Ever have one of those days when all the knitting projects seem to go wrong? Yesterday was that day for me. All week I've been working on ideas for a call for submissions. Yesterday morning I had half a swatch done and just needed to finish it up, block it, and write up the proposal. The whole thing should have taken 2 or 3 hours at the most. But, of course, it all went wrong and turned into an all-day affair. Something went wrong with the swatch, and no matter how far I ripped back, every time I began knitting again the pattern didn't line up. It was a simple lace, so it wasn't even anything complicated! But I just couldn't wrap my brain around it. I grumbled about it all morning and afternoon, and just when my husband came into my office to forcibly remove the knitting my hands, I finally got it to look decent and was on the last row. Washed the darn thing and set it on a mat to block. I started typing up the proposal and realized I DID THE WHOLE THING WRONG. Yeah. Somehow I forgot that top down triangle shawls need 4 increases every other row. The way I charted this thing out, I only added 2 increases every other row. Rather than start all over (because by now I was sick of this idea!) I changed the design. Problem solved, moving on to the next project.
I started a cardigan back in July, from an idea that was conceived well over a year ago. I finished the body and wasn't quite sure what i wanted to do with the sleeves. So I decided to block the body pieces and see how they were looking. Good thing I didn't continue with the sleeves, because this was another FAIL. Not only did the front pieces not match in length, all the armholes were 2" too long, and the front pieces were way too narrow. What on earth was I thinking when I did the calculations???? I flung them all across the room in disgust. I don't even like knitting sweaters in pieces, but felt compelled to because I was using an alpaca yarn and didn't want it to get all stretched out.
When you design something, you really need to love it at all the stages of work. Not only do you spend all the time knitting it, you also spend lots of time ripping back, hours making calculations for sizing and hours typing the instructions. If you don't absolutely love it, then all that time spent on the 'dirty work' so to speak will become a source of grumbling. And after my blocking fiasco, I was beyond grumbling- I was fuming! Whenever something like this happens, I put the project away for awhile (maybe another year!) and start fresh. I think if I come back to this idea, I will need a new yarn, new construction (all in one piece body, please!) and new dimensions for the front pieces. Time to start another project to give my brain a rest. I'm thinking a cowl, something with no shaping!
I think there is a misconception with designing that a designer simply comes up with an idea, makes the sample, writes the pattern, and BOOM it's done. It makes me feel better to read from other designers about the hard work and struggles that go into a design, so that is why I wrote this post about my own fail.
Now on to happier things. I saw this video on Ysolda's blog, and decided to share it here. I think I would thoroughly enjoy a llama or alpaca cuddle.
I started a cardigan back in July, from an idea that was conceived well over a year ago. I finished the body and wasn't quite sure what i wanted to do with the sleeves. So I decided to block the body pieces and see how they were looking. Good thing I didn't continue with the sleeves, because this was another FAIL. Not only did the front pieces not match in length, all the armholes were 2" too long, and the front pieces were way too narrow. What on earth was I thinking when I did the calculations???? I flung them all across the room in disgust. I don't even like knitting sweaters in pieces, but felt compelled to because I was using an alpaca yarn and didn't want it to get all stretched out.
When you design something, you really need to love it at all the stages of work. Not only do you spend all the time knitting it, you also spend lots of time ripping back, hours making calculations for sizing and hours typing the instructions. If you don't absolutely love it, then all that time spent on the 'dirty work' so to speak will become a source of grumbling. And after my blocking fiasco, I was beyond grumbling- I was fuming! Whenever something like this happens, I put the project away for awhile (maybe another year!) and start fresh. I think if I come back to this idea, I will need a new yarn, new construction (all in one piece body, please!) and new dimensions for the front pieces. Time to start another project to give my brain a rest. I'm thinking a cowl, something with no shaping!
I think there is a misconception with designing that a designer simply comes up with an idea, makes the sample, writes the pattern, and BOOM it's done. It makes me feel better to read from other designers about the hard work and struggles that go into a design, so that is why I wrote this post about my own fail.
Now on to happier things. I saw this video on Ysolda's blog, and decided to share it here. I think I would thoroughly enjoy a llama or alpaca cuddle.
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