Design Discussion: Three Flowers

This handknitting pattern has three lace scarves. Much like Elizabeth I, it has stitch patterns that are both easy to get in the rhythm of, yet satisfying in the end result. When I worked on this design, I wanted to offer essentially the next step in lace knitting. Edgings other than garter stitch. Don’t get me wrong, I like garter stitch. I use it quite a bit as I think it a versatile stitch. Really, I think the best edging is one which complements the design the best. Some designs need a simple treatment, and some need something more.

For inspiration, I looked again to nature and thought of what I enoy. I love looking at flowers, and I am essentially a homebody. I live in a wonderful old house (100 years old) and live on 2 acres in the city of Fort Wayne. We have a wonderful property, with lots of wildlife. Birds, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, deer. And some really wonderful old fashioned flowers and wild flowers. Pulmonaria, Lilly of the Valley, Day Lillies, Hostas, Flowering trees, wild berries, Lilacs. We have a large Saucer Magnolia near the front of the house.

So I wanted to pick things which were feminine, old fashioned, yet up to date. I opted for three flowers in my yard as inspiration. The Saucer Magnolia, the Day Lillies, and the wild Violets in the yard.

The Saucer Magnolia has large, waxy blooms which appear in early spring. The stitch pattern I used has a large repeat, and makes me think of the simple shapes of blooms on the naked branches. The tree leafs out after it blooms. This is a simple stitch pattern with round shapes, and it is not a fussy pattern which fits the Saucer Magnolia. Stately elegance was the feel I was after. It is feminine, too, and I decided a little ruffle would be a nice touch. I did not want to add your typical pointed type edging as I felt that did not give the feel I wanted. I wanted something that made me think of Mint Juleps, and porch swings. The hospitality of the country, with a bit of stately elegance mixed in. The traditional pointed edgings felt too formal for the feel I wanted, and the ruffled edge gave it the feel I wanted. This design is an example of how something can be inspired by an object and yet not be obviously visible. A very abstract approach, as it deals with how something feels, rather than the shape.

The Tiger Lilly pattern is an example (as is the final design in the pattern) and example of an overall shape being the main expression of the inspiration.  Day Lillies are a bit exotic. Even the wild Tiger Lillies which we see in the country. There are some at the edge of our property, near a narrow trickle of a creek. In this design, what I focused on was not the bloom, but the seed pods. The stitch pattern echoes the shapes of the seed pods, as well as other parts of the plant. The plant also as long stems, and long leaves. This needed a simple border, as I had picked simple, strong shapes. It simply would not have felt like a Lilly to me if it was too fussy. So I trimmed it in garter stitch, which would fade into the background, much as the foliage fades into the background and plays a supporting role to the flower.

The final design, Sweet Violet, is for the wild violets in my yard…sweet, wild, and cheerful. This stitch pattern is the least abstract of all, as the lace pattern really mimics the 5 petaled Violet. This design, with it’s old fashioned inspiration, needed an appropriate old fashioned edging. One that would support the design and not detract from it. I picked a simple edging that has an angular feel to it, as repetition in design elements ties elements together so they look like they belong.

I know I have talked about this before, but don’t be afraid to choose what you like. I sometimes hear talk about “pushing the envelope” in design. I actually have heard this in relation to the choice of edging treatments in lace. If you are choosing garter stitch because you feel that is the best choice of treatment for what you want to do, say or communicate…there is nothing wrong with that choice. You truly ARE pushing the boundaries of design by not putting an “edging” on every piece of lace because that is how it is finished.

Form follows function, and that is true in good design as well. But there will always be personal choice involved. If your personal vision or inspiration for your project feels like it needs something different, by all means make the choice you feel best for your design. I have used the term organic unity before in reference to design choices, and it is one I strive for myself. That point at which nothing can be added or subtracted to a design without affecting how “complete” the design is. A design can have a simple garter stitch border or an intricate edging and have organic unity…it depends on what the inspiration is, what you want to communicate, how you want it to feel. That is the difference between Art and Craft. Craft chooses garter stitch because it is utilitarian. Art chooses garter stitch because as a design element, it supports the design.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene

Design Discussion: Charlotte

This stole was knit out of 2/8 Organic Fingering Weight from Black Water Abbey. The name of the pattern is Charlotte. The stitch patterns are traditional Shetland Lace patterns, and it is worked on a garter stitch ground with a garter stitch border.

The impetus for this design was to introduce knitters who have not done a lot of lace to more traditional types of lace. There is a scarf and a stole in this pattern, and one can start with the scarf and become familiar with working in pattern on both odd and even rows in a more simple version of the stole, and then move on to the stole.

When designing this stole, one of the traditional stitch patterns used had the word spider in the title. So I of course thought of Charlotte’s Web, a delightful children’s book. There have been many analogies between knitting lace and spider webs, so it seemed fitting to name it Charlotte.

This design to me pushes the boundaries as far as what is expected. What is expected is an edging, rather than a simple garter stitch border. In this situation I did not want an edging as I wanted to keep it simple. You, however, may add one if you wish. Sometimes less is more, to me. And I have said before, that form follows function. This is knit out of a weight of yarn that would have been a hap shawl (an everyday shawl). I would perhaps put an edging on it if I was knitting it out of a fine lace weight. But the fingering weight works well with the simple clean lines the garter stitch border gives it. I simply don’t think it needs an edging.

There is a point in any piece of art, where the design has achieved what is called organic unity. It is at that point that nothing can be taken away, design wise, without adversely affecting the composition. It is also at the point where anything that is added is superfluous. This is the point of balance that I strive for.

When making these choices for yourself, only you can decide whether what you are knitting needs “more”. Don’t be afraid to add simple edgings to pieces like this, if you want one. They are simple to learn.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene