swatches

I've recently corresponded with a couple of brand new knitwear designers who were wondering about the process of submitting designs to magazines. It's complicated to learn how any new field works, and I like emailing and trying to help them along. I'm no expert, but I figure any information helps. Essentially, most magazines like their submissions to include a sketch, a swatch, a written description of the item, and sometimes other information. For the print magazines, you aren't usually expected to provide a completed design until they offer you a contract.

A knitting acquaintance of mine asked whether I could just sew together all my swatches and make something out of them, but many of my swatches are 3-D minatures. I have no idea if other knitwear designers do this. As a result, I have a box of 'swatches' waiting for new places to submit. Here are a couple of 'swatches' floating around my office. One is an envelope throw pillow--very easy knitting and no big design challenge there. The other? A babushka doll, dressed to look like many of our Eastern European Grandmothers. I have a chador doll too, complete with black chador, to look like our observant Muslim sisters. So, no, my swatches don't easily convert to afghan squares, but I have lots of little odds and ends to play with, if a little one comes to visit. Do you find this interesting? Want to see more? Let me know.