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Episode 46: The Supply List
84 Plays10 months ago
I take a dive (can’t say it’s deep) into what should go into your supply list on your pattern.
Resources
The Knitting Pattern Writing Handbook: How to Write Great Patterns that Knitters Will Love to Make, by Kristina McGrath & Sarah Walworth
The Beginner's Guide to Writing Knitting Patterns, by Kate Atherly
The Basics of Writing a Knitting Pattern, Sister Mountain
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to 'Craft, Design, Edit, Sleep, Repeat'
00:00:14
Speaker
Welcome to Craft, Design, Edit, Sleep, Repeat. I'm your host, Lisa Conway. Welcome to my world where we try to understand the business of knit and crochet design.
Why is a Consistent Supply List Crucial?
00:00:33
Speaker
Welcome back, everybody. Today I want to talk to you a bit about the supply list. I've talked a bit about what should be in every pattern and the supply list can be a bit confusing for some. So today I want to clarify what should be part of the yarn and notions lists of every pattern.
00:01:03
Speaker
One of the most important things is that you need to be consistent from one pattern to the next as to what you put in your supply list. And a great rule of thumb is if you use it, list it.
00:01:23
Speaker
But sometimes that means making sure you have the right detail as well as just that you used it.
Yarn Details: Brand, Weight, and Fiber Content
00:01:32
Speaker
So for example, with the yarn, you should list the brand name and if there is one, the yarn name. For example, I looked up the Lion brand
00:01:48
Speaker
Cotton Bamboo Linen, and that's exactly how it's listed as Lion Brand Collection Cotton Bamboo Linen. So that's the brand Lion Brand and the yarn name, the Cotton Bamboo Linen.
00:02:06
Speaker
then you should list the fiber content. And the reason this is so important is when we go to look for alternative yarns, fiber content plays as important a role in how the yarn behaves as the literal diameter or the weight and yardage.
00:02:27
Speaker
So it's important to know what's in the yarn so that you can look for something similar or comparable or that will act in the right way. If you replace a cotton bamboo with a merino, they're going to drape size and
00:02:54
Speaker
look very different. So picking another yarn that has cotton or linen in it will get the person picking an alternate yarn, something a little closer to the same look as what you designed the pattern to look like.
00:03:16
Speaker
So fiber content, in this particular case, 40% cotton, 35% bamboo, and 25% linen, knowing the contents and the exact percentage of each content, if it's a blend, can really change how that yarn drapes, for example.
00:03:43
Speaker
A cotton bamboo linen is not going to drape the same as a plain cotton. A plain cotton is going to be a bit stiffer, usually. Mercierized cottons can tend to be fairly soft and drapey, but it might not drape the same way as this blend. Obviously, the next thing is to tell people the weight of the yarn as a full skein, right?
00:04:12
Speaker
And hopefully you're listing it in at least grams. Not all yarns list ounces and it's okay to list just grams, but if you convert, um, go ahead and convert the ounces and, and grams, but more and more netters, even American netters are picking yarns based on grams rather than on ounces. So at least list the grams.
00:04:42
Speaker
And then the yardage in meters per those grams and ounces is also an important clue to what yarn weight, and by weight, I mean the diameter of that yarn and how it's going to knit up and what gauge it's going to knit into. That yards per ounce or meters per grams
00:05:08
Speaker
measurement is important to know that you're picking a yarn that really truly is very comparable. So in this case, it was 164 yards or 150 meters.
00:05:22
Speaker
Again, I recommend you list both. If only one of those is listed on the yarn ball, on the ball band, make sure you convert it and let people know because there's a lot of countries and a lot of yarns that only come in meters and only the US uses just yards. So we are the last country to use Imperial.
00:05:48
Speaker
China has their own form of an imperial. They don't exactly use metric in everything, but it is their own. It is not the same. Their inch is not the same as our inch, for example. So make sure you have both the yards and the meters because it'll be helpful for them if they're looking at a yarn that doesn't contain or doesn't list both.
