Category: design

I always have some knitting pattern design going in my head, on paper, on the needles, and near completion. However, in all these stages and more, my knitting pattern can fail and never actually make it to publication. Here are some of the ways it can fail:

• Sketched but not designed
• Designed but no yarn selected
• Yarn selected by no gauge swatch
• Gauge swatch but none I like
• Final gauge swatch but no stitch count
• Stitch counts but no cast on
• Cast on but not completed
• Completed but don’t like garment
• Like garment but no pattern

How do you keep your knitting pattern designs from failing?

I’m the process of developing a tank top knitting pattern.

Here is how I’m keeping it organized:

1. notebook for sketches and ideas
2. zip lock bags for holding gauge swatches
3. index cards with stitch counts and needles used for gauge swatches
4. graph paper for drawing out dimensions
5. tracing paper for copying drawing
6. scanning tracing to computer
7. filing scanned tracing in special pattern folder on my computer

What do you use to keep track of your knitting pattern designs?

Using Graph Paper for Knitwear Design

Late last year I took a fashion design class at the University of Washington through their Professional Development department. In the class I learned about the fashion industry and designing clothes. My focus was on designing knitwear and developing a knitwear clothing line collection. I also wanted to get a better idea about clothing construction in general to help with designing my own knitting patterns.

The first step in developing a knitted garment is coming up with the dimensions. Using graph paper is a great way to do this. I like to use the 8 squares per inch because it makes it easy to draw out half and quarter inch lengths and widths.

In the image above (click image for a larger view) I have drawn out the dimensions for a tank top I’m writing a pattern for. On the right I have used the full 8 squares for each inch and on the left I have used 4 squares for inch. I write out the actual measurements in inches for the length and width of each section. This makes it easier when I’m looking at the diagram because I don’t have to count the squares. Also, by using 4 squares per inch instead of 8 squares per inch, I can put both the front and back of the tank top on one piece of paper.

I will use these diagrams for coming up with stitch counts once I make a yarn selection and do a gauge swatch. Also, I usually trace the diagram on tracing paper and scan it so that I can make changes on my computer. I will use it for my schematic when I write up the pattern.

What tools do you use when you are designing knitwear or knitting patterns?