Design-Along

[fran]

I was just reading Loves_Tender_Touch's thread about designing and was thinking it might be fun to have a week of making original designs. I know there a lot of great designers here and it wouldn't be anything new to them. But it seems a lot of people would like to try designing and haven't the time or courage to jump in. A CAL of designing might be incentive to start and the experienced designers would have a week to play with some new stuff that might've been sitting on the back burner awhile.

[bubblefizz]

Yea great idea!!
i would LOVE to design, but i havnt got the foggiest idea where to begin.
Please please please??

[LadyyOftheOak]

I am game :) I started one pattern but then got so busy actually making the item that I dropped the designing part of it :lol :blush

[buggaboosmommy]

I'm game too! I have a notebook that I keep my "ideas" in..just never seem to have the time to actually work them out! Maybe in a few weeks I will push everything aside and give a few a try :)

Donna

[klouised]

I'll join!!

[aliciasjoy]

I'd like to join y'all too. Is there going to be an official start and finish date? I've been wanting to start a sweater for myself but can't decide on a yarn.

[Cordelia]

WOW.....what a fabulous idea....I sures as heck could use some guidance. Ideas apelnty but no idea what to do next...:think Besides it will be fun to see what everyone comes up with...Will the finished items have a reveal date and be hush hush until then, you know for the drama effect? Or?

Oh boy! Where'd I put my notebook?:devil

[Holiday]

I'd like to join too, I've got a few ideas that I'd like to see as more than just rough sketches.

[mimi_mia]

Here comes a dumb question, are we to write out the pattern so others can follow, or just make the item, and are we all going to post the finished patterns for everyone else? It sounds like so much fun, but I'm afraid of the having to write it down, that's the worst part for me :(

[aliciasjoy]

I don't think that's a dumb question. I don't like to write things down either.

[earthwhisper]

I am up to the design along challenge. I think a week is too short for me though...2 weeks, atleast.

[fran]

Any suggestions for dates?

[klouised]

Any suggestions for dates?Any time works for me. Whenever works for you all.

[Donna]

I don't know that I'll have time to join in, but I just wanted to say this sounds like a great idea! :tup

I was just reading Loves_Tender_Touch's thread about designing and was thinking it might be fun to have a week of making original designs I agree with the others who have said a week isn't very long. Especially for new designers or somebody working on a large pattern.

Here comes a dumb question, are we to write out the pattern so others can follow, or just make the item, and are we all going to post the finished patterns for everyone else? It sounds like so much fun, but I'm afraid of the having to write it down, that's the worst part for me :(There are no dumb questions here! I have to say, though, that in my opinion the whole point of designing is to write it down. If you don't write it down, nobody else can make it and in a few months you probably won't remember how you made it either.

[bubblefizz]

is this not for learning to design, or is for those who know how to design already?
im a bit confused .....as always LOL

[klouised]

I think it's for everybody, old and new designers alike.

[aliciasjoy]

I really want to start something but I can't decide on a yarn!
See, I really want to be working with the yarn that would make the finished product, but if I mess up royally, I don't want to ruin expensive yarn with repeated frogging.
I was thinking of starting it in cheap acrylic baby yarn as that is the weight I want, but spending countless hours on a sweater I won't want to wear seems silly. And I'm far too lazy and time constricted to make the same thing twice.
Just trying to figure out what to do!

[klouised]

I really want to start something but I can't decide on a yarn!
See, I really want to be working with the yarn that would make the finished product, but if I mess up royally, I don't want to ruin expensive yarn with repeated frogging.
I was thinking of starting it in cheap acrylic baby yarn as that is the weight I want, but spending countless hours on a sweater I won't want to wear seems silly. And I'm far too lazy and time constricted to make the same thing twice.
Just trying to figure out what to do!Get something that you are going to like. A higher priced yarn wouldn't be a good idea, but you want to make sure that it's something that you would like. The main thing is to make sure you get a yarn that can frog easy. I recently did a poncho out of a mohair yarn. WOW! I had to frog it like 5 times, and I had a TERRIBLE time doing it. By the time I got done, I had hair all over me!!

[pbnj]

this sounds like fun. :clap ive got a couple questions before i sign on the non-existant dotted line, heh.

is there a limit to what kind of item we're to design? based on the timeline i'm thinking it's something smallish? (unless u design and crochet very quickly, heh)

will these patterns all be shared somewhere? or is this more of a personal growth kind of project?

[klouised]

Let's share! I have something that I'm wanting to start, and can't wait to share it with you all.

[dur30cat]

This approach sounds really interesting.
Now, I wonder if I'll fumble over the written instructions.

Does anyone know if there's a software that'll allow you to chart out the designs using the standard stitch symbols?

Emy

[pbnj]

I dunno if there's a program for it but I've recently started creating photoshop brushes of individual symbols so I could use them to create diagrams.

I've just recently gotten Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet and it's got a really nice list of all the symbols so now I can create ones for more then the standard 4-5 stitches, heh.

When I get a few more done I'll show everyone and see what they think. If they're worth sharing I'd be more then happy to, heh.

[klouised]

We had a discussion recently about design programs. Here's the link. http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8179

[dur30cat]

Thanks for the replies.
Actually, I was thinking of designing something in the round and I am just wondering what are the chances of softwares available for doing that.
Most of the Japanese patterns I see for those in the round are usually hand charted.

Em

[klouised]

Thanks for the replies.
Actually, I was thinking of designing something in the round and I am just wondering what are the chances of softwares available for doing that.
Most of the Japanese patterns I see for those in the round are usually hand charted.

EmIf you are talking about round motifs, then no design program does that. What they mostly do is work in pattern pieces. So a skirt would be in 2 pieces rather than a complete circle. I hope that helps.

[earthwhisper]

I really want to start something but I can't decide on a yarn!
See, I really want to be working with the yarn that would make the finished product, but if I mess up royally, I don't want to ruin expensive yarn with repeated frogging.
I was thinking of starting it in cheap acrylic baby yarn as that is the weight I want, but spending countless hours on a sweater I won't want to wear seems silly. And I'm far too lazy and time constricted to make the same thing twice.
Just trying to figure out what to do!

Since I always make the garment that I design more then once I would use a cheaper yarn for the original design, then when you go back and make it again, from the pattern you wrote, use your nicer yarn. This is just my opinion on it.