INSIDE Crochet | DESIGNER INSPIRATION
Many of my design ideas surface from an interesting stitch pattern.
A Melissa wanted to create the coat equivalent of this wearable sweater that's suitable for all women.
B An original sketch of the gorgeous Houndstooth Coat!
C This tweed-like eff ect became the perfect source of inspiration for Melissa's coat.
D Colour and texture help to defi ne Melissa's fi nal designs.
D
different stitches with different yarn weights and textures. When you add in hook sizing, the possibilities are endless! The key is to fi nd a combination that best defi nes your idea through lots of swatching. I had made an afghan with the treble mesh stitch and knew this would create a wonderful fabric for the Houndstooth Coat!
Colours and fi nishing
This design actually turned out better than I envisioned it, although it was not without its diffi culties! I calculated the yarn I would need, not accounting for the extra amount required for the tails of the weaving, so I ran short. Apart from that, I used some terrifi c yarn by Rowan that had a tweedy rustic texture yet was fi ne enough to give the coat drape and lightness. As for the colour combination, Tabby and Dazzle – well, those two yarns together were just a visual WOW! The tweed style of the coat means that you can experiment with colours, so don’t be afraid to swatch up your combinations. When it came to fi nishing, I must admit I did get a bit stumped. What in the world
E
to do with all those weaving tails? No one would want to weave in all those ends, except maybe me in order to avoid sewing! Fusible interlacing before lining solved the problem because it fused the ends to the wrong side nicely, while providing additional stabilisation.
Avoiding design disasters As a fairly new designer, I still have a lot to learn but I’m having fun doing so, despite a few disasters! One such example was using sock- weight yarn to pitch a very chunky cardigan – disaster! Measuring was another, so when going through the time and expense of making an item, be sure you take the time to do a swatch to achieve the correct tension. Without it, you might curse your fi nished project rather than enjoy it for years to come.
My main piece of advice to aspiring designers (other than to swatch, swatch, swatch!) is to take as many classes as you can to improve your technique and master new stitch skills. Also, don’t be afraid of rejection – it’s just part of the nature of a very subjective industry.
Melissa has several designs scheduled for release in the coming months, as well as a new crochet pattern book in the pipeline – soon to be revealed! Find out more on her blog and website at
www.stitchscene.com, and her Ravelry page ‘stitchscene’.
F
E One of Melissa's colourful experiments ‒ some stripy leg warmers!
F Rustic textures helped to create a wonderful crocheted fabric for the Houndstooth Coat.
G Chunky buttons were the perfect fi nal touch to Melissa's design.
G
www.insidecrochet.co.uk | 51
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