mind of winter: Playing Around

July 10, 2005

Playing Around

Click me for a closer view.

Although I've been absent from the blog, I've been accomplishing a lot in my absence. Looking back on my aspirations from earlier this year, I'm proud to say that I've done pretty well. I wanted to work more on my own designs rather than answering the siren call of commercial patterns, keep a realistic number of projects on the needles, and balance my life out by reading more and exercising more regularly. In the months since I first "aspired," I've designed seven new pieces, three freebies and four that will be published, read several great books (I highly recommend The Life of Pi and The Kite Runner), and run a half-marathon (slowly, but the next one can be faster, right?). Three of the designs that I completed this weekend are going to be in an upcoming book that a friend is working on. I can't tell you what an amazing experience it is to really put your nose to the grindstone and finish such an endeavour. My hat goes off to Harlot and the girls over at MDK - I can't imagine what it must feel like to finish an entire book. All I can say is that if you've been making modifications for a while and dreaming of designing - go for it! It's a very rewarding experience once all the math and ripping is behind you.

Still, I haven't been all work (yes, even knitting is work if there is a deadline - trust me!). Even when I'm cramming to finish something and working crazy hours I have to cheat every once in a while and play around with something that I don't have to work on. Hence, the cables you see above.

A few months ago my best friend and I met in Charlottesville for a half-marathon (a word to the wise: if the race is called "bad to the bone" or some other scarily descriptive name, it may well be a good idea to avoid it and instead opt for the "flat as hell" race the following weekend). I was supposed to work on one of my submissions while we were there - cabin in the mountains, best friend who knits, hours of productivity, right? But she mentioned that she would like to make the cable-eight top in Interweave Knits in a finer gauge. And the fabulous LYS we visited had Tahki Cotton Classic in a lovely leaf green (por moi) and light orange (for her). So it really had to be done.

We sat around under the covers in our cute little cabin (it was still cold then and we had run over 13 miles, so staying under the covers the next morning sounded like a great idea), and re-gauged the pattern. It was very fun, and the swatch that I made (above) turned out beautifully. Most of all, it was fun to do with a friend.

Even better, we learned some things. Usually, if I make modifications to a pattern I usually feel they make the piece better, or at least better for me. This time the result was simply different. I love what we came up with using a new gauge, but I also had a really fun time "rediscovering" why the designer did what she did.

Originally, I thought that the piece was a bit bulky, and I thought it would look better at a smaller gauge. I also thought that it would be more flattering if it draped, rather than stretching as it is designed. The thing is that the large gauge really does give the cables a much more dramatic look (our version is lovely, but more subdued) and the stretch that is incorporated opens the cables and gives them the figure-eight look that they have (ours have nice drape but the shape is elongated). It was very fun to walk in the designer's footsteps and learn a little about the design.

Anyway, that was my playtime, and just as I aspire to design work, I also aspire to this kind of play. Anyone else have a similar experience during their playtime?

Comments

Thanks for the great footie pattern. They are so cute. I have to laugh at what you consider fun. If someone told me that I had to do the math and re-work a pattern I'd consider it punishment and I'd want to shoot myself!! It's a good thing there are people like you out there for people like me :-)

Posted by: Holly at July 15, 2005 09:02 AM

Your cables are beautiful. Any chance of a chance of the backside? Only a fellow knitter would ask you to show your 'backside' and charged with harassment. ( I am just learning to do cables and wonder if mine are correct, mine look a little wonky on the wrong side.)

Posted by: dragonridermom at July 13, 2005 03:15 PM

Way to go, Julia! I knew you could run 13+ miles. The sweater you are making is lovely and I cannot wait to see your published designs. I am impressed. Please let us all know when and where we can see them when published!

Posted by: jenny at July 12, 2005 06:36 PM

Congrats on your half-marathon! I know what you mean about opting for a "flat-as-hell" race the next time; I'm a triathlete, and I did a half-Ironman in Morgantown, WV a couple of weeks ago. I don't want to hear people around Nashville (where I live) complain about the hills around here ever again! Morgantown has hills that are steeper than what Lance Armstrong is climbing right now in the Tour! Next year I'm going for something flat to see how fast I can go as opposed to going uphill and see how long I can survive.

Can't wait for your new patterns. I love your work.

Posted by: Stephanie at July 12, 2005 02:13 PM

I loved both books you mentioned so maybe you should look into The Time Traveler's Wife. It's my favorite so far this summer...

Posted by: Lee at July 11, 2005 10:03 PM

Is The Kite Runner not a wonderful book! Highly recommended!

Posted by: Jen. at July 11, 2005 09:53 PM

I love the way the cables cane out! Can't wait until I have enough experience to start designing my own stuff. Looking forward to trying out the pattern for the BMG Footies!

Posted by: Faith at July 11, 2005 04:36 PM

Congrats on the half-marathon AND the designs, both requiring lots of fortitude. I did a half-marathon a few years ago and would love to do another. Maybe now that I live where it's flat-as-hell, I'll give it another try. I just have to remember to get a race that has similar landscape! However, have no desire to design my own patterns. Hats off to you for that one.

Posted by: Rachel at July 11, 2005 03:44 PM

I love designing my own things (partially because it always goes faster than following someone else's patterns) but am still a bit ambivalent about the publication thing. If anything I designed ever got knit by someone else I am sure I would change my tune-- it must be quite gratifying.

Posted by: Emily at July 11, 2005 12:51 PM

Lovely cables, lovely color, lovely pictures of Lake George in your previous post! I am so glad that the business is settling down (home stretch! Home stretch!) and very, very selfishly glad that you will be in the 'hood again soon... I can't wait, actually!

Posted by: Mary-Heather at July 11, 2005 11:56 AM

The swatch is lovely, Julia! And it sounds like you have been super productive in a truly satisfying way. I'm still intimidated by altering patterns too much, and I really haven't gone the designing route at all, but it's really inspiring to see other people do it well. :)

Posted by: Carrie at July 11, 2005 11:14 AM

The cables are great...I love how they are offset, and the green is a great color to show them off. I can't wait to see the whole sweater! And wow, you do have a good attitude about the ripping that comes with designing!

Posted by: Anne-Caroline at July 11, 2005 10:58 AM

its great to hear from you on your blog and so inspiring that you are getting so much fulfilment from your designing. i wholeheartedly agree with your call to people to try out the design: if anyone had told me a year ago that i was capable, well i just wouldn't have believed them. be proud of yourself, it sounds like you're really living how you want to.

Posted by: anna at July 11, 2005 05:07 AM

That's so great that already you've accomplished so much. It must be because you didn't call them resolutions ;) I LOVE the look of those cables in that color.

Posted by: Vicki at July 11, 2005 12:51 AM

I love the cables. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Posted by: Amy at July 10, 2005 10:06 PM

I'm awfully impressed and not a little bit jealous. Maybe I need to make an aspirations list. My problem is I'm easily seduced by new projects that end up overwhelming me (sometimes in a good way, sometimes not.)

I really think I'd like to get into the whole designing thing - hell I'd just like to make some modifications. The MATH scares the hell out of me. Seriously - I hate it and it's intimidating and I can see myself giving up very easily.

Great to hear from you - have a good trip out west - I'll be thinking of you this week. Sorry we're missing each other.

Posted by: Cara at July 10, 2005 08:33 PM

You sound immensely satisfied with your aspirations - I can feel your energy and delight in rediscovering the joy of creating and achieveing physically. Congratulations, and good luck! Just think what the rest of the year will bring for you!

Posted by: Alison at July 10, 2005 08:29 PM