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Episode 35: Updates and Lisa's Favorite Books
170 Plays1 year ago
Lisa gives an update on what’s coming and then shares her favorite knitting/editing-related books.
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Transcript
Introduction to Fibercraft Design Podcast
00:00:14
Speaker
Welcome to Craft, Design, Edit, Sleep, Repeat with hosts Lisa Conway and Nikki Jensen. Listen as we take a deep dive into the business of fibercraft design.
Podcast Housekeeping and Announcements
00:00:39
Speaker
Well, welcome back everybody. I have a couple of little housekeeping things before we get into today's topic.
Nikki's Personal Update: New Job and Childcare
00:00:50
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It's going to be a little bit of a hard one to say that Nikki is obviously not with me today.
00:00:56
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It's not like she's gone forever. Thankfully this is just a temporary needed time off because summer became a bit hard to handle. She's taken on a new quote-unquote day job. She didn't have daycare for her child so she's doing the day job at night so that her husband is with their child and she's with their child during the day.
00:01:24
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Tech editing and all the other things, it just got overwhelming for her and she was really quite frazzled. So we're gonna give her a break and hopefully after school starts in the fall, we'll be back to a more normal schedule with her. I hope this isn't a forever goodbye. I know that I don't think she wants this to be a forever goodbye. It's just life happens and we all know that.
00:01:54
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Had Denise and Tiffany not been around last year when I needed to take time, this podcast wouldn't still exist. So again, thank you to them and thank you to Nikki for keeping me company these last few months. And we'll look forward to your coming back.
Lisa's Travel Plans to Australia and New Zealand
00:02:13
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Second, I am myself going to be taking another pseudo break. I am taking the trip of a lifetime. My husband has graciously agreed to allow me to leave the family behind for a full five weeks. And I am going to go and be live with Wolf and Julie and a couple of others that you have yet to meet.
00:02:43
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Bonnie and Jackie. I'm spending roughly two weeks in Australia and then I'm going to go and spend two weeks in New Zealand with my home base being Julie's home. Thank you very much Julie and thank you very much Jackie for the time I get to spend with you. I'm really looking forward to it.
00:03:06
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So I'm not planning on there not being episodes but the episodes might be either shorter a little more Individual a little more unique
00:03:22
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We'll see what happens. I've got some ideas. I just need to see if they're going to come to fruition. I also at the moment can't even tell you what the second episode for August is going to be. I've had my feelers out.
00:03:38
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with a couple of fairly well-known designers and so far have not heard back. I'm going to reach out to one of them again today to see where they are at with the idea. If that doesn't happen I will come up with an idea where we will sit here and chat and I will get a couple of episodes ready before I leave and then I've got a
00:04:04
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couple of sneaky ideas for while I'm away. I haven't even talked to the people about this yet, so I'm not going to say anything more than that.
00:04:14
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So, with those items covered, let's move into today's topic.
Favorite Books on Design Process: Knitting and Crochet
00:04:20
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Today, Nikki and I had planned on talking about our favorite books. Books that relate to the design process. Books that we use as editors to help us with our work.
00:04:38
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Um, these books are going to be knitting oriented or crochet oriented. There is one crochet book as you know, I'm by myself. So I'm going to talk about my books and hopefully we can get Nikki back to talk about her books later in the fall.
00:05:02
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And I'm not going to talk about actual editing books because believe me, I have a slew of them on my desk, including the MLA
00:05:20
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handbook that's what it's called the MLA handbook that talks about you know how everything should look grammar and punctuation wise but those those you don't interest you at all I'm sure anyway let's take a quick peek
00:05:37
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This will be a short episode at the books that I feel that designers should have on their shelves and If you don't have it on your shelf look for it at your local library Some of these books are readily available through the library and while you don't need to keep them on your shelf every day necessarily
00:06:00
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They are good books to look at and to read through and to check out. So do do that. So we're going to start with the basics on writing patterns.
'The Beginner's Guide to Writing Knitting Patterns' by Kate Atherley
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There is a Bible out there and that is Kate Atherley's The Beginner's Guide to Writing Knitting Patterns. Learn to write patterns others can knit.
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Kate has very graciously shared her years of knowledge as a tech editor with all of us who want to write patterns.
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And believe me, when I decided to become a tech editor and I learned about this book, I was over the moon. I keep my copy handy right here on my desk. I do refer to it from time to time. I have read it from cover to cover. I recommend it to every new designer that I meet. I've even recommended it to a few who have been designing for a while.
