6 Steps to Designing Crochet and Knitting Patterns
Design tips
6 Simple steps
Works for all designs
WIP preview
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As Spring approaches I have developed an insatiable urge to make something new-to-me and my handmade wardrobe. I’ll be pushing my current design boundaries by crocheting a flared, ankle-length maxi skirt with a slit. I've never been a big fan of lighter-weight yarn, but I spotted Big Twist Vista at my local Joann Fabric and Craft Store and was immediately obsessed. The color palettes screamed Spring/Summer ‘23. The yarn chose me, decided I would make it into a skirt, and here we are.
Welcome to my first attempt at crocheting a maxi skirt. In my 5+ years of designing crochet and knitting patterns, I've crocheted many hats, scarves, sweaters, and shawls! I've even crocheted and knitted dresses. For whatever reason, I’ve never made a skirt. Every prior attempt ended in me getting bored with the pattern or I had construction issues.
As I’m writing and looking at my WIP progress, the decision has been made to make a matching top! Sometimes the yarn has a lot to say and I’ve decided to be a good listener. If you want to create patterns from your designs but aren’t sure where to start, here are 6 steps to get you started. You might be surprised to learn that the focus is more on preparation than crocheting or knitting your sample!
1. Draw a Sketch
Everything seems amazing in our imagination, but things become more real when we put them on paper or in a preferred drawing app. Drawing a sketch allows us time to tweak and sit with a design before committing our bodies to the labor of it all. Your sketch should include key shapes and measurements that you can reference whenever you’re ready to make a swatch to draft your pattern. Once your concept has reached its “final form”, begin deciding how you’ll go about making it.
2. Determine Methods of Construction
Will you be making one piece, multiple pieces to seam together, or utilizing a combination of construction techniques? Don’t shy away from seams. Seams help with weight distribution, create a more tailored/polished fit, and sometimes they’re a necessity. Seams also help to counteract the effects of gravity and wear on your work. Consider using elastic, buttons, installing zippers, and/or utilizing other notions that will help reinforce and increase the longevity of your handmade garments and accessories.
3. Make a Gauge/Tension Swatch
What is a swatch? The swatch is a small snapshot of your overall design. You will need to crochet or knit a motif in your desired texture that is at least 6” x 6” /15.2cm x 15.2cm to ensure that your 4” x 4” / 10cm x 10cm measurement is accurate. It will serve as your guide in determining how many stitches and rows/rounds are necessary for each portion of your design. If your design will be made in spiral/continuous rounds (a tube) then work the swatch in the round. If your design will be made flat then work back and forth, turning your work at the end of each row.
4. Block the Swatch
What is blocking? There are multiple methods to block your swatch. Some methods are better than others depending on the fiber content of your yarn. Synthetic fibers and plant fibers usually require heat and moisture (think steam) to effectively block them. Animal-based fibers usually require a lot of moisture. Wet, spray, and/or steam-blocking methods are usually effective. Blocking your swatch ensures that your stitches are more even, relaxed, and set in place; further enhancing the accuracy of your stitch x row/round totals.
5. Take Thorough Notes
All of the details matter. Whether you take notes in a design journal or an app on your phone, you’ll need to keep a record of everything that makes your design come together. Here’s a list of some questions you’ll need to answer and format:
What yarn are you using?
How much yarn was needed?
What size hook/needles did you use?
What other notions/additions are necessary to work/complete your pattern?
What’s the gauge?
What notes about construction and texture need to be considered and/or explained to anyone else who may read the pattern?
Lastly, how does all of this information come together from beginning to end, resulting in a finished project?
To bring it all together, I suggest finding an editable pattern template that allows you to simply plug in all of your information. Pattern templates save time, are easy to navigate, give a professional look with minimal effort, and easy to share or make available for purchase.
6. Be Prepared for Trial and Error
Allow yourself the time it takes to refine who you are as a designer. As we evolve as people, so do our work and our understanding. Go into designing patterns with an open mind, a willingness to experiment, and an enthusiasm to get it right. Frogging and mistakes are bound to happen. Rarely does a design come together without a missed stitch or some messed up math, but your preparation will help minimize headaches! Your design style, delivery, and processes will become more habitual with time.
This is how I took my skirt from a thought to an active WIP. My skirt is made to my measurements vs US sizing standards. I’ve decided to make my skirt in one piece. I’m working from the waistband down to the hem in single crochet. The waistband is a casing of SC BLO ribbing around a 3/4” elastic band.
The main body of the skirt is single crochet in join-and-turn rounds. I opted for the join-and-turned rounds to make the seam a design element and the focal point of the slit. My gauge swatch (not shown) was used to determine how many stitches were needed to obtain multiple circumferences and lengths. If you’ve enjoyed this post and would like to know more about this design/my processes leave a comment below.
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