Holiday Gifts

It's that time of year. The time when the intrepid crafter starts to think about what to make for their loved ones for the holidays. Well actually, it's the time of year when the crafter with not as much foresight as some of her co-conspirators starts to think about her holiday gifts. There are people who start months in advance. My mother has said to me on more than one occasion that she hates going shopping during the month of December. She really does plan out in advance to get at least the majority of her gifts before then.

As for myself, I think that I am not doing too badly. I hate shopping for gifts. This is mostly because I hate shopping generally. Except grocery shopping, that I can handle. So instead I am making gifts. Or looking online for the tough cookies. Fortunately for me, Honey's family are easy. I'm cooking Christmas dinner so I'm off the hook for gifts. My family, I don't know yet.

But I have made some headway on my gift for Honey. I'm knitting a sweater. I know you're not supposed to knit for a man until you've got a ring but I think that's a lot of hooey. And if it isn't hooey, then I think that only horrible sweaters that the knitter hates making and the giftee hates wearing can really cause the curse to come true. My sweater will be neither of those things.

Observe: 

The sketch complies with his needs and mine. His needs are very specific. It must be a pullover, without too much patterning. It needs to have a collar that comes up around the neck. I need it to have at least a few things going on so that I can knit it without getting too bored halfway through and giving up on the whole project.

 The "swatch", by which I mean the patterned band around the centre of the sweater, has been a success. I am enjoying knitting it and it's dense enough to pass muster.

Yes, it's purple. The photo is a little more luminous than the actual colour (that will teach me to wait until after dark to take pictures) but it is purple. I know that there are men out there who reject wearing purple but Honey isn't one of them. He looks good in purple and so it makes the accepted color list. Thank goodness. I'm not sure I could handle making a plain grey sweater in that size!

Getting Regular

No, this is not a post about fibre intake. I'm talking about posting regularly. Even though I'm finding these exercises in contemplating my design process very edifying, it's really taking a toll on my ability to concentrate on actually doing designing. So I've decided that I'm still going to do those posts but intersperse some posts about work I'm doing.

To get into the spirit of that I'm going to post some sketches I worked up.

I worked up this little cropped cardi partially because I really thought that it would be cute to transition warmer weather dresses to cooler climes and partially because I had been watching Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (don't judge me for my TV choices) and was channeling the late 90s. 

I think it's cute. I'd wear it but it's a little unseasonable at the moment. I think it really would look great with the right dress. That being said it's not what I usually design. I'm not usually into cropped things. Regardless of what happened in the 90s, I just think that there are so few people who can really pull off a look that is designed to accentuate the stomach.

In terms of making this a pattern, I think it has some potential. It would be a quick knit. Not too challenging, but not dull because of the patterning. You wouldn't need the amount of yarn that you would for a full length sweater, so someone might be able to use some more splurgy yarn. Plus it's quicker so someone might make it for a gift. 

The verdict? I might make it but sometime later. I think it's not really the season. I really do think it's cute and might even be able to get past my dislike of cropped things.

 

This jacket was inspired by my post about Balenciaga. I just loved the sleeves on that first jacket. I adore this jacket. It's super cute and just a little bit unique. I want to wear this with a pair of jeans and some kick-butt boots.

In terms of pattern making, I am on the fence about this one. It would definitely be flattering on lots of people and even though it does have some more challenging design elements like the pleating and the sleeves, it would be done in a very simple stitch - either a stockinette or a seed stitch - so it would be very approachable. The simple stitch would make it easier to size. But the bottom of the piece would be BORING to knit. 

The verdict? I love (!) this jacket and I want to make it. We'll see when I get to it. Hopefully soon.

Sketching

Sketching is my favourite part of the design process. It's where I can really get all my ideas flowing about what sort of piece I want to make and about the design elements that I want to incorporate. I love this part because it is so much about instant gratification. I can think of an idea and twenty minutes later it's on paper for me to see.

I know that a lot of designers start out with the yarn or the materials that they are going to use and just sort of do a free flowing kind of design. I do this occasionally mostly for accessories or socks using a standard construction. But this free form kind of process just doesn't work for me for larger pieces. I think this is a carry-over from sewing for me because I've always been very much about planning things out and hammering out at least most of the details before I even get started with my materials.

Sketching for me is also a very useful tool to find out what does work but also, more importantly, what doesn't work. I always feel like I'm channeling Tim Gunn from Project Runway when I sketch. I have to ask if I'm "running the risk of overdesigning". I love to work with sleek lines and tailored looks but with this kind of aesthetic it's so easy to get way too simple so that no one would want to knit my design because it is just too boring. (Ironically, I think that this would make a piece a wardrobe staple because it could go with anything but I just am not willing to poke my eyes out with pointy sticks halfway through a tightly knit black stockinette sweater in laceweight!) On the flip side, I have a tendency to overcompensate for this by adding in so many interesting details that the sweater looks more like a Cirque du Soleil act than something wearable. Sketching everything out before starting allows me to edit so that I can avoid both extremes.

I would encourage everyone to sketch their designs. It really is helpful for the planning stages and if you intend to submit something for publication you need to submit a sketch along with your descriptions. You don't need to be a great artist. It just really helps to get your ideas out on paper.

I'm going to take you through one of my sketching sessions. I like the end result, but we'll see if it makes it to the top of the design pile.

Step 1: Drawing a body shape

A lot of people like to use a fashion croquis for this. Which is a great option if you're not a confident sketcher or if you're just starting out. I prefer to draw my own body shape. This is mostly because when I'm sketching I'm often just out with my notebook on a bench somewhere and I really don't want to be putting too many extra things in my bag.

You can find a lot of free fashion croquis here.

Step 2: Draw Your Idea

Include the shape but don't forget to add all of the details that you are considering - collar shape and embellishments as well as cuffs. Remember to draw darts or pleats if you are using them. If you are considering putting accents of a different colour, highlight this. Do not worry if your sketch isn't something that you want everyone and their brother to see. It is a reference tool for you.


I've drawn a fitted blazer with puffed sleeves and pockets as well as darting for the bust and cuffs.

Step 3: Edit, Edit, Edit

My original design had shoulder tabs, and pleats that were different colours and the collar was going to be patterned. There was waaaay too much going on. The great thing about a sketch is that if you do it in pencil, nothing is permanent.

Step 4: Draw your Piece from all (Relevant) Angles

The back of a sweater is just as important, if not more so, than the front. Don't neglect the side view if your sleeves have design details like mine do. I do always think about the side view of a sweater but honestly I only draw it out if it involves details like this one does.



Step 5: Consider Your Sketch's Feasibility

Ask yourself the following questions:
Do I like the piece and would I wear it?
If I wouldn't wear it, who is the audience?
Am I capable of making all these design elements?
How does it rank when compared to your other designs?
Stop here if you are designing for yourself.

If you are designing for a client, a pattern line or a magazine consider the following:
Does it fit in the overall aesthetic of my designs?
Does it fit in this line, or magazine?
Is it "sellable?"
Is it easily scaled up/down for a wide range of sizes?
Can I make it within the allotted time frame without going crazy or allowing quality to suffer?

I love this piece and I think that it would be a great part of a tailored line. At the same time I know that there are a lot of design elements and a lot of fitting so it would be a challenge to size for many different people. But because it doesn't have a specific stitch (and therefore stitch count) associated with it, I think it's fairly feasible. I don't think I would be able to make this piece with too short of a turn around time so I think that it would be most suitable in one of my own lines.


Step 6: Swatch or Put it Aside.