00:06:11
Speaker
And then of course the yarn weight or gauge. A lot of yarns are now marked with a number from one to five, basically one being a super fine or a lace weight.
00:06:27
Speaker
Um, I guess super fine can sometimes be defined as fingering. Don't ask me, um, to a bulky weight. So that number and that weight, fine sport, super fine fingering that also helps describe the yarn in a way that if they can't see that exact yarn, um, they can be comparing it to the yarn that they're looking at and know that they're getting in the ballpark.
Understanding Yarn Behavior: Fiber Content
00:06:56
Speaker
Obviously, they're still going to have to go home and swatch, but if they can get some of the basics in the yardage and the weight and that sort of thing and know that it's comparable, they'll have a better chance at matching gauge once they get home. And then again, I'm going to stress this, the fiber content, because the fiber content is going to determine how the yarn works in the end.
00:07:26
Speaker
So that's that's really important that all of that information be listed for your yarn.
Needle Sizes: US vs Metric
00:07:34
Speaker
Then you're going to list detailed needle information. I highly recommend you list in both US and metric size, no matter where you are in the world. It does, of course, make your
00:07:50
Speaker
American knitters happy to see the US sizes, but the metric size is very, very important because there are metric sizes that US, excuse me, US sizes don't cover.
00:08:06
Speaker
So regardless of where you are, list both. List the U.S. and the metric. If you're only going to list one of those, make sure it's the metric. Because again, that is more precise. And all U.S. needles are now marked with the metric as well. So it shouldn't be a problem for U.S. knitters to find needles in the metric size.
00:08:29
Speaker
Too many of our needles also are foreign made in the U.S. So sometimes they don't even list the U.S. size. They only list the metric size or their U.S. size listing is different from what we would picture the standard U.S. conversion to be. So make sure you list that metric.
00:08:50
Speaker
size for the needle and for my US knitters it's important that you learn those metric sizes and you recognize the difference because there are some brands for example that US2 is a different metric size than other brands so make sure you look at that metric.
00:09:16
Speaker
Um, the length of needle, regardless of whether it's a straight needle or a circular needle, you need to know the length of needle, um, or a double pointed needle. For example, um, you might want them to be using a five or six inch, not an eight inch double pointed needle. If that's going to make a difference in, in how the fabric, um, how much needle is left over on the, as far as the number of stitches on it.
00:09:45
Speaker
Now, what the knitter ends up using, that's up to them, but make your recommendations. So make sure you include the length. Make sure you include the style of needle. Is it a straight needle, a double pointed, or a circular needle? That's an important factor because if you're recommending
00:10:10
Speaker
that something be knit in the round, obviously you want to specify that it be done on double pointed or circular. But if it's done flat, it can be done on a straight needle. So it might be important to include that information. And make sure you list all the sizes that are used in the pattern. So if you use three different size needles for different things in the pattern, make sure you list all three sizes.
00:10:40
Speaker
And it can be helpful for the knitter if you list them either from largest to smallest or smallest to largest, not based on when they're used in the pattern.
Notions: Stitch Markers and More
00:10:54
Speaker
Other notions, obviously, stitch markers. If you used stitch markers or if you think stitch markers can help the knitter, list them.
00:11:08
Speaker
but list how many stitch markers they might need. A lot of knitters will go and gather their notions for that particular project and put each notion in the bag with the project before they ever starts watching.
