I don't design patterns often, but I do occasionally get inspired. This weekend, the source of my inspiration came from Holiday the Corriedale sheep, whose grey gradient yarn I featured and a recent article submission.
One of the upcoming issues of Ply Magazine will be about Corriedale sheep, one of my bread-and-butter breeds. I decided Holiday would be a great feature and put in a proposal for an article and pattern set. While I can't give away too much until I find out the status of this proposal, I can share about my process pattern-making.
In this case, the inspiration for the pattern is drawn directly from the grey gradient yarn I've already spun. I wanted to make a cowl and hat where the color transitioned from light to dark across both items. This was a major consideration in project planning. Because the yarn is handspun, I don't want to waste it with estimations of how much I'd need for one project or the other.
As a result, the hat needed to be knit up before the cowl. If you have extra yarn, you can make a cowl longer. A hat can be extended only so far before it is a hair sock. Because the gradient would be vertical, I wanted to incorporate some sort of vertical lines into both patterns.
I usually write my pattern up in full before I test it. This sounds crazy. This is crazy. Don't do this. For me, it helps me to work through the mental gymnastics of figuring out what I want. Then, in a fit of inspiration, I bug my friends to help me test knit. Surprise! The first draft doesn't work... at all.
So I am forced to knit along and correct as I go. Pattern making is grueling. It requires not just an imagination, but some real math skill as well.
The photo of the red hat... this is a micro-version of my hat pattern. I rarely sample in full-size. I sample to get my math right. Then I bounce the finished pattern off some experienced knitters to call me out on unclear language. The next step will be to work up my Holiday yarn and let the gradient do its magic.
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All photos and text property of @luthvarian
I adore your logo, @luthvarian! I simply cannot wait to hear more about this project, and what you end up doing. Congratulations in advance for the success that I know you will have. Your last post blew my mind. happy #NeedlworkMonday to you , my dear!
Thank you, on all counts. I'll definitely post more about this project when I can. ;-)
I wish I had more time to come up with patterns. I recently came up with a hat pattern I’ll be posting soon but I would love to create more if I could. It takes a lot of work, trial and error and patience.
It is really neat that you get to create things with the yarn you’ve hand spun! Looking forward to seeing the results of this project. Thank you so much for sharing with us this week!
Oooh, I'd love to see your hat pattern! It does take a LOT of work.
Thanks!! I plan to post it in 2 weeks!!
It really does!!
Wow, this is so cool. This inspires me to attempt my own pattern...eventually. :) Thank you for sharing your process.
You should. Why? Because. :-)
Because is always the best reason to do something.
Stopped by to see your needleworkmonday post. Of course you’re a pattern writer... you’re awesome like that 💃🏽💃🏽
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Good idea! And I liked that you make small models before the main job. This is reasonable! Follow and upvote)
Hello @luthvarian... I feel it takes a lot of discipline to follow a pattern... I lack that... I get easily distracted... and often finish tweaking or not knowing how many stitches the garment eventually had. Now writing the pattern takes discipline and perseverance ! Awesome!
💖 Some things need to be tweaked, too!