Experienced

Catherine Lowe

Design, Tips & Techniques

This is a multi-part class. Attendees must register for all parts in order to take this class This workshop looks at the design process from inspiration to sample garment. We’ll look first at integrating into the process any parameters set for the design, if it is intended for a magazine, yarn company or yarn store. Then we’ll move on to the theoretical considerations that inform the design: aesthetic elements such as line, silhouette, stitch pattern and decorative details; and practical concerns such as the yarn identified for the design, the knitting skills required and the adaptability of the design to a required range of sizes. The examples for this portion of our discussion will be taken from design submission calls from knitting publications and yarn companies. From there, we’ll focus on the design workflow itself, beginning with the creation of design specific mood boards and swatching for inspiration and fabric. We’ll look at translating the sketch into a design mock-up and then into a pattern and sample garment; and we’ll discuss how to keep the workflow smooth and efficient and explore a few of the tools, tips and tricks that help us do so. There is no knitting in this class. It is not about customizing patterns or pairing garment silhouettes with body shapes. It is about the theoretical and practical aspects of the process of creating a design for hand-knitting. The class is ideal for new designers as well as for those with some experience. It is also useful for those knitters who design just for themselves. Technique Requirements: Able to write own patterns; able to design own garments

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Students are encouraged to bring those tools they regularly use in their design process, including laptops or tablets, and any design submission calls they are contemplating. Note that this class does not include instruction on the use of design software.

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Friday