Decreasing Dayflower Lace

Okay, let's pretend that two weeks or so have passed since my last post. After a couple of weeks of non-frenzied knitting, the lower portion of my Dayflower Lace top has been completed, and I can't put off deciding how to decrease any longer. Typesetter and I had the same thought, namely that decreasing all at once would create a gathered look, which would have the effect of bunching up the lace, so instead I swatched a single lace repeat and tried various ways of decreasing each repeat from 17 to 11 stitches. (After completing a stockinette swatch to get gauge for the underbust band, I had decided that this would be how much I had to decrease to get the proper underbust circumference.) Pictured at top is just one of the rejects; at the top left of the lace section, the pattern does not maintain the clear faggoting outlines, which I realized were dominant features of the lace.

I swatched a decrease I thought would work, but after working a few rounds, I realized that the "flower" in the center had become boxy and vertical, rather than curving (second photo).

Eventually I decided that the best looking solution was to end the lace pattern on a row near the very top of one of the two "flowers,"  or on Row 6 or 14 of the lace pattern. On the last photo, I've drawn a line across the lace to show approximately where these pattern rows fall. More photos of the final version of the lace decrease in my next post!

And now, a couple of other matters. First of all, I wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions and encouraging comments. I noticed several comments along the vein of "...all of us who have designed have been rejected " (Marnie), "keep working on those designs" (Emily) and "Never give up!" (Edna). It's worth stating that persistence and a high tolerance for rejection are very valuable qualities for a telemarketer...I mean for a knitwear pattern designer! I myself cultivated those traits during a year or two spent writing mediocre short stories and trying (unsuccessfully) to get them published; I've had much better success with knitwear patterns. Still, there can be a sense that you are only as good as your last acceptance, so here are a few helpful things to keep in mind when facing rejection on a regular basis:
1) Even if your design is good and your pattern well written, the magazine (or book or yarn company) may already have three hats (or two top-down raglan pullovers, or six pairs of lace socks) in the running.
2) Your design may be original and beautiful, but may just not fit with the general aesthetic of that particular magazine, etc. etc.
3)  If one entity rejects a design you can always submit it elsewhere, or self-publish it on your blog or website.

On the subject of sketches for submissions, Monica asked in an email, "Did you take a sketch or illustration class? Is there a source for fashion illustration templates?" I did take figure drawing--in high school. And as for templates, I've actually flipped through catalogs or magazines until I found a model dressed in something skimpy or form-fitting (Victoria's Secret works!) so I could see the outlines of the body, then traced it, to get a natural-looking pose for a sketch. If you don't feel your sketches are very good, it's better to keep them minimalistic--faces and hairstyles and hands are usually not required! Clean, simple lines can then be a design style, not a lack of drawing ability.

(Cross posted from Create Along.)

Comments

[tove]

Hi,
I just discovered your blog. I think the dayflower project looks very promising, and I'm looking forward to a pattern when you get there. In the meantime, I'll give the chinese lace pullover a go :). Just have to find the right yarn, and somehow convince my DH that the purchase is necessary...

[MezzoDiva]

I sympathize!

I am so totally obsessed with this lace that I can't escape it. It haunts me: whenever I knit other floral/leafy lace motifs, they invariably just don't compare.

I fought exactly the same battle last summer while trying to create a light cotton sleeveless T in dayflower lace (throughout). Maintaining the motif integrity while decreasing in the lace panels drove me nuts and I eventually gave up (it being winter and time for warmer stuff.

I was planning to try again this summer and just avoid the issue of decreasing in the lace by (cheating) using a deep-V surplice over a couple of pannels from the empire "waist" up. But now that I see (and LOVE!) your design, I'll just wait until you publish and then I'll make yours (esp. if you size it up to 2X-3X).

Keep me in mind if you're looking for test-knitters for your lovely top. I can knit the DFL in my sleep!

BTW - In a failed attempt to exorcise the obsession, I recently designed a sock with the DFL and I got it into Knitty just under the wire. It's my first design for public consumption, so wish me luck.