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And maybe I'm seeing some things in their patterns that just aren't keeping up with today's pattern writing styles. So it's a great one to have. It's not that expensive.
00:07:25
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It seems to be readily available. I was, I easily found a link to it on Amazon. So check out your local bookstore or your favorite bookstore. If you're not an Amazon fan and pick up a copy for your shelf because it's a wonderful book to have. Another book that I really love.
00:07:50
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and it kind of falls into the category of general knitting knowledge.
00:07:59
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is the folk knitting, the ultimate knitting book. Now I actually own two of the three versions of this book and I don't let go of either one. Yes, one is a number of years old. I think I've got the first and the third version. I've got the most recent version. Is that the third or the fourth? I can't remember. Anyway, um,
00:08:26
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It's good to have both of them in my opinion because they do have some unique information in each that isn't in the other one.
00:08:40
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That's why I keep both. I keep them in different places. The most recent version is the one that I keep near my desk. It's on my work bookshelf that I have next to my desk. And it is one that I pull out when I am designing more than when I'm editing, obviously. But it covers some really good information about shaping.
00:09:06
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For lots of different items not just sweaters but shawls and It goes into detail on socks and mittens and and things like that that And how the shaping is accomplished that is really good information really valuable in my opinion and then the older one has some information on
00:09:33
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Oh, I can't remember now what it is, but I do know that I didn't want to let go of that version even though it's in the other room and I don't grab it as often. So if you can't get the latest version easily and you can pick up one of the older versions in your local used bookstore, do so because there's still really good stuff there. And getting the latest version definitely gives you more shaping type information.
00:10:02
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That is really really valuable when you're designing Talking about shaping is my Probably one of my go-to books when I am Either looking at trying to figure out how a designer has shaped their garments so that I know the math makes sense or when I'm thinking about designing something that has
00:10:33
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Well, sweater, designing sweater. This is really about knitwear and sweaters. And it's one that I pull out when I'm grading once in a while because the math help in it can be really valuable.
Sweater Design Approaches and Sally Melville's Pattern Essentials
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And that is Sally Melville's Knitting Pattern Essentials. Adapting and drafting knitting patterns for great knitwear.
00:10:57
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Now she comes at the shaping aspects of sweater design from the attitude of you want to create something for yourself. So she's not talking about the math of multiple sizes, but the math for the individual sample size.
00:11:23
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Now, if you do your own grading, you may actually create your design and do all your grading and all your pattern writing before a sample is ever net. I do know designers that work that way. It's not uncommon, especially for those who come from a textile design background to
00:11:48
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do all the work of all the math and all the numbers first for all the sizes and then they'll knit or have a sample knitter knit the
00:12:03
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sample size, whatever size they've decided to do. Generally, most designers will pick a more central size if you're working from that standpoint, but not always. And then that proves their concept and that moves them forward. But they've got the pattern completely written to start with.
00:12:25
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Then there's the pattern designer that works more like myself and works out the concept, writes up for the sample, makes sure the sample functions, and then does the math for multiple sizes. But Sally Melville's book can help either one of those types of designers because she's looking at each individual section of a sweater.
00:12:57
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She has basic information on the hips. Then she goes into waist shaping and she spends lots of time on sleeve types and sleeve shaping. And she spends lots of time on various collar types and the shaping of those. She does come at it from the standpoint of a bottom up knitter and a piece knitter.
00:13:24
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but all of that can be altered without problem. And she's got these little math worksheets there that are just really fabulous for figuring out how do I calculate for this shape, the bell shape of a set in sleeve, for example, and how to make that fit the hole that is shaped in the sweater.
00:13:54
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There's really, really good information there. There's really good math tips there. And there's little worksheets that help you actually do that math. So I really highly recommend that one. And it is one that I pull out when I am grading from time to time, just to clarify in my head, if I'm going from this shape in the body to get this slight shape in the sleeve, those kinds of things. And or, you know, for this color shaping, what's the best
00:14:24
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math for that. So I do use it as a tech editor. Now I will say I've talked, I talked about how the two different methods of designing a sweater can be write the entire pattern and all the different sizes then knit or knit and then write all the, write the pattern. If I'm going to be doing grading for a pattern, I really need you to have knit a sample.
00:14:51
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because that is your proof of concept and you don't want to spend the money on me making all of these different sizes to find out that in your sample something didn't work.
