Now, for something completely different! In a way. I’m working on finishing an emerald green lace shirt from Sweater Girls and it’s completely refreshing to be working on something not gray and not wool. As much as I love gray and wool, it’s a welcome change.
Going through my ever-increasing book collection I see Designing Knitwear by Deborah Newton. What better way to start brainstorming about designing new patterns than to learn from the best?
There is a lot of great information in this boom about getting inspiration from outside sources and other textiles, like Japanese prints that she grabs colors and themes from and turns that into a striking sweater. The first section of the book takes about training ourselves to see the potential in everyday objects. “Happily, with my interest in design came an awakening of my sight. This was a very gradual process, which I was unaware of at first. But, with my goal of becoming a designer in mind, I began to scrutinize everything more carefully. Soon I found myself actively involved in seeing things more clearly.” -Deborah Newton
Now, this book was first printed in 1992 so I’ll be the first to admit some of the patterns and garments are a bit dated, but the techniques are still very current. Looking through this book I’m reminded of when I first went through it and was astounded by her motorcycle jacket. It’s knitted, heavily cabled, with contrasting zippers and heavy hardware to complement the texture of the fabric. I was floored. At that time I had never seen something like that, which really showcases her genius as a designer. Someday, I’ll knit one of my own. She took that inspiration from the heavy, almost armor-like motorcycle jacket and recreated it in a completely different medium but tied the two together with the finished jacket’s complex shade and defining profile. She walks us all the way through her design process and gives us the tools we need to start designing our own patterns.
Pick it up on Amazon here…