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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Not organic vs analytic, but both together that makes success!

It is not a question of organic versus analytic…. it’s about organic AND analytic living in conjunction. Let's continue the discussion just a little more.  There has been much buzz about this and WOW it is clear that crochet designers feel an instant tug toward either the organic or analytic label.  But really, ALL of us have BOTH!  It's just a matter of how you prefer to start creating. As designers, many times we get assignments or mood boards from our buyers.  In that way, it's a more analytical approach.  It's a treat to get to design something completely from within without any suggestion about what is needed.  More often, a yarn company might have a new yarn and have an idea that they need a beginner pattern, or they need a cardigan, or they need an accessory for the yarn band (read: short pattern).  Because of this, we turn to our more analytical side and problem solve... what design wants to be made from this yarn under these parameters? 

Even during the organic approach, the instinctive grab for a yarn in a sea of yarn at the store and it calls to us, "I would make a great spring top".  Our analytical minds are already at work... which hook would be most appropriate? Does this fiber lend itself to being a more open or more closed stitch pattern? Where would I market such a design?

Our analytical parts work immediately during the organic process as I think things like: "Decreases should go on the WS rows" or "I want an even number of rows between increases", or "Choose a stitch pattern that lends itself to the right closure solution... buttons, ties, zippers, etc" and "Yes, but can I write this pattern in less than 4 pages as the magazine requires?"

Even during our problem-solving analytical beginning based on a buyer's needs, we are organic and evolving.  We say to ourselves, "well, clearly, that's not going to work" Rip it Rip it.  Or we get 10 rows in and think of a better way to do it, so we start over.

My point, my friends, is that I, nor anyone else, can label YOUR process.  (You know which one you identify most closely with!).  But to design and write and market a design, BOTH aspects of design have to be present. Crochet designers are SMART and CREATIVE. (Not just one or the other.) I think that would make a great t-shirt.

5 comments:

Kimberly said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post.

CrochetBlogger said...

Really love that you followed up with this great post!

Doris said...

El, so happy that you have put into your own words what went understated between the lines of our conversation.
And...obviously... the back of that T-Shirt should read "Crochet Designers are Obsessive and Compulsive". :-)

Rebecca said...

You've summed it up perfectly. You've given a lot of people a lot to think about. You are a gem to the crochet business!

SAM said...

Nicely said. I so completely identify with the organic method I had not stopped to think how much of the analytical side of my brain goes into my designs. Thanks!