00:15:06
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And it can be really important for me to get photographs of your sample, not just the standard photographs you put in your sweater, but photographs of it lying down with the
00:15:25
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tape measure or ruler or something giving me exact measurements of a specific area like your shoulder width or your neck your back neck width or the depth of your V in in a V neck
00:15:40
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Those types of things can be really, really helpful from a grading standpoint because it helps me see the exact measurements of the sample and then seeing it on the body that it was made for, whether that's your own, your child's, your model's, whoever, and giving me detailed information on
00:16:05
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where the ease comes and what amount of ease there is in various places. That can give me really good information that helps me say, okay, if I've got a body that's this shape, you know, it's a pair instead of an hourglass, do I have to modify anything to make this sweater look right and like it matches the sample?
00:16:32
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Because those are considerations that you and I need to work out together. But Sally Melville's book helps me do that because it helps me see the various math that goes into those different places and how to get to those measurements. Some other books that I really recommend
Importance of Stitch Dictionaries in Design Inspiration
00:17:00
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obviously for inspiration, are stitch dictionaries. Collect them, look for them in your used bookstores, look for them in your libraries. Always check out that section of the bookstore when you walk in. Is there something new? Is there something different? Is there something that
00:17:28
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is unique compared to the other stitch dictionaries you already own. And by that, I mean color work, lace, cables, combinations, the one that I keep on my desk. Well, actually I have two Japanese stitch dictionaries, this Japanese knitting stitch Bible.
00:17:56
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and the Japanese knitting and crochet stitches. Those two stay on my desk because they're the newest ones that I have. And then I have others that are in my
00:18:15
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yarn room, I loveingly call my wool room on the shelves in there that I will return to time and time again. They're older books by Mary Thomas. I've got a couple of hers, that sort of thing. But look for the Stitch Dictionaries in all these different places and
00:18:37
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pull out the inspiration that they can provide. Maybe you see a stitch and you think, oh, that would make such a beautiful shawl. Or maybe you know you want to make a sweater, but you haven't figured out, is it plain stockinette? Do I want cables? Do I want lace? Pull out your stitch dictionaries and play with them. And
00:19:01
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Do swatches, especially in the yarn you want to use for the item you want to make. And does this, does a stitch work or does it not work? But having those stitch dictionaries around are the only way that you can just sit down and play and find that inspiration. So gather them where you can and
00:19:27
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hold on to them and regularly pick them up and and flip through them and see what inspires you see what triggers an idea um or if you have an idea what might work within that the confines of that idea a couple of books
00:19:51
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that probably most designers would not think of. Sorry, the dog just attacked me. That's what I get for not having the gate put up. I didn't expect them this hour. Anyway, a couple of books that you wouldn't necessarily think of are by Clara Parks.
00:20:22
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And they're the Knitter's Book of Yarn, the ultimate guide to choosing, using, and enjoying yarn. And the Knitter's Book of Wool, the ultimate guide to understanding, using, and loving the most fabulous fiber.
Clara Parkes' Insights on Yarn and Wool
00:20:37
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While these don't seem like your typical books for designing, what they give you in knowledge for the materials you use in designing can be absolutely invaluable. The Knitter's Book of Yarn talks about all of the various types of fibers and their unique characteristics and how they play out in various types of knitting stitches.
00:21:07
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whether they're going to drape, whether they're going to be warm, whether they're going to
00:21:17
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play well together in blends, all of those pieces. And then, of course, the Nitter's Book of Wool looks at the characteristics of different breeds of wool. And believe me as a spinner, one thing I can tell you for sure, with the thousands upon thousands of various breeds of sheep out there, the characteristics of the wool
00:21:45
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can vary so dramatically that knowing if you want an outerwear sweater that's not going to be close to skin that you want really super warm, which wool works best for that?
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And which wool is the softest, easiest to wear right up against your neck? Because our necks are very sensitive, at least on most of us. Mine is for sure. Which works okay for a hat?
00:22:23
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which will drape nicest in a shawl, that sort of thing. So those two books give you a knowledge of things that you wouldn't necessarily think of off the top of your head when you say, oh, I want to design.
00:22:41
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but they are so wonderful to have on your shelf and to look through and to read pieces of, not necessarily from cover to cover necessarily, but to just know what's in there. And okay, if I want to make this type of sweater, I need it to have,
00:23:10
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a bit of drape, which fibers are gonna be the best for that? Which fibers are gonna work out to give me the kind of drape I want without having to knit too loose a stitch? Or which one is going to stand up to the elements? Which one is gonna keep me the warmest? Those types of things. Those books are really great.
