Dawn Brocco's Life & Design Blog

I spent yesterday plugging along at reformatting my 60+ patterns. I had changed my signature font and color in my logo awhile back, and changed the website and any new patterns published since then, but haven't had time to redo all the older patterns.

Also, since having changed the line spacing to 1.5 in the most recent Gazette issues, I really like it - the text is far less crowded and is easier to follow. So, I'm redoing ALL my patterns in the 1.5 line spacing. Ufda. Worked at it all day yesterday and I only got 6 or 7 patterns done - as there's several text pages, a cover page and usually, separate chart pages for each design. I've got 50+ patterns to go, though!.....

I've been working on more CIC vests, as well. Have one almost done using 3 strands of Bartlettyarns 2-ply on the same 13's I've been doing all the vests. Haven't done the edging yet, but I think, for this batch of vests, I'll do all the bodies first, then crochet all the edgings later.

I had some superwash wool sport and DK yarns I bought for yarn reviews for the Gazette. They've been sitting here doing nothing, as I don't use superwash personally. So, I wound up balls using 4 strands of each and started another vest. I should have enough for 2 superwash vests. Superwash wool yarn isn't at all a requirement for the washing environment these vests will be going to, but the yarn is better used and worn by someone than just sitting here forever.

The only Lamb's Pride I have left after doing that first batch of 8 vests is beigey, browney, murky colors. But maybe I can find a fun way to use them so the vests don't look boring and dull. I do have some Top of The Lamb Sport in some colors that I could triple or quadruple and insert brighter stripes in with the beiges and browns. Yeah, sounds OK. I'm not likely to use the sport wt yarn any time soon, anyway. Every designer has a yarn wt. which they find to be perfectly comfortable to knit. For me, it's aran or heavy worsted wt. 4.5 sts/1" is what my hands like and I usually get that with US 8's.

This is the basis for much of the work I'll be doing this year, both in finding yarns to dye, which will be used in the kits I'll be making up and for the new design collections I'll be doing.

I know which yarns I want (though am having some difficulty in attaining them just yet!) and have another 2 yarns I am considering - am just waiting on samples to come in. My plan is to have designs which can be worked equally well in any of the yarns I'll have, so no matter the fiber softness preferred, there'll be a yarn option available for knitters in a range of prices.

I think this should take care of the problem some of my older designs have had in that, if they were sampled in too rustic a wool yarn, the design just wouldn't sell well, even if it was a nice design. It's certainly more work to make up more samples for each design, and I'm certainly not crazy enough to knit up 5 or 6 samples per pattern, especially sweater samples! But large swatches in the alternate yarns will do just fine.

It's an ambitious plan, I know, but every designer needs to find a niche, and a marketing method for their work. What works for one designer won't necessarily work for another designer.