Ideas, WIPs and Rips

  I shared a bit of my craziness design process in the last post, and I'm back with an update. Even though I need to be finishing that stitch tutorial I started, despite having a pile of WIP's, instead of publishing two patterns that are waiting, and against my promise of no new projects, I can't stop hooking up designs with the Boutique Unforgettable that I picked up.


  I can't help it. At first, the color called to me and I couldn't wait to work with new yarn. Once I started, I couldn't stop. Idea after idea rolled out of my mind, so quickly that I can't really keep up with them. But one main thing is sticking in my brain: Each new color I work with is inspiring a story as I daydream over the changing shades. So even though that last design was pretty, it didn't fit in with my story... Ripping back was needed, and I'm happy with the results.


Red Heart, Boutique Unforgettable, yarn, multicolored, shawl, crochet


  So, does that prove how weird I am? Yarn colors have re-ignited my old passion for writing fiction, and I've been daydreaming up plots while I crochet. I don't know what made the gears turn in that direction, but the machine is running and I can't stop it. Strange or not, I want to write out the stories that have been forming through the design process, and publish them along with the patterns.


  It's not a new idea - I've seen novels that include craft projects or recipes along with the read - But I think mine will just be simple, short stories for the crocheter to get a glimpse at what inspired the design. Again, maybe not a new idea, but a format I haven't seen yet.


Red Heart, Boutique Unforgettable, yarn, multicolored, shawl, crochet


  Maybe when most people look at that design, they see color-changing lace. I see the story that I was daydreaming up; each row a mathematical equation with a reason behind it. Maybe it's a bit of craziness, but it's crazy-cool to me. This is the reason why I don't need to watch television.


  Now, I'll stop rambling about the inner workings of my brain, and just get back to a simple crochet topic. Ooo, pretty colors, finally in the places I want them! Adjusting the stitch count and length of the rows stretched those color changes out just the way I hoped. And look how far I got with all that yarn left over! No second skein needed.


Red Heart, Boutique Unforgettable, yarn, multicolored, shawl, crochet


  It's still a work in progress at this point, but I think I'm on my final row. Maybe I'll make a border up the sides; maybe I won't. Right now, I'm stuck on how I want to end that last row. You know that mathematical equation I mentioned? It worked for the increasing rows, but I can't get it to work out right for an edging. So I'm playing around with different counts that fit into the story:


Red Heart, Boutique Unforgettable, yarn, multicolored, shawl, crochet


  And then it will be done! Well, wait; no it won't be done, because I still have to write the story to go with it. And there's always the weaving of the ends, which my brain loves to skip. Oh, forget all that and just have another pretty picture of this project:


Red Heart, Boutique Unforgettable, yarn, multicolored, shawl, crochet


  And then I'll need to get a dummy to put this on for some display pics, unless I can get The Other Half to help with me as the dummy... But ugh, I hate modeling things. I know one thing for sure: This beautiful design deserves more than being draped over a table:


Red Heart, Boutique Unforgettable, yarn, multicolored, shawl, crochet


  But I think that gives you an idea of how it will look when worn. Except, people's backs aren't flat like a table... Oh, what a mess! My brain decided to spit out all this wonderful goodness, and I don't have the means to display it properly! I'm just going to calm down, go play with pretty yarn, and worry about that later. I don't want to get too distracted and miss my date with those fairies in the woods.


  And then I'll have to turn everything into a PDF, remember how to use Ravelry, and promote the pattern. I might be taking some more breaks in the future, so that I don't get overloaded with the extra work. I guess I can't complain about finally getting over that designer's block, but I don't know why it had to happen in such a rush.

:)
Happy Crocheting!

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