00:23:36
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I have one crochet book on my list, so I'm going to touch on that next. And it's called The Complete Crochet Course by Shannon Mullitt-Bolesby, spelled B-O-W-L-S-B-Y. And yes, I do have a link in the show notes.
00:24:00
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I picked this book up myself as I started out my tech edit career thinking I needed to learn more about crochet if I was going to edit it. And then I have constantly and repeatedly said, nope, I'm not ready to edit any big crochet. Flat items, yes. Even shawls with some shaping, yes. But to do a sweater, I'm still not confident enough in my skills to really say I could do that well.
00:24:25
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And I'm not confident in understanding the, I know there's a difference between how we in the United States write the terms versus how those in the UK write the terms. And I know that the language around it in other languages can be so completely different that I really would trust a
00:24:51
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more competent crocheter to edit my crochet than myself. Nikki actually is very good and I I trust her. And then you all have probably heard Nikki from last year or I'm sorry, Tiffany from last year. She's a fabulous crochet tech editor. So there are those out there that that do a really good job at it. And I'm perfectly happy sticking with my knitting.
00:25:21
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But it is a good book, um, especially for someone who needs, has some limited crochet knowledge, um, but needs more or is just starting out and crochet and might want to learn more. Um, so it is on my shelf. Um, don't get, doesn't get referred to often because as you know, I'm not a crochet or much, but it is there.
00:25:46
Speaker
Last but not least in this short episode is a book that I'd like to talk about not because it affects our designing, but because it affects our love.
'Vanishing Fleece' and Wool Industry Challenges
00:26:00
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We are fiber people. And as a result, we need to pay attention to what's happening in our fiber world. And here in the US, for sure, and I know in other areas of the world, the textile industries are just really going downhill and losing the support that they need to survive.
00:26:29
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And Clara Parks wrote another book that I really want to recommend. It's called Vanishing Fleece. And it's about the dying wool mill industry here in the United States and those who are fighting to keep it alive and what we as buyers and consumers of these products can do to keep it alive.
00:26:56
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It is related to the US industry. I can't say that it applies to industries all across the world. But I do think it's a good look at how we can support industry in our own countries, our own areas, if we're aware of the things we can do.
00:27:18
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And it also gives enough knowledge for you to look for what is the state of the industry in your area of the world. Is this an industry that used to be thriving like it was here in the United States and now it's kind of dying off? Is it a new industry to your area of the world? Is it a staple?
00:27:40
Speaker
In your area of the world what what's the status of the textile industry in your area? what's the status of wool mills and fiber producers in your country and What can you do? to make sure that if it is a dying art That it can come back because we need these industries to stay alive We need these industries because they are good for our world
00:28:10
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So, Vanishing Fleece by Clarif Parks. It's a short book. It's a quick read. It's incredibly impelling. I, rather than purchasing my own copy, immediately went to my local library and said, would you please get a copy of this and put it on your shelves?
00:28:29
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so that a lot of people could take advantage of it, not just me. And they happily picked up a copy almost immediately. And I hope that it's being checked out regularly because it is a book that that it's it's a topic that we need to be very well aware of.
00:28:54
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Well, folks, that's it for today. I, as I said earlier, don't know what's coming.
Speculating Future Episodes and Guest Appearances
00:29:01
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I hope that I can convince one of these designers that I've reached out to, to join up with me in the next couple of weeks so that we can share that with you at the end of August.
00:29:18
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If not, I'll come up with something else to talk about and you'll just have to listen to me. And I hope I'm not too boring. I hope you come back next time and thank you very much for all of your love and support.
Encouraging Listener Engagement Across Platforms
00:29:31
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Feel free to post comments on YouTube. That helps the channel there.
00:29:39
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review us on Apple, that helps us there, or Spotify, that helps us there. We are on all of your major
00:29:50
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podcast applications so listen to us where you're comfortable and let us know how you're doing. Join our Facebook group. The Ravelry group is very quiet. I don't go in there terribly often but I do and you're welcome to join in there.
00:30:09
Speaker
I do check out the Facebook group from time to time. It's pretty quiet, but we'd love to hear what you have to say. Give us a shout at Craft Design Edit Sleep Repeat on either Ravelry or Facebook. Or you can drop us a line and give me ideas at knitdesignedit.gmail.com. Thanks again for listening. Have a good day.
00:30:40
Speaker
Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen and join the conversation in our Ravelry or Facebook groups.