your needle, and start the row over. Be sure not to thread the lifeline through your markers.

If you miss working a yarn over, simply lift the strand between the stitches and work into it.

Do a swatch of the pattern stitch and analyze how the stitches relate to one another in all four directions.

How to remember the direction of decreases: