My first 2 patterns featured in a Knitting Mag ! Knit Now !

I'm feeling rather pleased today, the fact that I can share something that I have been keeping quiet for so long, has given me a few goosebumps.

You see, today is the day that TWO of my knitting designs have made it ! published in a UK knitting magazine ! 

It’s issue 48, and my designs are on pages 20-21, the mustardseed shawl (you must just get the issue just to find out why it was named that) and on pages 44-45, the sandown stole. I don’t have my hands on a paper copy yet!  but will be going a shopping later on today to see if I can get my hands on a few copies. 

A smaller version of one of my designs has also appeared on a page that explains "how to work cables", so if any of you readers need to know, well the info is there! 

Hard copies can be ordered here:  http://www.moremags.com/knitting/knit-now 
Digital editions are available via our app:  http://www.moremags.com/digital-editions

As I sort of explained in an earlier blog posting, its been a long hard few months for someone that has not been through the process before. From submitting my ideas, helping to choose the correct yarn, knitting up my design, writing up the pattern, double, sorry quadruple checking the pattern for spelling and mathematical errors and then finally seeing the pattern and photos in draft mode a week before the magazine was published its been quite a journey. 

And I'm really thrilled that one of my patterns made it on to the cover page, although on an earlier draft version I saw them both there :(

happy bunny :)

Sandra

Bank Holiday Creation time

Hey you crafty people !

Have you taken a look at CreativeBug yet?  Well now is your FREE chance!

As part of the affiliate program I'm in, any of you can get a one month free pass and ALSO one class that you can keep forever . Use the code SUMMER2015.
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Oh and I would love to hear your thoughts if you have given it a go
Just click on the image below

Still unsure ? read this great review here http://www.craftsfromthecwtch.co.uk/2015/03/review-i-caught-c-r-e-t-i-v-e-b-u-g.html

What is a KnitWear Designer?

In the next few days, 2 of my knitwear designs will be published in the UK Knitting magazine KnitNow. Whilst I'm super super excited about this, at the moment I can't tell you much about what the patterns are. :(


In the meantime I thought I'd share with you my thoughts about "what is a Knitwear designer" . I have no qualifications in this area, no training as such, so does this make my designs just a one off, just a bit of luck or is this the start of my designing career?

I  (and have been doing for a few years now) design and develop knitted clothing, accessories and soft furnishings which I sell in my Etsy shop and my own web site, so I already have the background skills and experience necessary to become a fully fledged designer haven't I?

Stole Sketch

To get a knitting magazine to like my ideas up front I had to send in my initial thoughts. 

This included sketching my designs, swatching (ie knitting a small piece of the design), coming up with ideas on which yarns (thickness , qualities etc) to use and writing a piece on how the idea fitted the theme the magazine had chosen for that issue. 

I think a knitting magazine will be looking for certain qualities, something that shows them that this idea will come to fruition. I think they will be looking for someone who 

• Has an interest in fashion and trends
• Has a creative eye
• Pays attention to detail
• Has an appreciation of shape, proportion and human anatomy
• Draws and show design ideas effectively
• Has skills and experience in knitting in general
• Has a good knowledge of yarn qualities and types 

And its not all plain sailing. Just because you are good at designing doesn't mean your designs are going to be immediately picked up by a magazine and used.  Your design will have to fit in with the theme of the magazine and will have to feel right alongside the other patterns, features and articles in the magazine. 

So, do you think I have what it takes to be a KnitWear Designer? Will you see my knits in more magazines? ...........

come back and see what happens

With a little mosaic magic

I have transformed what was a plain, but still pretty knitted peg bag in to something quite magically. I'm still quite taken aback by how the simple mosaic knitting / slip stitch knitting can make so much of a difference. 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/234076232/pin-bag-hand-knit-in-cream-and-green

These peg bags were knit using one of my own patterns , the cotton clothes hanger peg bag, but instead of just knitting the K3, P1 stitch I had used in the pattern I chose one of the mosaic patterns out of Barbara Walkers book "Mosaic Knitting" which I reviewed a few months back. 

What a transformation, something that you all need to try.