What's your method of designing?

[booklvr]

I was thinking about this last night, when I was getting started designing a baby blanket for a friend. I'm sort of an "off the cuff" designer, in that I gather ideas (from other pattern books, magazines, etc), think about the function I need, picture it in my head, and then just get started and see what happens. I don't typically write anything down or make sketches...and I never really thought about it until an article about a crochet designer in the local paper recently that told how she starts with sketches and then charts, etc. I suppose I'd *need* charts if I were crocheting an image into something, but otherwise, it usually is just all in my head until the piece is complete.

So how do you design new projects? Do you just "go for it", or are you more of a planner? Just curious...

[MommaChelle]

I picture what I want in my head too and just go for it. I will do the "rough" design first by actually crocheting it, then I will fix anything (size, stitch) on the second one and write down the pattern as I make the second one.

[NancyCA]

My favorite thing to make is afghans. I have made up plenty of patterns through the years. I just sit and start doing something and if it doesn't look right, I rip it out and try something else. I guess I'd qualify as an "as you go" type of gal! :danc

[Stacey]

For most things I don't do any designing on my own (trouble with making things come out right), but with aghans, throws, baby blankets I tend not to use patterns much because, hey, it's a rectangle, so what can go wrong, right? (which did backfire on me once :lol )

What I usually do is look at afghan patterns and look through stitch pattern guides to get inspiration. I'll see a stitch pattern and think "yes!" and that'll be the one I use. Then I'll make up a swatch to decide what hook I'm going to use and try to get an estimate of how much yarn I'll need and off I go...

[booklvr]

Ironically, yesterday when I was home trying to get well and crocheting all afternoon, I decided that maybe it *would* be helpful to try drawing a diagram, just to decide on what colors should go where, and which stitches would look good next to each other.

So I did - I took out some paper, sketched (very roughly) what I had in my head, made a few modifications, and played with skeins of yarn on the table as I decided what colors should go where. I came up with a design that looks good (on paper, anyways), so we'll see if it "works" or not in reality (hopefully it will - I won't have time to do it over! LOL).

Hopefully it will save me some time...if not, I suppose I'm not much worse off than I was before, eh? ;-)

[klouised]

I'm an "off the cuff" designer. I crochet bathing suits and fitted clothing. I start crocheting something in my size. As I crochet, I hold it up every once in awhile to my body and see if it looks right. Once I'm done with the item I work out the intructions for the other sizes. If I sat down and drew out what I wanted the project would never end up that way. The fun in it all is creating it as you go and get a nice suprise in the end. BUT always write out the pattern when you're done with the item. I have sold or given away many items that I wished later that I had.

[unicorn37757]

Some things I do off the top of my head, but if I'm doing a graph or something (I'm new at doing that) I use my PC Stitch. Here's a link to a pillow I made for my Dad out of it.
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4263380&a=31534544&f=0:hook

[sedie]

I've usually gone of the top of my head, but working on writing it out. What I'll do is just make it, then the second time, like MommaChelle, I write the pattern down as I go.

[diamond]

I'm a writer-downer. I see something I like with adaptions or have an idea in my mind but if I don't write it down or sketch it quickly, I'll forget about it until days or weeks later and usually by then someone else has come up with a similar item. So I write or sketch everything out immediately. Then when I'm actually creating, I take notes (actually write down each step that I'm doing). I keep a journal in my WIP basket and pencils (never pens) just for those times.

[Chatty]

I usually picture what I want in my head then set about trying to crochet it. If it works I'll make another and write it down.

I'm not much on drawing.

:frog

[CatsCradleCreations]

I usually write down the instructions as I'm working on the prototype. It makes it easier for me to remember what I've done (especially if I have to put it down in the middle of writing the pattern) and what I need to do. After my messy scribbling (and it is messy), I'll type my pattern and save it. After saving, I'll post it to my patterns blog for sharing.

If it's something like a blanket, I'll wait to write it down until I get a basic pattern going to see how I like it (and if I want to share! :devil ) and then go from there. I did this with my Cotton Candy and Blue Jeans Baby Blankets (http://cccpatterns.blogspot.com/2005/05/cotton-baby-blankets.html) and that's also why I finished the pattern before I finished the first blanket! I'm still working on the first blanket, and it will go to my SIL as a baby gift for my new neice who will be here in mid-July. The first boy version will go to my sister for my nephew who just turned one.

Of course, I will take pictures of the finished patterns (the blankets are my first written patterns, so I don't have pics yet) and post them with the patterns. I'll also do that with the newest pattern I'm writing~~as I work~~but won't post it until time for reveal packages. (I can't divulge more info about the newest pattern because the recipient is my summer secret pal and I'm writing this one for her upcoming birthday! :manyheart )

[kazily]

I stopped crocheting for several years, so right now I am mostly using patterns found online but I do make things without a pattern occasionally. Then I just have the idea in my head & take a stab at it lol!