I WANT TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE MY OWN KNITTING PATTERN
I AM WORKING ON A BLANKET FOR MY SISTER. I AM APPROCHING IT AS MY OWN SAMPLER, MAKEING EVERY SQUARE DIFFERENT SO THAT I GAIN NEW SKILLS AND EXPERIANCE WITH EACH NEW SQUARE. ITS BEEN EXCITING AND FUN, RIGHT NOW I AM DOING MY FIRST CABLE PATTERN EVER, ITS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD, BUT AT TIMES, LIKE WHEN I DROP A STICTH I WANT TO CRY! IT IS MUCH HARDER TO PICK UP A STICH WHILE WORKING ON A CABLE THAN JUST KNITTING OR PURLING!
SOMEWHERE AROUND THE 9TH SQUARE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COOL IF ONE OF THE SQUARES HAD MY SISTERS NAME ON IT, SO NOW I WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE MY WON PATTERN! I FOUND SOME HELPFUL INFORMATION AND WANTED TO SHARE.... (IT WAS SUPRISINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND THIS INFO!)
(Interview with Margaret Radcliffe, Author of The Knitting Answer Book Interview by Amy Brozio-Andrews)
How do you prepare and write out your knitting patterns?
My approach varies. Sometimes I play around designing on the needles without more than a vague plan of what I want. If it's successful and I think it's marketable, I'll write down what I did. Then, if it's a garment, I have to go back and calculate sizing, check all the math, and write detailed instructions.
Other times, I'll have a detailed idea before I start, for example for a sweater with specific features and cut and with a textured or colored pattern. Sometimes I sketch what I want, but frequently I'll just have the idea in my head. I begin by designing the fabric itself, knitting test swatches until I've got what I like in terms both of the hand of the fabric and the look of it. Then I use garment design software to print out schematics for the garment pieces and measurements for industry-standard sizing. I decide what my size ranges will be (which will vary depending on how the ornament on the sweater fits into the sizes).
I take the stitches per inch from my swatch and figure out how many stitches are required to fit across the garment pieces for each size. This is like figuring out how many bricks you need across the front of a building, and it's all mathematical. I work out all shaping (armholes, necklines, etc.) in terms of stitches and rows, for every size. If the math is complicated, I may actually do this in an Excel spreadsheet to prevent arithmetic errors.
I type up the instructions and all the measurements, stitch counts, rows counts, and so on in a Word document. I try to include everything I can, like abbreviations, explanations of specialized techniques and space for illustrations. Then I print it out and sit down to knit it from the pattern, making corrections as I go.
If I'll be traveling during this stage, I take it all with me on paper, with the pattern, notes, needles, and yarn in a two-gallon zip lock bag. If I'm working at home, I'm just as likely to put my laptop on the ottoman in front of my knitting chair and make any changes directly in the Word Document. Each time I print out a new copy, I number it in red or green ink so I can tell which is the latest version, but I save the old ones in case I make some dreadful mistake and need to revert to an older version.
At the end of the process, I weigh the garment to see how much yarn was actually used. I also make some test swatches which I unravel and use to estimate the yardage needed for each size. I set the whole thing aside for at least a week before proofreading.
How to Convert a Crochet Pattern to a Knitting Pattern
By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Things You’ll Need:
Knitting Gauge Rulers
Knitting Patterns
Crochet Thread
Knitting Needles
Pencils
Step1Use a pair of knitting needles to make a gauged sample. Convert your crochet pattern to a knitting pattern by substituting the stitches listed in the following steps.
Step2Change the size of needles, if necessary, to achieve the size of gauge needed to complete the pattern.
Step3Pencil in the knitting stitches above the crochet stitches. Make a copy of your pattern if you do not wish to write on the original.
Step4Cast yarn onto the needles in place of the beginning crochet chain stitch. You will need to use your gauge to get the correct number of stitches.
Step5Convert one row of single crochet to one row of knit and one row of purl (k1, p1); or two rows of knit; or two rows of garter stitch.
Step6Substitute three rows of knitting (or knit one row, purl one row, then knit one row - k1, p1, k1) for one row of half-double crochet.
Step7Knit a row of each (k1, p1, k1, p1) for a total of four rows to replace one row of double crochet.
