Mer’s Lus pattern was recently published in Pom Pom Quarterly. © Ana Mercedes
At our March meeting, Mer Stevens shared her experiences as a budding knitting pattern designer. Her talk covered many topics, from formulating a business plan, staying true to your own style, and how much a good tech editor can improve your patterns. One of her pithiest pieces of advice to new designers was, “Swatch like a fiend.”
Mer uses Excel to speed the process of creating her patterns–as she said, “Imagine what Elizabeth Zimmerman could have done with Excel!” She also uses Envisio knit charting software but feels it has limitations, so she plans to try the Stitch Mastery program soon.
A few of Mer’s printed patterns were available to purchase at the meeting: Matryoshka mittens, Width socks, and Nibbling child’s sweater (all sold on Ravelry as downloads, as well). I purchased her Good Grades cardigan pattern, which enables the knitter to choose different measurements for the hip and bust, something most sweater patterns do not.
 Nibling sweater © Mer Stevens
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 Matryoshka Mitten © Mer Stevens  Good Grades Cardigan © Mer Stevens |
This mill was owned by the same family from its founding in the mid-1800’s until the 1960’s, and then it was turned into a museum almost immediately, so all the original machinery is still in place. It was especially interesting to see how wool fabric was “fulled” (lightly felted) using water power. The museum complex includes a nice yarn shop, Teaselwick Wools, and we had time to shop there as well as the small bookbinder, gift shop, and art gallery in the same building.