On Pattern Format
I may not be ready to publish a book any time soon, but it won't be long before I'll need to publish a new pattern. I'm not happy with any of my former pattern layouts and hope to start working on a new style and format with my next pattern. Working in pdf form has some drawbacks, but it also creates opportunities. It keeps my distribution costs low and also takes away the constraint of printing costs. My patterns can be as long as they need to be and I intend to take full advantage of that fact.
I was very disappointed to see Interweave Knits change their layout. Especially the elimination of the extra-large photos. My new patterns will feature as large a photo as I can muster, hopefully full page in most cases.
I am also contemplating creating a completely new instruction style. Since space is no constraint, each complete thought or instruction will have it's own line. Though this will look very different from the squished instructions we all are used to reading, I hope it will make navigating a pattern much simpler. I'm also toying with the idea of check boxes next to each instruction line. So that you can "tick" it off when you are done. I see two kinds of problems arising if I add this kind of "convenience": errors and repeats.
Most knitters have probably encountered the problem of making multiple mistakes on the same section of a pattern. Checked boxes can be confusing after you've ripped something out five times. ("Now, where exactly am i?") However, on simple patterns or ones where you don't make errors, check boxes could be a great convenience for neatly keeping track of your place in the pattern.
The other problem I foresee is in handling the inevitable instruction repeats. Our friend the asterisk. Most of us use some kind of tick method for keeping track of repeat, but how do you incorporate that into a pattern? Maybe check boxes at the end of the instruction for repeats? What would this look like? Would it be helpful, or just confusing.
There's one other major point of consideration I haven't quite decided on and that is page size. Many knitters seem to really appreciate the 1/2 size patterns, the ones that are the size of a standard sheet of paper folded in half. This style/sized pattern is very easy to tuck into your knitting bag. And the patterns seem to stay in better condition for longer as a result. But I see some drawbacks to this method. It requires more work from the knitter, they not only have to print the pattern out, but now they have to fold it too. Not a big deal, but still worth considering. Of more concern are the instruction layout and photograph issues. Cutting the printing space of a page in half is serious and could possibly make reading the pattern more difficult especially if there are lots of technical diagrams. I really feel torn about this issue and expect that experimentation will probably help me decide on the best route.
Finally, there is type set. I think I need to find an easy to read but more unique-looking font. I think this would help "brand" my patterns as well as help them not feel so much like newsletters from 1992.
As I am in the home stretch of knitting my sweater prototype, I have been thinking more and more on these issues. Believe it or not, I find it really enjoyable to consider all the possibilities. Sizing my pattern scares me, but I get the pleasure of sorting out all these issues while I work through the numbers.
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