I know, I know. It has after all been a few weeks now since the beginning of a new year and this is the first blog entry from me for it but can you really blame me?
Okay maybe you can.
As you remember from last year, I had suffered a loss of mojo. Said mojo has come back, not in full force mind you but still has returned. What this means is that I have been slowly getting back into the process of being a poly-knitter despite my mind wanting me to be a monoga-knitter for this year. Isn't our culture fun?
During the festive holiday season I cast on two projects, Colonnade by Stephen West (in some cheap and cheerful bright royal blue acrylic), and Ruba'iyat Mittens by Heather Desserud (in the ever so dreamy colour ways of Samhain and Brewhouse Ale by KnittingDragon [I can not wait until he is at the point in his life where he is able to start dyeing again]). Where am I in these projects? About as far as where I left off, as in not even 50% on the Colonnade and not even 20% on the Ruba'iyat Mittens. I am enjoying them though and they will keep me busy, even though I have a multitude of sock UFO's on the needles. "Sigh".
For the last week I have been contemplating my design ability in knitwear. Those who know me well may come to the realization that my severe lack of ability in math might be the issue. This brings me to a point that might seem contrary to that statement. I can completely and totally flat draft a garment pattern in virtually no time at all, and trust me when it comes to garment pattern drafting there is much math involved and I can somehow manage to do it accurately. Yet, when it comes to knitwear drafting, not so much is accomplished.
Why am I bringing up my issues with math and knitting? Well I am still working on the Hodr/Skadi/Rynka designs.
Yep. Still working on them.
This brings me into my next thought.
Many years ago I purchased through a book club a reprint of a stitch dictionary from the 1970's, name of which escapes me and I am not at my studio space so please forgive me. Trust me when I say that there are not many stitch patterns in this dictionary, but are many vintage patterns for the absolute beginner. But there was some useful information on increases, decreases, shaping and many other things.
One of the other things was knitting from flat drafted patterns. In the "chapter" (at the top of my head only a few paragraphs long) the author describes how to take the measurement guide image [sketch of the finished pattern pieces/garment with the measurement usually with the knitting pattern for sweaters etc] and enlarging it and using that as your gauge guide. You simply cast on the number of stitches needed to fill the space between the edges of the pattern and knit accordingly, with increases and decreases until you finish knitting the pattern piece.
Where does this come into my realization about my lack of math ability?
I had a thought the other day that the same principal can be applied to flat drafted garment patterns for woven material. For those of you who know about the grading up/down process in fashion design and are used to using sewing patterns know that multiple sizes are included with a sewing pattern, and therefore a wide range of sizes could be knit from a flat pattern.
As a fashion designer I am used to the grading process and began to think that this might be rather interesting to test out. Yes there would be some potential difficulties like dart shaping but that is the joy of trying out a new process. The other issue that keeps popping up in my mind is yarn requirement/type to which I think that only the yardage would be the real issue as one would in essence be able to use any yarn he/she selects and can knit to their own natural gauge.
Most commercial patterns come with a list of suitable material that the garment could be made with, I say this only because I have had the misfortune to have had bought commercial patterns with no list of fabrics given, therefore could be potentially be knit with any size yarn/needle/etc.
I know I am crazy aren't I?
Now, excuse me while I begin the draft something out and cast it on.
-D
