Designing with Symbols first?

[LadyyOftheOak]

Ok still pretty new to the whole designing thing .. well let me rephrase that.. I been designing for years but am still fairly new to writing it all down :lol

Anyway.. :blush Anyone here find it easier to draw the design out in symbols on graph paper prior to actually working the pattern up into words? I've been experimenting both ways and just curious what others do :hook

[LadyyOftheOak]

Nobody? Nobody draws their ideas out first?

[Katchkan]

I just saw this post. I do a rough sketch of what I want, then I draw a stitch work up for the more detailed sections of the piece. That still is rough, because It doesn't always lay the way it looks like it should on paper. I might have to adjust my number of stitches to get the effect I want or make it lay the way I want. All of my sketches are pretty rough but I can get the general Idea of what I hope to achieve by doing it this way.

[salos]

I use pictures, symbols, and shortcut instructions. It depends on the situation.

[christinascrochethaven]

I'm new at writing my patterns out...but I hadn't thought about drawing them until I borrowed a book from the library. I wanted to make my daughter a vest and possibly a tank top. I saw this book "The Womans' Day Book of Granny Squares and other Carry-Along Crochet". It was copyrighted in 1975. It has the coolest section about Tips on fitting the granny. They drew out the ideas on paper. I'm going to try it as soon as I get my Valentine's Projects done. I'm going to use fun colors for my daughter and maybe add some fun fur. I think drawing some things out is a cool idea.

Usually I use a shorthand version (my version) to decipher my ideas/patterns.
But I have drawn things out many times when I craft angels. I make angels out of recycled things like glass shades from chandeliers. When I've seen a good idea at a craft show or online, I've sketched stuff in a pocket notebook so that I can remember.:manyheart

[Kristallklara]

Hi, I think it´s time for me to write my patterns down too, but I´m curious when it comes to symbols. I think that´s easier to understand, but how do you do them the easiest way? Is there any ready symbols to use or do you have to build them up yourself? And what program do you use?

Kind regards // Klara
:think

[LadyyOftheOak]

There are symbols for different stitches.. I'm still learning them myself but the Crochet Bible or the Encyclopedia of Crochet both have them listed :)

[NexStitch]

It depends on the pattern. One thing I ALWAYS do are sketches. I need to see how it'll all come together, especially when working garments. Drawing things out helps. I also make little paper mock-ups to test out ideas. I use muslin to work it out on the mannequin. AND/OR I make a chart with symbols, again, depending on the projects and if it has intricate work (which is all I've been doing lately. Can't wait to share my latest stuff!)

[Roli]

Can't wait to see it Amie!:)

[eyenowhour]

One of my crochet books has some information about crochet shorthand. I would never be able to remember what all the symbols mean. Then again, I know people who can't read patterns because they don't know what all the letters (acronyms) mean.

[Tara]

I don't usually sketch unless I get an idea away from home, or I want to remember something. I do use graph paper sometimes, but only for planning out tapestry crochet.
Usually I just get an idea, sit and start making it. Then I make notes as I go along (how many stitches, rows, decreases, etc). The tricky part is making AGAIN, lol.