Step8Change one row of treble crochet into six rows of stockinette (or knit one row, purl one row, knit one row, purl one row, knit one row, purl one row - k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1).
Step9Periodically check the gauge to make sure you are staying in the correct measurement.
I FOUND THESE GREAT TIPS, BUT THEY WHERE NOT WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, SO I HAVE TO KEEP LOOKING, WILL POST WHEN FOUND!
SOMEWHERE AROUND THE 9TH SQUARE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COOL IF ONE OF THE SQUARES HAD MY SISTERS NAME ON IT, SO NOW I WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE MY WON PATTERN! I FOUND SOME HELPFUL INFORMATION AND WANTED TO SHARE.... (IT WAS SUPRISINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND THIS INFO!)
(Interview with Margaret Radcliffe, Author of The Knitting Answer Book Interview by Amy Brozio-Andrews)
How do you prepare and write out your knitting patterns?
My approach varies. Sometimes I play around designing on the needles without more than a vague plan of what I want. If it's successful and I think it's marketable, I'll write down what I did. Then, if it's a garment, I have to go back and calculate sizing, check all the math, and write detailed instructions.
Other times, I'll have a detailed idea before I start, for example for a sweater with specific features and cut and with a textured or colored pattern. Sometimes I sketch what I want, but frequently I'll just have the idea in my head. I begin by designing the fabric itself, knitting test swatches until I've got what I like in terms both of the hand of the fabric and the look of it. Then I use garment design software to print out schematics for the garment pieces and measurements for industry-standard sizing. I decide what my size ranges will be (which will vary depending on how the ornament on the sweater fits into the sizes).
I take the stitches per inch from my swatch and figure out how many stitches are required to fit across the garment pieces for each size. This is like figuring out how many bricks you need across the front of a building, and it's all mathematical. I work out all shaping (armholes, necklines, etc.) in terms of stitches and rows, for every size. If the math is complicated, I may actually do this in an Excel spreadsheet to prevent arithmetic errors.
I type up the instructions and all the measurements, stitch counts, rows counts, and so on in a Word document. I try to include everything I can, like abbreviations, explanations of specialized techniques and space for illustrations. Then I print it out and sit down to knit it from the pattern, making corrections as I go.
If I'll be traveling during this stage, I take it all with me on paper, with the pattern, notes, needles, and yarn in a two-gallon zip lock bag. If I'm working at home, I'm just as likely to put my laptop on the ottoman in front of my knitting chair and make any changes directly in the Word Document. Each time I print out a new copy, I number it in red or green ink so I can tell which is the latest version, but I save the old ones in case I make some dreadful mistake and need to revert to an older version.
At the end of the process, I weigh the garment to see how much yarn was actually used. I also make some test swatches which I unravel and use to estimate the yardage needed for each size. I set the whole thing aside for at least a week before proofreading.
How to Convert a Crochet Pattern to a Knitting Pattern
By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Things You’ll Need:
Knitting Gauge Rulers
Knitting Patterns
Crochet Thread
Knitting Needles
Pencils
Step1Use a pair of knitting needles to make a gauged sample. Convert your crochet pattern to a knitting pattern by substituting the stitches listed in the following steps.
Step2Change the size of needles, if necessary, to achieve the size of gauge needed to complete the pattern.
Step3Pencil in the knitting stitches above the crochet stitches. Make a copy of your pattern if you do not wish to write on the original.
Step4Cast yarn onto the needles in place of the beginning crochet chain stitch. You will need to use your gauge to get the correct number of stitches.
Step5Convert one row of single crochet to one row of knit and one row of purl (k1, p1); or two rows of knit; or two rows of garter stitch.
Step6Substitute three rows of knitting (or knit one row, purl one row, then knit one row - k1, p1, k1) for one row of half-double crochet.
Step7Knit a row of each (k1, p1, k1, p1) for a total of four rows to replace one row of double crochet.
Step8Change one row of treble crochet into six rows of stockinette (or knit one row, purl one row, knit one row, purl one row, knit one row, purl one row - k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1).
Step9Periodically check the gauge to make sure you are staying in the correct measurement.
I FOUND THESE GREAT TIPS, BUT THEY WHERE NOT WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, SO I HAVE TO KEEP LOOKING, WILL POST WHEN FOUND!
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