Monday, June 27, 2011

Making Patterns

Sketching is fun.  Getting an idea together with my colored pencils and some paper (and some coffee) is really cool. Turning those sketches into a pattern is a little tougher.  Add to that combining yarns, and thereby gauges and stitch counts, and it all gets a little complicated.  In some ways, that's what makes it fun.  But in some ways, when the sample goes wonky due to some unanticipated clash between design and human anatomy, it really ROTS!
I'm poking along right now on a sweater for winter 2012, featuring all kinds of texture.  I'm discovering that I really love designing cold weather knit wear, and have to be much more inspired to create warm weather knit wear.  Maybe it was getting caught in a snowstorm in Yellowstone last week, or maybe it's just my nature, but I'm feeling some cozy coming on.

All of this has lead me to a whole lot more knitting math, so I will be jumping in and continuing the series later in the week.  In the meantime, Seven Things that can "Make or Break" a Sweater™: Techniques and Tips for Hand Knitters, by Margaret E. Fisher, has some terrific knitting math.  I had never seen this book before last week, and am a little desperate waiting for my copy to come in the mail. 

Ms. Fisher has a very different approach from mine, teaching all the math as it pertains to one project - in this case a cute baby sweater.  I only got to scan someone else's copy for a minute, but I'm in love.  If any of you have read the book or made the sweater, tell me!  I'd love to know what you think! 

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