I frantically worked on the tank tops in order to carry the Small, Medium and Large sizes with me to the wedding. One of my granddaughters, Emma, is a size 0. I wanted to see if the Small would fit her or if I needed to configure a pattern for an X-Small. As it happened the Small did fit her just fine, but I could see that a smaller size would be better and the idea had already settled in my mind for an X-Small so I did configure my pattern for that size, too. The Medium was worn by several individuals in that size range and I was able to determine where those measurements started and ended, thus the Medium/Large combination. The Large sweater was too large for my friends and family who normally where that size so I had my daughter who wears 1-2X to give it a try and it fit her just fine. So that sample became my 1X-2X size. I then configured the next size from that and now have a 3-X also. I was able to see that changes were needed in the larger sizes for a higher neckline than the small design. So after arriving home from the wedding, I began in earnest to finish the pattern for these five sizes for the tank top.
BTW, here is a photo of the wedding of my granddaughter. There are four generations shown. My parents in the middle front, my husband and myself on the left front, my daughter and her husband on the right, and my granddaughter and new grandson in the back center.
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These three photos show the front, side, and back views of the Small tank top. My model is one of my friends who join me in the group I started, The Needlers, at my Adult 55+ community. This is the first sample I knit for my Tank Top pattern using the same cabled ribbing design I've used in my other Cable Me One Side - Rib Me The Other patterns. I do actually change the cable pattern in each of the ribbed patterns, but the concept for the design stays the same. I actually knit this top for myself using my measurements. I can wear it, but it was a little too snug for me; I like my tops with a little more ease. That's why I wanted to see if the size was better for a Small rather that a Medium, which I am. Also, I'm still learning about gauge with a rib stitch and the amount of ease I can expect. I am using the same weight yarn for each of these patterns so I can have one less gauge problem to consider.
This is the second tank top sample I knit. The model is my best friend since high school. My husband and I stayed with her during our visit home. When I knit the red sample, I notated every stitch I made by writing the directions in my notepad. The green sample did not match the red sample directions. The cabled rib pattern used is a 24-stitch repeat in 10 rows. The red tank top required 10 repeats of that cabled rib pattern to give me the Small size (which I first thought was going to be a Medium). The 10 repeats of the pattern meant there were 5 of the 24-stitch repeats on the front and 5 on the back. But in order to increase the size of the green tank top another 24-stitch repeat was required and this meant that the front and back were not divided equally. So I had to notate a new set of directions for that size. The red sample allowed me to just repeat the directions from the front for the back. But I couldn't do that for the green sample. The front and the back did not match, so the directions were needed to be written for each separately.
This was a major learning experience for me. I wasn't expecting this pattern to be so complicated. I sat down one day and knit the red sample and was figuring I could just increase or decrease the stitches to account for the various size changes. NOT!!!! I wasn't even considering the 24-stitch pattern repeat that could not be ignored. So now I have written the pattern for both in my notepad. I decided to make the size Large (which became my 1X-2X) and once again the extra 24-stitch pattern repeat became necessary. The red tank top uses 10 repeats. The green tank top used 11 repeats. The third sample knit in purple yarn required 12 repeats. I found that I could use the red sample's directions because the 12 gave me equal repeats on front and back. So I quickly knit that sample and off to KY for the wedding and real live model sizing.
At first I thought I could transcribe the written directions I'd put into my notebook without charting but I quickly found that I couldn't. Especially after I decided to include an X-Small and 3X in my size provisions. The X-Small used 9 pattern repeats and the 3-X used 13 meaning uneven patterns for front and back. Every size was going to need its own pattern directions. Also, since I was concerned about neck and armhole measurement differences for the various sizes, I found charting the patterns would help me know where every stitch would be knitted.
Before starting the charts I researched all the measurements required for flat pattern design for each of the sizes I had chosen. Once I knew the depths, the widths, and the lengths, I was ready to begin. This part of the design process took hours, which lengthened into days, which merged into weeks until I finally completed the task of configurations.
