The three stages of knit – or my motivation for design

As part of the Indie Spotlight section of Yarnporium, I had the opportunity to talk to lots and lots of knitters which is always a lovely experience.

Because we were in a separate room from the main stands, I often asked them about the yarn they’d bought so I could do a bit of vicarious shopping. It also gave me a great overview of the wide range of beautiful yarns, colours and fibres on offer.

The lovely Elaine wearing her version of my Ardmore dress
from Knitting magazine in front of an array of my samples
at Yarnporium

Chatting to people made me realise that something about my attitude to knitting and why I create patterns.

For me there are three stages to a great knit.

1. Finding a yarn I want to work with. That could be a matter of feel or colour, it could be to do with a  combination of fibres or some other aspect of the yarn.
   
   The yarns I came home from Yarnporium with destined for new
   designs. Top from Whimzy is intended for a shawlette, the other
   from Third Vault Yarns will be socks
   
   
2. The pleasure of the knit. I want to enjoy making the object. For me that means there is always some colourwork, texture or interesting shaping in my patterns. I like challenges and I don’t like doing exactly the same thing on every row. I also enjoy seeing lace patterns and shaping develop or ticking of progress cable twist by cable twist.
   
   Salmon Net shawl combines lace and cables -typical of my ideal knit
   
   
3. Wearing a finished item. The aim is a finished object that is loved and worn/used lots showing off the yarn, the pattern and the work. Something that makes you happy on an ongoing basis.

That’s why my patterns are designed to be enjoyable to knit and lovely to wear, they are intended to share the joy of that lovely yarn and our individual skills.

Of course that will always be based on what I think it is enjoyable but I home at least some of you share those tastes.