Sample Knitting

Tree - AC

One of the odd things about designing knitwear is that making your own samples doesn't teach you much.  I designed the chart above, and test knit some of it, and liked how it seemed to work.  But when I write a pattern, I know what I mean.  For someone else to be able to read it and knit it and make an object that looks like I intended and they anticipated is another matter.  (Have you ever knit a pattern with a gorgeous photo, and try as you might the pattern won't get you and your knitting to come out right?  The designer may have knit their own sample, and never found the errors they had written into the pattern!  A good sample knitter will critique as well as provide a beautiful sample.)

I'm incredibly lucky to have a dear friend who is an excellent knitter and willing to point out all of my mistakes.  (This last bit is annoying when unsolicited, but face it - the mark of a true friend.)  She knits samples for me of everything I have any doubts about - I don't always wonder if it's okay if it's a pretty elementary chart - and makes my work look terrific. She likes to call herself my "bitch" (I am not making this up) but I think she knows she's more like my slave (kidding!). 

We had dinner last night, and she was kind enough to bring the sample above.  It reminded me once again how lucky I am that she is willing to help me in such a vital capacity.  Thanks, Colleen.  You so completely rock!

BTW: She is in love with the yarn above, as am I, Cascade Yarns Pima Tencel.  If you haven't tried it yet, get some!