Design Process Part 2
Well, now I’ve left the design aside for so long, it’s kind of hard to get back into the swing of things. Today, that’s what I’ll be trying to do. Where was I? What was I thinking? What was I doing? Hum….
Let’s go back to the beginning. Here’s my first sketch, definite proof that the inability to draw is not an obstacle to get a pattern accepted by Interweave Crochet. So, don’t be afraid if you’re sketching is not very good, it can’t possibly be worse than mine. Obviously I’d try to get something a little bit better if I was planning on submitting this anywhere.
Now, what have I done so far? I started an Excel sheet for all my calculations. Although the basic concept is the same at the beginning of every sweater, it usually quickly turns out all over the place and totally messy to everyone who’s not in my brain.
But the thing is, I don’t have a mathematical brain at all, some of the simplest things I first have to write down on a piece of paper to make sure I don’t mix up what do divide by what before putting them into my spreadsheet.
So, I have all the main numbers for the body (not the sleeves yet). But I still have to think about how to handle decreases and increases in the pattern. And here’s the one big difference to knitting design. In knitting it is easier to get rid of 1 st at a time. In crochet, you have to take your stitch pattern into account, it must remain symmetric, it should still be centered once you’re done with your decreases and it shouldn’t look sloppy if you decrease by fractions of a pattern repeat.
This is when I get out the graph paper. Sometimes it is enough to draw out small sections of a pattern, sometimes I tape a bunch of sheets together to be able to visualize my stitch pattern within my pattern (if that makes any sense). Every time I do this, I wish I had taken the time to teach myself some sort of graphics program to do this part a little faster. So far, I have not done that, neither have I decided which one I should learn. So, pen and paper it is.
Most of that work is still to be done, but here’s how I sketched out the shoulder/neckline in one size.
Well, now I have to get down to adjusting all that to fit my pattern, decide how to work de- and increases, and start on calculating my sleeves.
Thanks for sharing Julia. I do much the same thing. My sketches are much, much worse, really. I’m still not an Excel pro, so my template is on a Word grid. I do all the numbers by hand and insert them in pencil. (I know, really primitive). I like your way of doing symbols on a make-shift grid paper. Such an easy solution because my symbols get all out of proportion and it makes the diagram very un-usable. My biggest problem is that once I start stitching, My gauge changes. So, usually, I stitch to the desired size and do the math afterward. This often makes for ugly fractions for my gauge. I’m still working on manipulating my hook consistently to match my own gauge swatch or to make a gauge with a “prettier” round number.
All the best,
Ellen
I must say that this is very very insightful. I was thinking of designing crochet once, I love crocheting myself but don’t have enough knowledge about all the half stitches etc, but was put off because of exact same reason. It’s one thing to make one garment for yourself and completely different to size it up or down.. I just could never wrap my head around it.
Oh My Goodness… No wonder patterns cost so much…
So much goes into them. I once thought, ” Get on the internet and get a free pattern. ” I didn’t stop to think all of the above went into that pattern.
~ Susan
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