June 26, 2008

Step One

I have been working on the first of the two sweaters for Megan's baby for two days, and I am here to tell you that this design gig is harder than it looks. I'm not a designer, nor do I play one on tv, but I've been watching the way that they work for a while now, and I thought I had the hang. I thought about the way that my friend Fiona does stuff, and I figured that if I did it like her, I might have the highest chance of success. Fiona has several steps.

1. Draw a sketch. This is harder than it sounds, because the idea has to come before the sketch.

2. Knit a swatch. Ok. Not a problem. I don't really care for swatching, but it has its uses, and this is definitely one of them, so I'm on board.

3. Do the math.

4. Write the pattern.

5. Knit the thing.

I have followed those steps, my friends, and I have to tell you.... it's not working. My process so far seems to be more like this:

1. Draw a sketch.
2. Realize sketch is total crap.
3. Draw new sketch.
4. Admire sketch, realize that sweater in picture is not achievable by way of knitting, no matter what.
5. Draw new sketch.

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6. Knit a swatch.
7. Realize swatch is at wrong gauge and resulting fabric is flimsy and a smaller needle will be needed.
8. Realize design is total crap.
9. Knit new swatch at better gauge.

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10. Feel that new gauge is better, but design elements are still crap.
11. Reject idea to phone Fiona and grovel for help as possibly humiliating, and likely, premature.
12. Knit new swatch.

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13. Feel better. Gauge good, design elements good.
14. Decide that decision to not call Fiona was good.
15. Do math, based on new good gauge and design elements.
16. Realize that working knowledge of size of baby would be good.
17. Do vast amount of research on chest sizes of babies while drinking red wine.
18. Do math, based on research.
19. Realize that math and wine are running counter to each other, and that my math skills are so tenuous that there may be no amount of alcohol that can be consumed during math process.
20. Go to bed.
21. Do math under influence of coffee. Feel pleased with result.
22. Write pattern.
23. Write pattern again.
24. Write pattern that more closely reflects actual human anatomy.
25. Write pattern that could possibly result in sweater.

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26. Cast on for sweater using pattern.
27. Write pattern, fixing error found during cast on.
28. Rip out.
29. Cast on.
20. Realize that sweater, despite swatch, math and pattern will be very much too small.
21. Rip out.
22. Write pattern, offering up a thousand curses to the skies that gauge has lied again.
23. Realize that I measured wrong swatch.
34. Write pattern.
35. Cast on.
36. Realize that swatch was right, and pattern is now wrong.
37. Dial half of Fiona's number, hang up.
38. Write pattern.
39. Cast on.
40. Knit beginning of pattern, feeling very pleased.
41. Realize that cables are pulling in sweater and cast on is wrong.
42. Rip out.
43. Write pattern changing cast on.
44. Cast on with new border.
45. Knit first 10 cm of sweater.

41. Realize that cables are pulling in sweater and cast on is wrong.
42. Rip out.
43. Write pattern changing cast on.
44. Cast on with new border.
45. Knit first 10 cm of sweater.
46. Realize that cables are pulling in sweater and cast on is wrong.
47. Rip out.
48. Write pattern changing cast on.
49. Cast on with new border.
50. Knit first 10 cm of sweater.
51. Realize that cables are pulling in sweater and cast on is wrong.
52. Rip out.
53. Write pattern changing cast on.
54. Cast on with new border.
55. Knit first 10 cm of sweater while wondering if perfectionist tendencies are really all that healthy.

56. Regret decision not to drink wine as it doesn't seem to matter.
57. Drink wine.
58. Rip out.
59. Sit quietly in the dark resisting urge to eat sweater, just to feel it between my teeth.

60. Fortify self.
61. Meditate, chanting "I am smart enough for this"
63. Locate will to go on.
64. Cast on.
65. Knit first 10 cm.
66.

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Post to blog, while gloating despite clear indication that this is a simple sweater and my difficulties with it reflect something rather disappointing about my skills. Wonder if edge is still not right.

67. Remember that Fiona has a first step that I missed: Go to design school.

Posted by Stephanie at June 26, 2008 4:24 PM