About a year ago today I submitted my first design to Vogue Knitting Magazine.
My mum was a huge influence on deciding which design idea to submit. She reminded me of this scarf I “designed” when I never even thought knitwear design could be an option for me. I used to knit for pleasure only. I would go through fazes of intense knitting, to nothing, often I would just make up a pattern. If you can believe it, there was a time when I didn’t know how to follow a pattern for a garment or accessory, I would choose a stitch or cable from a stitch dictionary and just make stuff up; sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. My design process was never technical, I just did it! And, I never imagined making a living off knitting…obviously I wasn’t addicted…yet.
Years later, mum sent me this photo, and said “remember this?” Well, I hardly recognize myself…but I certainly remembered the scarf!
An illustration and a swatch later, I redesigned an oldie into a newie!
I sent my submission in and waited…and waited…and waited……..
I am pretty sure it was 3 -4 or maybe even 5 months later Vogue actually got back to me. I swear, that might have been the most exciting day of my life…well, one of them, that’s for sure!
Vogue sent me the yarn, twice; it got delayed and the deadline was tight. But when it arrived, it felt like Christmas! I knit frantically in less than a week, sent it off the completed scarf and then waited…waited…waited for the magazine to arrive in my mail box.
Vogue Knitting, Fall 2014 magazine finally arrived and seeing my design, #09 Celtic Cable Scarf, styled on the pages of my favorite knitting magazine was the most exciting day of my life…well, another one…that’s for sure!
2014, photo by Paul Amato for LVARepresents.com
The Knitty Knitty Gritty 