I'm making my first knitting pattern
I have been making my first knitting pattern. It's for a cup coaster, and I'm pretty happy with it so far. The idea of trying to make a knitting pattern myself has been percolating for a couple years. I have enjoyed being part of Fasten Off Yarnalong (FOYAL) every year, and how inclusive that community has been. So many great designers who are just super nice people. I felt like it would be fun to make a knitting pattern too.
The coaster was something I had a personal need for, so it seemed like a natural first knitting pattern to make. I tested several yarns and needles before I found what I wanted. Basically, I was never someone who cared about coasters until I married someone who cared about them. Then we had a variety of coasters over the years that I found annoying in various ways. Metal coasters, cork coasters, wood coasters. They all have the same problem, which is that the condensation and spills stick to the coaster and so when you pick up your cup, the coaster randomly comes with it and falls in your lap or food or on the floor. We had stone coasters at one point, and they were okay I guess. Anyway, I decided there must be a yarn that solves this problem. And after a few tests, I think I finally found the yarn that works for me.
I'm still working on the pattern file itself. I want to have a low visibility version in addition to the regular one. I also thought it would be nice to offer a markdown version so people can use it like a checklist in Obsidian or other markdown readers. It's been a learning experience going through the process of trying to make a pattern. I've been treating it as if it's a complex pattern, so I will try to have it tech edited and tested, just to see what that's like. Hopefully eventually I'll have it ready to put out in the world for free. I'm still deciding where I'll put it up. Probably here on my website, on Ravelry, maybe on Ko-Fi, maybe on LoveCrafts. Not sure, but anywhere I can put it up for free for knitters and free to me.
Ok but why is this post tagged with video games? Well, I also write video game guides on PSN Profiles as a hobby. It's been interesting actually how similar it feels to write a knitting pattern as it does to write a video game guide, haha. When I'm writing a game guide, I'm basically troubleshooting and testing and making notes and retrying things. Writing this knitting pattern was the same. Trial and error. Except with video games, I'm testing someone else's game, and with my knitting pattern I'm testing my own idea. Ive enjoyed writing game guides for over 7 years, and I'm thinking that knitting patterns will be another fun hobby and creative outlet.
Here's my coaster.
