I love learning new skills. Whenever possible I try to add them into a pattern to force me to perfect them. I’m a big believer in learning as you do – I can’t spend weeks learning a new subject. I find that I learn best if I get the most basic of skills and then dig into a project with tutorials and books at hand. This is what I’ve been doing with Adobe Illustrator. Previously I’ve used Inkscape to create schematics for my patterns but there was some functionality that just couldn’t be done on that platform. So I’ve been trying my best to learn how to use Illustrator through schematics. Marnie has got some amazing tutorials here that were a great starting point. From there I started asking people how they do their schematic and I’m finding that everyone seems to have developed their own slightly different techniques. I also found a book that is not exactly the same as the schematics I do but gave me a few good techniques that I had been lacking. So piece by piece I’m building my illustrator drawing skills.

On the subject of new skills, I’ve just added a new tutorial to the website for a Looped Crochet Bind Off. As a non-crocheter this was not one that I tried myself before but it’s pretty easy to work and gives a nice stretchy decorative edge to shawls. I’m certain that someone with more crochet skill could work it a whole lot faster than me though!

Are there any new skills that you’ve been itching to learn? Maybe a New Year’s Resolution? Tell me what they are!