Design Topic: How Do You Design Clothing?

Dear users, dear authors,
how do you design clothing? What do you need to keep in mind?
Let me know.

Yessss, I’d love to know that too!
I always admire the authors for all their ideas, creativity, and perseverance!

For me, measurements come first. I need to know who I’m designing for and what size they are.

Once I know that, I start by sketching out what it should look like.
I write down the measurements right away.

Then I pick out the right yarn and color combination.

And then I knit or crochet a gauge swatch to at least get the width right.

Only then can I start knitting or crocheting. For me, the preparations and calculations often take more time and patience than the actual knitting or crocheting itself. Often, while I’m knitting, a different color combination or pattern emerges—one that’s even prettier than the one I’d chosen before.

And the ideas for it? Dreamed them up? Googled them? Seen something similar? 

Yes, I do it exactly the way Monika described.
But it’s even better to wash and dry the gauge beforehand (and maybe block it too, depending on what you’re knitting or crocheting), because some materials stretch or lose their shape, while others shrink. Since I didn’t do that at first, my first cotton sweater turned out to be an unsightly sack ;)

Yes, that’s definitely a good idea when it comes to washing. I often use yarn that I’m already familiar with, so I know how it behaves after washing.

By the way, my design ideas usually just pop into my head out of the blue. :-) 

I envy you for having this skill. How wonderful it is to be able to make money from your hobby, your vocation, too. 

Thanks, Anja! :-)
Yes, I’m really into it too—I only discovered it a year ago. Of course, I’ve had this hobby for a while now.