What it takes to create a knitting pattern...

I have to be honest, this comment/question really set me off and frankly hurt my feelings. But after taking some time to cool down, I’m realizing that a lot of people don’t really understand what it takes to create a well-written pattern. I know I had no idea before I started designing. I thought I would share this in case you would like to know.

To those of you who have continued to support me and the other incredibly talented knitwear/crochet designers in this industry, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We do this because we love it so much. It is baked into our DNA and I know that I can’t go even one day without picking up my knitting needles and thinking about what I want to create and share with you next.

This comment was emailed to me today:


I assume you are joking about the price of this pattern or is there something magic about it


Here is my response:


No, I'm not joking about the $12 price for this pattern. And honestly, I do think there is something "magic" about it. I put my 50+ years of knitting experience, 11+ years of design experience (5 of which were spent as an in-house designer for a major yarn company), as well as a massive amount of time, energy and money into creating this pattern. I understand that you may not be aware of what it takes to create a good knitwear pattern, so I've taken the time to make a list. And this has been an opportunity for me to share this information with other knitters, as I'm sure there are many who feel the same as you, that $12 is too much for a well-written sweater pattern. I thank you for your comment.

Steps To Designing A Sweater Pattern


1. Gather Inspiration

Photos

    1. Online catalogs

    2. Pause the tv to take a photo of the cool sweater the actor is wearing


Swatch a multitude of yarns and yarn combos on different needle sizes to get the perfect fabric


Decide on ALL of the measurements for the sample:

    1. Bust circumference

    2. Hem circumference

    3. Neck width/depth

    4. Shoulder width

    5. Armhole depth

    6. Sleeve circumference

    7. Offer multiple sleeve lengths?

    8. Sleeve length

    9. Body length

    10. Etc.


Calculate ALL of the stitches and rows for each of the measurements listed above


Obtain the yarn - either purchase it, get yarn support from a yarn company or dyer or purchase and dye the yarn yourself


Knit the sample - approx 40+ hours, providing the initial idea goes as planned and it doesn’t have to be reworked


Grading - I typically grade for 12 sizes for a sweater to fit bust sizes 32 - 62 to be size inclusive. This can take anywhere from 5-10 hours, depending on the complexity of the design


Write the pattern - this can take about 4-6 hours


Tech editing - I work with 2 -3 tech editors for every one of my designs to make sure my patterns are error free. I pay a few hundred dollars for a sweater edit

    1. Correct any errors on the pattern caught by the TEs. 

    2. Send it back for their review

    3. Rinse and repeat as much as needed


Photography

    1. Hire a photographer and model - several hundred dollars

    2. Purchase a decent camera, learn how to use it and take photos yourself (what I’m doing now)

    3. Edit the photos to get them ready for the pattern and all of the different social media posts


Release the pattern

    1. Create the pattern page, upload the pdf and photos to Ravelry.

    2. Same for Payhip

    3. Add the pattern to my website

    4. If offering kits, add them to my website

    5. Marketing

    1. Write a newsletter announcing the launch

    2. Create social media content for all of my platforms


Check my list to make sure I haven’t missed anything


Sit back, relax and congratulate myself for a job well-done. And cross my fingers that the knitting world will love and appreciate my new design


On to the next one!

I’m sure I’ve missed something, but you get the idea. It takes a lot to create a good knitwear pattern. And in all honesty, there are probably just a few designers that make a living wage doing what we do. It would be nice if we could be paid comparable to the cost of a sewing pattern - $20-30. Something to work towards.


Thank you for taking the time to read this. It means a lot to me that you care to know what I do and what it takes to do it.

Happy knitting to you!

Shellie


Shellie Anderson1 Comment