Knitting!

[Avant Garde]

knitty has an awesome glove pattern out now!

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTfetching.html

 

[NOE]

Thanks for posting that pattern! It's lovely. I'll yet to venture out from anything other than a staight line (scarfs, etc) that consist of only knits and purls. But I'm IN LOVE with that glove!

Just as an idea to modify the thumb slot (since that makes me nervous)... I bought some fingerless gloves from Nordstrom and am copying the simple pattern. You can basically knit the glove as a rectangle and then just stitch up the sides and leave a hole for the thumb when you stitch it up.

 

[Amy Louise]

To turn it into fingerless gloves, just slip the rectangle over your hand, and stitch the edges down at the thumb as Noe suggests. But don't stop there. Stitch the appropriate spots between fingers to accommodate the other digits as well.

 

[meme527]

I have no idea what they would pay me for designing the whole ensemble--although I have been in touch and told them it's several items. I really need to get it in gear, but the thing was so involved and complex, I'm nervous to submit it without knitting every damn garment up just to check the details. Well, it would take a lifetime to do that, so that's not going to happen.

Hey Amy Louise, you busy woman:

I don't think you are expected to knit the garments in different sizes - they should have test knitters to do that. I've never submitted a pattern (although I've thought about it many times, so thanks for sharing your experiences) but there is a Yahoo group that is for designers only;

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Knit_Design/

hey have a lot of collective experience as professional knit designers and can probably tell you what to expect, in terms of workload, pay, etc.

look forward to seeing your work!

meme

 

[Amy Louise]

Hi, Meme:
No--I don't have to knit the garments at all if I don't want to do that (for this company). They will pay me for my copyright and then pay someone else to knit up a sample of the ensemble. However, I do have to write out all the size patterns, and it's pretty complex since I've got 3 colors going across almost the entire outfit, which means 5 bobbins to deal with per row, and 3 different patterns which appear 5 times across the rows.

Thanks for the link. I've been a member of the pro Knit Design forum for a couple of years now since I have my website and do design and sell my one-of-a-kind garments. It's the commercial pattern thing I've never tried before. <UGH!>

Normally, I scribble changes and notes all over my patterns and change things as I knit. This is a whole new experience, and one I'm not enjoying at all beyond the original concept and design.

Have you been knitting lately? What are you working on?
Amy

 

[meme527]

hey amy:


ah, you are way ahead of me then, re: pro knit design. good luck with it!

i'm just knitting samall things that can be done on public transportation - cloche style hats, scarves, and gloves. the plan is to give them away for gifts come christmas. i'd love to be able to work on a sweater or something larger but portability is a big issue for me right now.

what i would REALLY love is a knitting machine. i have so many ideas for felted bags and things that are just simple stockinette stitch. also i really don't like to do big blocks of color,, especially since i prefer to kknit in the round, and i'd love to use a machine for that so that when i design bags and felted items i can avoid the hassle of so much yarn hanging off my needles. i've never played with a machine though. i think i will look around for one i can experiment with.

well, "talk" to you soon!

 

[meme527]

ps: the new knitty.com has some amazing patterns!

 

[delerith]

I'm trying to knit legwarmers! Like those on Alexander McQueen show :-)

 

[NOE]

I knit the fingerless gloves at knitty.com ("Fetching" pattern).

Sorry the picture is a bit big. I'm knitting these up for all my girlfriends this Holiday

 

[delerith]

NOE, those gloves are lovely! I wrote that I'm trying to knit the legwarmers but finally I decided to order them :-D Because I'm afraid that I will not make them before cold season by myself :-)

 

[Amy Louise]

NOE, those gloves are lovely! I wrote that I'm trying to knit the legwarmers but finally I decided to order them :-D Because I'm afraid that I will not make them before cold season by myself :-)

You can always start now for next year.
Amy

 

[miiku]

NOE, the gloves look so cool! I'm knitting them in a similar colour. Did you use the yarn recommended? In which colour?

 

[NOE]

Thanks guys! Glad you like them... They were really fun and quick to knit up.

miiku: I'm not too fimilar with yarn yet, but the tag says "100% extrafine merino wool irrestringible". The brand is Karabella, color 20. I'm sure that doesn't help... but I just took the pattern to the store and asked the owner what I should use.

I'm making another pair out of a merino, cashmere blend. So soft!

 

[ingvildel]

My mom knitted me some fingerless gloves similar, but simpler than those from knitty.com last year, but I haven't use them much as I am not a fan of the squarepattern.

Btw I just started knitting a big scarf for myself, if I ever get finished I might post a pic!

 

[jun3machina]

wow! noe, those are so cute! was the karabella yarn aurora 8??? i love the debbie bliss stuff, but it pills up after a few wears. i think i'll try it with aurora 8, i think it's an interstringable merino too. these would be nice in a wool acrylic blend too so you could wash them....or a silk and cotton ....i think im going to have to make a trip to the yarn store

 

[NOE]

^Yup. It's the Auora 8.

I'm horrible at understanding all the fabrics yet... I have to ask the owner "can I wash this? will it felt". I suppose I'll figure it out eventually.

ingvildel: great gloves! I'm going to attemp knitting with 2 colors soon... as soon as I finish the gloves for 3 different people. Sheesh! It's fun though, and luckily, quick!

I'm going to try to knit a clutch bag soon. I'm just going to make it up as I go.

 

[jun3machina]

im working on the gloves above. i bought a silk nylon and cotton blend but i think i may have to either double the strands or something, because it's knitting up rather loosley. also, i have really small wrists, and the pattern so far seems quite big! if i were going to adjust the pattern, should i just take off 5 stitches from the starting cast on? or wouldn't that work??? maaybe i just need to do it in aurora 8.....i think i have some lying around somewhere. i love that yarn!

 

[NOE]

Yay! I'm glad you're making the gloves. The ones I made are the prefect size (and I have small wrists too), so it must be the yarn you chose. But still, I think you could just cast on 40 stitches (instead of 45) if you wanted to use that yarn.

I'm working on a second pair (finished the left one last night). This time I'm working 4 more rounds after the thumb part (before starting the last cable), so that the glove is a tad longer. I found that the original pattern barely covers your knuckles. Now hopefully, they'll be a bit more practical.

 

[jun3machina]

thanks for that tip NOE. i ripped out what i did and now im knitting two yarns together, the classic elite with a rowan angora/cashmere/cotton blend. it seems to be working up better, but i still think i need to go out and buy some thicker yarn.....it's weird too, because i work at a fabric/yarn store and we have the aurora 8, and the stuff i bought has the same gauge/weight/etc as the aurora....

 

[NOE]

^Oh fun! Where is the yarn store you work at? hmmm, that's strange about the aurora 8. Who knows? Good Luck with your gloves though

Has anyone seen the new Tracey Ullman/Meg Clark book "knit 2 together"? It's sooo cute. Such interesting patterns! I really need to get this book... although I'm afraid that it's too advanced for me and I won't have a clue how to make anything.