These are the charts for all five pattern sizes and one which is common to all five. I was able to then take these charts and transcribe the stitches into written pattern instructions. My eyes were so weary at the end of each day during this time. I would be bone tired from counting, and counting, and re-counting. And I had to make sure I didn't put a purl when the stitch was a knit. Those chart blocks are very tiny.
Then it was necessary once I'd typed the information into the computer to format the pattern to make it easier to follow when knitting. It wasn't as simple as just saying knit 2 stitches 3 (4, 5, 6, 7) 4 times, because the patterns weren't identical due to the uneven pattern repeats from front to back. So each pattern had to be done separately and then formatted in the areas which were the same.
But I finally finished the task and the pattern is now available for sale on Ravelry. Whew! I'm tired just going through the details of that ordeal again.
I did take a momentary break to clear my head before I began getting the next pattern ready for publishing. The Twigs & Bobbles Shell was actually my third pattern design and the first sweater. I had all my written directions in my notepad. All I needed to do now was to transcribe them to the computer and format the pattern. This didn't really take too long actually, especially in perspective to the previous project. So now that pattern is also for sale on Ravelry.
There was only one pattern left of all the patterns I had already designed and that was a crocheted Spike Stitch Edge Hat. I took my notes and wrote the pattern and it, too, my one and only crochet design, is now posted for sale on Ravelry, too. That completed the 15 patterns that I have thus far designed. Here is the link for those patterns. www.ravelry.com/designers/d-teresa-simmons
I would like to put all my Cable Me One Side - Rib Me The Other patterns into an E-book. I have no idea how to do that as yet, but I will be researching that. But before I do, I still have a few ideas for patterns to go into that category. I've designed a hat, a mobius, a scarf, a skirt, a tank top, hand and leg warmers, and a shawl in that design. On my list, which I started when I first thought of this stitch technique, I also have socks, sweater (pullover and cardigan) and just recently added, a caplet (short cape). Penny, another gal in The Needlers group, suggested I begin a Pinterest account and setup boards showcasing my patterns and other projects that I have done. So I did this just recently. Here is that link: www.pinterest.com/dteresasimmons I have spent several hours taking the 139 projects I've completed that are posted on Ravelry and placing them on boards. Now I understand that each day I'm supposed to add to those boards to keep them current and at the top of the Pinterest postings. I'm not sure if this will help my patterns sell or not, but I hope the exposure is good for me. I guess time will show this to be worth the trouble or not.
I eventually want to publish my patterns with magazines and yarn stores and other publications that are like-minded with my craft. This too is requiring research but also the establishing of the above links so I can direct them to my patterns. I'm glad my Master's in Marketing is getting some use finally.
Since I'm now ready to begin a new project I asked my grandchildren what they thought I should start next. My granddaughter, Emma, suggested a sweater. So I've begun another cabled ribbed design.
These are just rough sketches of two designs I was considering. The first is the caplet and then I began planning the sweater, which is the one I will start first. The squiggly lines represent the areas that will be ribbed and cabled. The caplet will have a yoke with the cable knitted horizontally versus the body cables being knitted vertically. The caplet will have a collar with a tied neck at the front opening. The sweater will have long sleeves and the front opening will not be banded but just have a selvage edge. The neck and wrists will be finished with I-cord allowing the neck to be tied and the wrists to be embellished. The I-cord may become a different color to allow some contrast interest.
I've already started my computations for measurements of the various sizes. I knitted the swatch using yarn that will have the drape I want and nicely define the rib stitching. I tried two different pattern designs in my swatch. The top two rows in the photo are a tight cable design using the same ribs for closure. Starting on the third row of cables I began switching the ribs for cable closure and this elongated the cable and also gave a more rippled effect. I'm not sure which one I will use at the moment. The vote is still out. I like both but am leaning towards to choosing the longer rippled effect. But once I begin charting and notating the pattern design, I may end up choosing the one that requires less pattern changes between the various sizes. I'm just not ready to tackle another project like that required for the tank top.Okay! There you have it. I've caught up to where I am today. Progress continues even if slowly. Until next time.... Happy knitting or crocheting, or designing, or well you know!
