Stitchboard Admin message #2
Re: New Blog Post - Design Your Own Cowl
February 13, 2016 at 3:55:30 AM  (in response to StitchMeKnot message #1)
 
Debbie,

Thank you for posting about your new tutorial!    I read it and it's really quite clear and IMO doesn't need a video.    While I love videos, they can also take up a lot of time, and sometimes I think we're too dependent on videos for things that can be easily explained.  (I recently found a great video tutorial for something I needed, and now that I know how it works, I have a nice one-page cheat sheet that does the same thing as that 10 minute or whatever length video!)

I love the way you've explained about swatching.  Something of which many of us are guilty of not wanting to do , but it's really so important.  Nobody wants to end up with a doll item, LOL, and nobody wants to make something that would fit the Jolly Green Giant (or perhaps these days it would be Hagrid, LOL)!

Completely hearing you about the rolling of the ends!  I've been in the middle of writing a cowl/infinity scarf pattern for a while...the first time I started, the ends rolled.  The second time they didn't (on purpose).  I ended up liking the rolled ends better!  Sometimes it can look good, despite how we're "supposed" to keep everything flat with ribbing or garter stitch.

I can see how this would relate directly to crocheting a cowl as well.  In order to crochet, one still should swatch first.  So really, this tutorial is quite helpful for knitters and crocheters alike! 

Thank you again for posting! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #4
Re: New Blog Post - Design Your Own Cowl
February 14, 2016 at 7:41:38 AM  (in response to StitchMeKnot message #3)
 
Debbie,

You're so welcome!    It's always good to find a tutorial that not only teaches, but leads to the reader being able to design their own. 

Oh, yes, your sizing has to be perfect if you're not going to swatch, but if you don't swatch, then how can you get good sizing?  It's hit or miss, and the chancees of getting it perfectly right aren't very good.

Such sage advice...and yet some designers don't want to do that much!  I've downloaded a few patterns over the years that gave no gauge swatch.  It's fine for things like stuffed toys, where a gauge isn't critical, but it doesn't work well for garments.

You've definitely written an easy to understand tutorial and I hope people will give this one a try! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #6
Re: New Blog Post - Design Your Own Cowl
February 15, 2016 at 2:23:34 AM  (in response to StitchMeKnot message #5)
 
Debbie,

You're welcome!  The cowl tutorial is definitely a good stepping stone for other tutorials.    Once people see how easy it is, I can't imagine they won't be able to figure out how to start designing their own...how exciting! 

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