A second swatch, overload continues...

The last time I wrote I told you that I'm designing a simple, slightly 3d, cowl. My nickname for the project still is 3d cowl. The finished object will be somewhat Elizabethan, but since ravelry is full of cowls with names like that I'll have to think of something else. I actually started writing the pattern already even though the details aren't decided yet. Despite that writing it was very pleasurable. I also drew a picture of the cowl and noted down all the parts that need to be considered - designed, if you will. Looking at the drawing makes me slightly anxious. At least I've chosen the yarn, the Finnish staple 7 veljestä (7 brothers) again. I used that for the mittens I finished at the beginning of the week. 

However I'm also planning another cowl, with another type of a 3d effect. That one doesn't have a real name either, so I call it "kohokuviokauluri" in my head (Finnish for embossed shapes cowl). I have real trouble focusing on a single project at a time (so many ideas to note down, and so many noted down ideas I could focus on and develop ideas for garments from...), but to my surprise I've actually been able to make a swatch with 4 different possible shapes for the kohokuviokauluri. I learned Japanese short rowing for this swatch, reading the fabulous tutorial by nonaknits. I've been wondering about whether it's possible to knit a few rows with only one turning point (makes a hole larger than 1 row) and based on my swatch I think that it does work.

I'm wondering how much of the details of my designing projects I'm willing to share here. I guess I'm somewhat afraid of someone taking my ideas and claiming them as their own. I'm really still learning this designing thing, for me it's progress to actually work on swatches. And now that I need to create another swatch for the 3d cowl I'm procrastinating like hell on it. I'm realising that swatching is just the first step, that decisions to be made actually crystallise in your mind after a successful swatch... Another thing that I noticed when knitting my swatch was a momentary loss of all faith in my ability to design something beautiful. I felt like I can't trust my own taste. Now I'm thinking that I'll just live out that sensation, and maybe ask my boyfriend and other friends for feedback... This is the swatch I've worked on the last 2 days, suitably unclear to ease my mind: 

What do I do when I procrastinate? Amazingly, knitting holds my attention almost all of the time now. So I search the internet, especially ravelry, for new knitting ideas, and take out books from the library and search for interesting techniques I could try or modify to use in one of my projects. These couple of days I have: 

- received the book Knitknit from the lovely people at bookdepository

- borrowed the following books from the library: Poetry in Stitches, Knitted Sweater style inspirations in color, 2 Finnish sock books (Sukkasillaan and Suomalainen sukkakirja), Sticka med färg och tradition (a book about Scandinavian knitting in Swedish), Vogue knitting designer knits 

- been all over the internet, loving especially Liz Collins' and Teva Durham's designs

Whenever I use these materials I usually make notes in my sketchbook about things that interests me and that I think I could use somehow. Here's a glimpse into my messy book world: 

I have a billion ideas for garments I'd like to develop at some point. (Maybe I'll even make a list here, but not today). I guess that I do have knitting-related dreams. Before the end of the year, preferably within a few weeks, I'd like to have my 1st pattern out (the 3d cowl). I will most likely offer it for free since I don't feel like learning all the ravelry/paypal details just now. I feel like there are a billion things to write about as well, so dear reader, bear with me as I try to give myself opportunities to share my thoughts with you.