a style sheet is self-preservation

Patterns need to be correct, but they are also uniquely yours.

Personal style is a thing.

There is always the right way; the way things should be. The fork goes on the left, and the knife and spoon go on the right. Toilet paper under, not over. Babies crawl before they walk. Indent all paragraphs.

I can already hear the arguments coming from people about those claims! In life there are some rules we have to follow, and some that can be left to our own interpretation. It’s the same way with style in knitting patterns. Certain grammar and spelling rules need to be adhered to, for clarity and ease of use, but not as many as you think - most can bend any which way as long as they are consistently done.

Remember that most writing ‘rules’ exist to keep communication clear. So you can write your patterns however you want as long as you do not sacrifice clarity for your knitter, and your tech editor can help make sure that doesn’t happen.

Beat your own path.

Sure, there are standards in place, by the big knitting authorities in the sky, that say your instructions must be this way, must include these symbols, must be structured a certain way. Standards that say what needs to be included in a pattern at all, or what to put first or second or last, what to put next to what. The truth is though, there are as many ways to do these things as we can dream up. As long as the pattern makes sense to the knitter, is clear, and includes necessary information, it’s all good.

This is true of your design and writing process too. There are so many ways to get from point A to point B, and what works for one won’t work for another. What do you do first? Who do you work with and at what point? Do you do some things on paper, or no things on paper? Which things? What comes last? The thing is: what works best for you is going to be what makes you most efficient and most successful.

Same for the writing! Spell the name any way you like, it’s yours. Knitting designs are creative works of art, you can’t think that the creativity jumps right out the window when you go to write it down. Just as the design is a creative expression, so is the way it will be communicated. Who wants to feel boxed in by style standards and parameters that are no better than what you want to do?

Every way is the right way.

You gotta do you. If you like using standard styles, that’s great, lots of people do! If you like some here and there, take what you like and leave the rest. Every designer has their own style, even within standards, and even with processes, and that’s the best! A good tech editor will be sure your pattern is clear, without squashing your unique style and voice. You can have both!

Introducing your own style sheet.

Publishing houses and yarn companies all have writing guides that their contributors must abide by in any written submissions - style guides or style sheets, more commonly. The world of communication has well loved and respected style guides that writers of all professions consult, myself included, both as a writer and an editor.

If you are going to design and write knitting patterns as a business, you want to have your own style sheet that is specific to your brand and your writing style. Essentially all any style sheet is is a list of preferences, how you want things to be done in your patterns. A style sheet acts like a guide and a checklist for you, and your tech editor, to be sure everything necessary is included, and that everything is how you like it. And then you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you write a pattern.

A lot of information needs to be given in a pattern and I tend to think that the more information you can give the knitter, the better. You never know when there may be a brand new knitter buying your pattern, who will need all the details. A pattern has a lot of components that have to be right, and a style sheet that details how you want things to be done is a huge help, a style sheet that gets the information to the knitter in a clear way and that preserves your voice, your intentions.

Ask yourself some questions, and don’t apologize.

There’s a lot of information to convey in a pattern, and a lot of different ways instructions themselves can be written, so a lot of style choices to make! Remember that it’s your work, and communicating it in your voice is going to make it its best. Don’t misunderstand me, it’s tantamount that it be clear and correct, but that doesn’t mean the writing has to conform to someone’s ideal.

If you don’t have a style sheet, don’t sweat it. But start thinking about how you like things, what appeals to you, what communicates your intentions best. If you have a pattern you’ve written that you’re happy with, use it as a template for your writing, and send it along to your tech editor so they can have a sense of your style and check your new work against it.

There are a million little choices to make - here are some examples:

• How do you like to indicate repeats? Does it vary? What are the rules?
• How do you list your sizes and sizing information?
• How do you want your name to be presented, and do you want to include some personal information?
• Do you capitalize all lines, and end all with a period, or not? Do you capitalize anything?
• Will your patterns have one or two (or three) columns on a page? Will there be other special considerations about spacing?
• Do you plan to use both metric and imperial measurements, or are your designs more geographically specific?
• What abbreviations do you use? What do you spell out? What do you make up and define?
• Do you use the same fonts in all your headings? Colors?

The whole point.

We want to produce clear and correct and attractive patterns for knitters. And every designer or design house is an individual with a unique voice, method for getting that done. The creativity and individuality is not only in the design, it’s in the grading too, and in the pattern writing. So please know that doing it your way is the best way.

Get those preferences written in a place - digital document, spreadsheet, notebook, back of an envelope, napkin, or use that pattern you love - to ensure that your writing will be consistent, clear, and correct, and to preserve your biggest asset - your voice.