00:11:26
Speaker
So list how many they need because sometimes they're pulling from a stash of stitch markers and putting it in a separate little notions pouch to put with that project. And it's nice if they can count out that they need one that looks like none of the others and then maybe seven more. Or in a recent pattern that I just wrote,
00:11:53
Speaker
It was one that was for beginning of round, so it had to be unique. Then there were four that marked specific types of increases or decreases, and three that marked the other types of
00:12:09
Speaker
increases and decreases. That way the brain was triggered as to what was going to be done based on the stitch marker. I found it extremely helpful so I listed them that way. I listed them as
00:12:26
Speaker
one for this, four for this, three for this, that sort of thing. If it needs to be a locking stitch marker that they hang off of a stitch rather or off the end of a row or what have you instead of a circular or a
00:12:45
Speaker
solid stitch marker that just goes on the needle that needs to be listed as well so in some cases you might want to tell them you need one of this type of needle or stitch marker and three of this type for example one locking stitch marker three regular stitch markers or whatever
00:13:06
Speaker
Be very specific as to what they will use and whether it's required or whether it's optional. If it's optional, you don't have to necessarily say it's optional, but if it's required for something, you might want to specify required. Do they need waste yarn or stitch holders?
00:13:37
Speaker
And is there a reason why waste yarn would not work as a stitch holder? If it's, if you've got a specific reason why you need a certain type of stitch holder, I can't think of one off the top of my head, but you know, be specific, let them know what kind of stitch holder, uh, tapestry needles or, uh, blunt end needles for weaving in ends.
00:14:08
Speaker
If you're going to direct them to weave in ends or use a needle, it should be listed in your notions. Do they need buttons or zippers? If so, what size? What kind? How many? That can be really important to know.
00:14:35
Speaker
Make sure this list is complete. Make sure if you used it, you listed it. Now I'm going to say here that one of the things I keep thinking about in my head is scissors.
00:14:54
Speaker
Not very often are scissors listed in the notions list, but for some patterns, they tell you throughout the pattern to cut your yarn.
00:15:11
Speaker
If you're going to tell someone to cut yarn, if you aren't that specific in your pattern, you should be that specific in your notions list and say, scissors or some other device for cutting yarn. And don't list something that hasn't actually been used.
00:15:34
Speaker
If you don't specify where to put stitch markers in your pattern, you can list stitch markers as optional if you choose to use them, or you can leave them off altogether. Because you didn't specify in the pattern to use them, you didn't tell them where to place them.
00:16:01
Speaker
They may not need them. This knitter may not want to separate, you know, into the sections to match the chart. But if you say, place a marker here, place a marker there, make sure you list it. So if it's mentioned in the pattern, make sure it goes in the list. If not, think about, is it optional? Do you want to list it as an optional item or do you want to just leave it off altogether?
Recap: Essential Yarn Details
00:16:33
Speaker
So this is another short episode. It's a very short section. But I did think it was important to hit on some of the topics because a lot of times I get questions, especially around the yarn and what needs to be included there. So again, make sure you list the brand, the name, the fiber content,
00:16:58
Speaker
the weight as in ounces or grams, the meterage or yardage, and weight as in the gauge type. Is it fingering? Is it sport? Is it DK? Something along those lines that helps the knitter choose appropriate yarn and
00:17:24
Speaker
Obviously more information on that will be gained in your gauge section as well, but don't forget that fiber content. And you may even want to say the sample project used X specific amount, but you also, I forgot to mention, will be listing how much of the yarn they need to buy.
00:17:51
Speaker
So if they need one skein that uses 100 and you used 110 of that 164 yards, for example, you can say one skein and then sample used approximately this amount just to give them an idea.
00:18:11
Speaker
of how much they should have left over or if they know, for example, they're a loose knitter, they might want an extra ball or an extra ball set aside at the yarn store in case they needed that kind of thing. So be specific and we'll come back at you next time.
00:18:30
Speaker
I will be chatting with Gary Boston, another of our AIDS lifecycle volunteers and fundraisers who has recently dipped his toe into the designing arena. And we learn more about that.
Closing Thoughts and Next Episode Preview
00:18:49
Speaker
So have a great day. Happy knitting.
00:18:58
Speaker
Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen and join the conversation in our Ravelry or Facebook groups. For show notes or knit tech editing and related services, please visit my website at arcticedits.com.