How to be a knitwear designer

This is where I share blog posts, books, podcasts, vlogs and anything else I've found helpful for professional knitwear design.

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Natalie in Stitches | Teacher and knitwear designer

an ad for fashion by robin schneier with the title, favorite book adobe

Book Review | Adobe for Fashion: Illustrator, by Robin Schneider

The best all-round book for using Adobe Illustrator for technical drawing AND fashion illustration. You'll definitely get the most out of the software with this title.

Lace Sweater Pattern

Cable Sweater Pattern

Design Your Own Clothes

Fashion Design Books

Sewing Courses

Creative Problem Solving

Garment Pattern

Sewing Class

Design Course

A Designer's Life - Natalie in Stitches

Communication Drawing

Knitwear Designers

Sketches Illustration

Visual Communication for Knitwear Design | 3 must-have drawing styles

Visual communication & drawing is important for knitwear design, but there are 3 separate applications: sketches, illustration, technical.

the front cover of a knitwear design book with two cups and yarns on it

One-to-ones for knitwear designers | Natalie in Stitches

If you're a knitwear designer, or work in a related field such as tech editing, grading, or even crochet design, welcome! Here's where you can book me for an hour of one-to-one time.

a diagram with the text what goes into the making of a knitting pattern and who are the people involved?

The Three Lions of Knitting Patterns: The designer, the tech editor, and the grader

Introducing the three people needed to produce a high-quality knitting pattern. Meet the designer, the technical editor, and the grader.

Pattern Designs

Design 101

Surface Pattern Design

Surface Pattern

Pattern Design

Knitwear Design 101: Tessellations and surface pattern design

Tessellations refer to the geometric plan of the pattern as a whole. This post explains how you can create tessellations for knitwear design.

From Needle to Needle | An in-depth series about knitwear design

The From Needle to Needle series is a reference for anyone searching for in-depth information about designing knitting patterns. Settle in!

the case for professional pattern grading why size ranges need plenty of tlc

Hand Knitting

The Future

Investment

The Case for Professional Pattern Grading

Why a collective investment in professional pattern grading is an investment in the future of the handknitting industry.

the cover of an instructional book showing how to knit and crochet with text overlay

Observational Drawing

Design Clothes

Super Powers

Don't Worry

Why observational drawing is a designer's superpower - and a confidence builder

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that observational drawing is the only art skill you'll need to design clothes. The kind of drawings or sketches you'll create in the process of designing your own clothes will help and support you. Please, please don't worry about how 'good' you think they are. They're not destined for a gallery or exhibition. They're there to get you to think creatively and positively about what you want to create.

the instructions for how to sew an apron

Design Solutions

A Design

Problem Solving

Three thoughts about grading

Knitting pattern grading is a design solution with technical outcomes and practical applications. Here are three ways to apply creative problem solving to the grading process.

the knitting pattern for knitwear is shown

Knitwear Design, Pattern Writing and Applied Maths: Decreasing, row spacing, and multipliers

How I approach the maths behind shaping to form neck edges, sleeve caps, and any curved edge that requires the knitter to decrease with several changes of pace or rhythm.

the magic formula for knitting pattern calculations is shown in purple and green, with an image of

MSG: The secret sauce of knitting patterns

Knitters who've tried to customise or design their own patterns will have had a taste of MSG. This abbreviation is how I teach the maths needed for calculations.

Design Of Everyday Things

Don Norman

Special People

Focus On

Favourite Book | Don Norman, The Design of Everyday Things

I love the empathetic focus on humanity, and designing products and systems that work for the people using them, not the other way around. A genuine must-read for anyone interested in any kind of design.