I laid out my business direction by asking myself several key questions that ended up forming my business plan. First, why do I want to make clothing out of string and two sticks when I could easily buy commercially knitted garments? The logic escaped everyone else; sometimes even me. I realized that what captivated me was the way handknitted clothing continues to survive and how it ignites a creative spirit in every culture on earth.
Now, how do I narrow my focus to a manageable few facets of handknitting? I have always been fascinated by clothing construction, therefore it was logical for me to focus on garments. I narrowed the stitch pattern options to lace, cables, and colorwork and organized them into the themes: Lovely in Lace, Covered in Cables, and Creative Colorwork. While very manageable, these categories were broad enough to allow lots of room for experimentation.
What type of garments should I focus on? I did not want to lock myself into a single category of garment. I decided on three categories: Country, which is primarily sweaters, Town & Country, which includes jackets, suits, dresses, etc., and Evening, which includes formalwear.
My final challenge was more philosophical: How do I both honor this antique art form and design clothing that reflects the time that I am living in? I decided on the“ 2T” approach for my designs—“ trend with tradition.” I would overlay very traditional stitch patterns onto trendy shapes. I had my business plan.
The next year I worked hard to learn as much about handknitted garment construction as possible. Finally, I designed and knit my first sample line. Customers would try on the samples and have their measurements taken for a custom fit. I would then knit the garments.
Every designer has a different approach, mine is architectural. Precise measurements are at the foundation. I begin with a picture or a sketch that conveys the“ feeling” of the garment— elegant, casual, etc., then match it with a pattern stitch. I then transfer those ideas to a formal schematic. I use the schematic measurements to create the building blocks for the design construction.
“ Remember, a clothing designer is an artist.”
— Shirley Paden
Remember, a clothing designer is an artist. As Michelangelo explained that he could see David inside the block of marble, we see the garment in the ball of yarn. It is the same creative process. Enjoy the journey!