Hello Beautiful Fiber Friends!

Today, I’m pulling back the curtain to share my design process for creating knitting and crochet patterns. Whether you’re a fellow designer, an avid maker, or simply curious about what goes into creating a pattern, I hope this glimpse into my personal workflow inspires you.

My journey as a designer has been shaped by years of studying Fashion Design, with a focus on knitwear, at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC and Polimoda in Florence, Italy. Along the way, I’ve had the opportunity to work in the fashion industry, collaborate with yarn companies, and create patterns that I hope will inspire and empower makers of all shapes and sizes. They say every stitch tells a story, and I’m grateful to share my journey with you. Unfortunately, this newsletter subject was sparked by a topic of discussion recently plaguing the knitting & crochet community: unauthorized sharing of paid patterns and its impact on designers like me. As of late, a Discord channel has been freely sharing paid patterns, and in doing so, have violated copyright laws that protect independent designers like me.

When you purchase a pattern, you’re not just getting a set of instructions, you’re supporting the creativity and passion that go into each design, not to mention the hours of trial and error, interviewing yarns, size grading, sample making, photography, photo editing and perfecting the pattern layout and instructions for the downloadable file. Last week, a YouTube Vlogger reached out to let me know they accidentally shared a free download code from a pattern collaboration I worked on. This was an honest mistake, but one that resulted in 20 of my patterns being downloaded for free. That’s a $200 loss, an amount that might seem small to some, but for me it’s my main source of income and the difference between providing and not providing things for my family.

Unauthorized sharing of pirated patterns makes it harder for designers to continue creating. If you love a pattern, please support the designer by purchasing it directly. If cost is an issue, many designers (myself included) offer discounts, free patterns, or pay-what-you-can options. All you have to do is reach out. Let’s continue to work together to foster a community that values and respects the hard work of creators. I thought by seeing how much work actually goes into creating a pattern and bringing it to life, it may foster a bit more respect for the art form. So buckle up buttercups…

Inspiration

Sketches

Once I have an idea, I grab my sketchbook and start doodling. As a designer, sketching helps me visualize the shape, structure, and details of the design. I ask myself questions like:
**• What kind of garment or accessory is this?**
**• What stitches or techniques will bring it to life?**
**• Who is this design for, and how will they wear it?**

This stage is all about exploration and play.
Shown to the left are the sketches for the “Frostina Poncho and Ember Cowl”.

Swatching

Writing Up the Pattern

With the design and swatch finalized, it’s time to write out the pattern. This involves breaking down the design into clear, easy-to-follow instructions. I aim to make my patterns accessible to makers of all skill levels, so I include detailed explanations, charts, and photos where needed. I will then send it to a tech editor to grade if the pattern is a garment or work on grading it with Dani. I also test my patterns rigorously, either by knitting / crocheting them myself or putting out a test call and sending them to a trusted group of test knitters. Their feedback is invaluable and helps me catch any errors or confusing sections before the pattern is released.

Photography

Formating, and Publishing

Once I get all the feedback from the trusted pool of testers and amend any mistakes or pattern updates, I will send it back to the tech editor just to have a second set of eyes on it. After it comes back, the pattern gets edited, schematics get illustrated and created, formatted and turned into the gorgeous pdf. that gets uploaded and purchased. Once complete, a pattern listing is created and it then gets uploaded it to my website, Etsy and Ravelry.
Publishing a pattern is always a mix of excitement and nerves. It’s a vulnerable feeling to put your work out into the world, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to see knitters bring your design to life and also make it their own. Shown left is the formatted page and schematic that I created for the “Frostina Poncho “ pattern pdf.

Marketing & Social Media

Publishing a knitting or crochet pattern is just the beginning. The real magic happens when you bring it to life through marketing and social media! From sneak peeks and teaser posts to behind-the-scenes videos and engaging launch-day strategies. Sharing your creative process builds excitement and connection with your community.

Whether it’s a Reel, Story, Tik Tok, Bluesky post, newsletter feature, collaboration with testers and or hosting a fun make-along in community with makers, every touchpoint turns your pattern into an experience.

In conclusion…

Designing knitting and crochet patterns is a journey filled with creativity, challenges, and joy. I’m so grateful to be part of this vibrant community and to share my passion with all of you. I’m also so grateful to all of you who have been on this journey alongside me, cheering me on, purchasing a pattern, a box, joining a make-along or even just sending me a message of hope to help me keep forging ahead when I’ve just wanted to give up.

Please let me know if you would be interested in me sharing my resources for inspiration, graphic design and also for design and trend inspiration. Thank you for supporting independent designers and for being part of a community that celebrates handmade creativity. Let’s keep the stitches flowing and the inspiration growing!

Until next time friends…

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Sending Love!

Xx Vanessa

A Look Behind The Design Curtain…