KnitDesigns by Tian: Introducing Through the Haze Cape

For the Through the Haze Cape, I wanted to share the design process. Continue reading for more details on how I went from idea to pattern. Get 25% OFF the pattern until October 7, 2017.

***

Welcome to this little experiment as I design a cape pattern in collaboration with Artisan Yarns (by Hampden Hills Alpacas). Typically I don't show this part of the process, because it can be messy. It's messy to go from idea, to sketching and swatching, and ripping back, and trying again.

Most knitters want to see the end result, the completed pattern in it's polished glory. But you, brave knitter, want to see what's lurking behind the curtains. You want to see the crazy mess. Great. I got you.

I will do my best to make that mess as clean as possible. But forgive me in advance if it's too cluttered and disjointed. Fortunately, I've been designing for 10 years now, so things tend to go a bit smoother now than it did 5-years, or even 6-months ago. That's a plus, am I right?!

So, this cape pattern along isn't going to be my typical weekly email. I'm not trying to get you to eventually buy something. During this short series, I want to share as much, or as little as you want to see. If you are an aspiring designer, maybe you will pick up a few tricks. If you are just a knitter wanting to see the process, maybe you'll appreciate a bit more the amount of work that goes into creating a single pattern.

***

How a design is born varies from design to design and from designer to designer. There is no one-size-fits all formula. Sometimes a design stems from a stitch pattern. Sometimes it starts with the yarn – the color, fiber content, construction, weight, etc. Other times the project category comes first, you decide you want to make an accessory, clothing, home décor, toy, etc., and then you fill in the holes with the stitch pattern and construction to make the idea come to life.

In the case of the Through the Haze Cape (tentative name), the yarn came first, then brainstorming with Erica, the owner and dyer behind Artisan Yarns by Hampden Hills Alpacas for what item she envisioned for the yarn. We decided on a cape in order to take advantage of the color change and top-down to maximize the total yardage of one skein.

Once we decided on the cape, then there was the stitch detail. We talked about cables and laces, but after working with the yarn, a bit of lace really added drama to the magic of the yarn and colors, without using up too much of the precious single skein like cables would.

So, we have the rough idea. Now it’s time to find a lacy stitch pattern, do the swatch to see how the lace stitch pattern would work up, not necessarily for gauge since I’ve worked with the yarn many times before and am familiar with the yarn’s characteristics.

Then, there are the sketches, some not so great but still effective to see how the idea will flow. And the schematic to figure out the measurements.

Elements are added. Some element is kept, some others removed. A stitch pattern down the raglan shaping points (keep), the same lace stitch pattern down the center and back (remove), extending the lace pattern along the bottom edge then bind off (nope), rolled collar (meh!), a ribbed high collar (yes).

There, the beginning of the design.

Here are a couple super rough sketches. I already know it will be a cape, worked top-down. Now I am trying to figure roughly what it will look like and dig a bit deeper into construction (I did warn you it wasn't pretty, hehe!).