For those of you knitters/crocheters I really hope you know all about Ravelry! If not, please take the time to check it out. Quick summary - it's an online pattern database. I'm talking thousands of patterns (upwards of 450,000!) There are also wonderful forums where you can get answers to any questions you may have, suggestions on patterns to try out, wonderful information on new techniques, and more. There's a lot more to it but I'm limited on space for this post.
Currently there is a group on Ravelry hosting what they are calling: Indie Design Gift-A-Long 2014 (or GAL). So what exactly is the GAL? All of the information can be found in the Announcements & Map thread in the Ravelry group.
Today I am hosting a "Designer Take Over!" featuring one of the 200+ designers participating in this years GAL.
Taking over the blog today is the wonderful Triona Murphy of Triona Designs. Browsing through her patterns I'm amazed by how she take a simple, clean design and make it seem so stunning elegant. And she has a great collection of all different types of patterns. She has things for any and everyone! Baby items, adult sweaters and tops, hats for all ages, fingerless gloves, and more. Triona really has it all.
When did you first start designing?
"I released my first design in the summer of 2011, so about 3.5 years ago now."
What inspired you to design?
"I had a store-bought sweater I really liked in theory, but the execution was lacking. I got the idea to try to design a better version of it an ended up with something that barely resembled the original, but I loved it! I posted a project on Ravelry and got enough comments saying they'd buy a pattern that I thought I'd give it a shot. Because I don't like to do anything halfway, I spent a few months reading through a whole bunch of sweater patterns and design books to figure out how to word the instructions correctly. That design did really well, and I had so much fun creating it that I never looked back!
Triona's designs remind me that you don't need to go crazy when designing. She's great at creating a big effect while keeping it classic. Let's get a closer look at one of her patterns!
Dream A Little Dream
"A fitted sweater with fun, mock cable details! It's simple to execute (top down in the round, easy mock cable pattern), but it's flattering on many different body types and has enough interest to be a fun knit."
Want to make one yourself? Click the picture or the pattern name and be instantly transported to the pattern page on Ravelry!
Here's what you'll need:
- US 5 (3.75 mm) needles and US 6 (4.0 mm) needles
- "Fingering or sport weight yarn at a loose gauge. Because it's a loose gauge, you don't need as much yardage, so it's a good yarn stretcher" (900-1750 yds depending on size)
Want more from Triona?
Let's talk about your design process!
"Just about everything inspires me! I take pictures on my phone of everything interesting that catches my eye, whether that's someone's cool sweater or a geometric tile pattern. I usually start with a loose idea of the type of garment or accessory I want to make (a fitted sweater with cables, for example), and then I spend a good amount of time flipping through my stitch dictionaries, sketching, and swatching before I come up with something that I like."
How would you describe your design style?
" I like to describe my designs as classic with a modern twist. Often that modern detail is the fit since today's sweaters tend to fit more closely to the body. I like to experiment with shaping and detail placement for body-flattering fits on a wide range of sizes.
Triona's designs remind me that you don't need to go crazy when designing. She's great at creating a big effect while keeping it classic. Let's get a closer look at one of her patterns!
Dream A Little Dream
"A fitted sweater with fun, mock cable details! It's simple to execute (top down in the round, easy mock cable pattern), but it's flattering on many different body types and has enough interest to be a fun knit."
Want to make one yourself? Click the picture or the pattern name and be instantly transported to the pattern page on Ravelry!
Here's what you'll need:
- US 5 (3.75 mm) needles and US 6 (4.0 mm) needles
- "Fingering or sport weight yarn at a loose gauge. Because it's a loose gauge, you don't need as much yardage, so it's a good yarn stretcher" (900-1750 yds depending on size)
Want more from Triona?
She even has a blog linked to her website! visit it here
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