My Life in Stitches: Designing and Knitting Groups

I've made progress on my Spectra!

My life has been really crazy these days. With my novel coming out, most of my time has been spent prepping for that huge event. I’ve spent very little time knitting. I still have four projects on my needles (boo), but my Spectra looks to be the first off the needles. Good thing since I've joined the Westknits Mystery KAL, Rockefeller. But I have a good reason for not making any progress on my knitting.

I’ve decided to try my hand at designing knitwear. I’ve been dreaming of designing for a couple of years, but honestly, I just didn’t feel brave enough or experienced enough to try. Yes, I started knitting in my childhood, but 20+ years passed before I picked it up again in 2008. I am a fast learner, but I felt like I wasn’t qualified as a knitter.

So I decided to bank on my design experience. Since basic art principals are the foundation of other kinds of design (architecture, interior, graphic design), I figured it might provide a good foundation for knitwear design. Besides, I’m not planning to do anything too complicated. That’s not my style. Simple and clean is my preference.

Of course, since I’ve started working on the design, I’ve found four patterns that are similar to my idea. My husband keeps assuring me that my design is different enough from the others for me to continue. Still, I worry about my pattern being too similar and have been looking for ways to change it. I know I shouldn’t be too worried because my design is not identical to any of the ones I found, but I am worried that it isn’t different enough for knitters to purchase it.

In other knitting news, I’ve joined another knitting group, Woodmore Knitters at Wegmans. I’d never been to the Woodmore Wegmans, so it was a double treat. This makes my fourth knitting group (Knitting in Alexandria, Collingwood Knitters, and Wounded Warrior Knitters). One of the things I’ve noticed is the dynamic of the group can be so similar.

For instance, every group has the social person who doesn’t really knit during meetings. In one, it’s Renae. In another, it’s Susan. Another, Belinda. These are the people who talk to everyone in the room but spend very little time working on their project. The social person always makes people feel welcome and loved. So shout out to my social knitters.

Any social knitters out there?