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| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/navona |
Once a week I post interviews with interesting designers about their insights on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed that every designer makes their living in a slightly different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting world.
You can find Linda here and here on Ravelry.
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| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gare-du-nord |
Where do you find inspiration?
My family and I have lived in several countries together as
a consequence of my husband’s job. I find a lot of inspiration in my immediate
surroundings: in the places I have lived and traveled. Another major influence
is vintage fashion. I love all eras and the 1950s and 60s in particular.
What is your favourite knitting technique?
I love working anything seamless! Crescent shawls shaped
with short rows are a favourite as are top-down raglan cardigans.
I try to have as large a size range as possible while maintaining
the essence of the garment and ensuring it flatters all shapes and sizes.
Do you look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?
I love to knit! That includes checking out the many
wonderful patterns out there, I am often in awe of the creativity and
originality of other designers. When I have a new design idea in mind I first
check out the patterns on Ravelry.com to see if something just like it has not
been done before.
How do you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for knitters?
I don’t think it is necessary to “dumb down” patterns for
them to be popular. Sure, a fairly straight-forward sweater design with just a
little detailing may do very well as a lot of knitters will be able to knit it.
However, many of the knitters who enjoy knitting that sweater are soon going to
want to knit more complicated projects, so there is a place for more intricate
designs as well. When designing, I create what I would like to wear and what I
would like to knit. Sometimes that can be very simple: I have published a few
patterns that are very easy to knit and definitely beginner level, or would
make for so-called ‘tv knitting’ for more experienced knitters.
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| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/skyline-shawl |
How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?
It depends on the design. I always knit the first sample
myself and then often use between 3-10 test knitters to work up different
samples. For a recent shawl design I had thirteen knitters test the pattern, we
had a great group and a lot of fun knitting together. The test knitters come up
with beautiful colors, sometimes variations, and provide great feedback to me
during the publishing process.
Could you tell us why you named your business Woolly Mammoth Knits?
I love the history of our craft and from thinking about this
jumped to the idea of how much yarn a woolly mammoth, an ice-age mastodon,
could have produced. Imagine a hand-dyed 60% merino, 40% woolly mammoth sock
yarn! That is how I came up with Woolly Mammoth Knits.
Did you do a formal business plan?
I did not when I first started out designing. I am a bit of
an ‘accidental designer’ in the sense that I did not plan to become a designer
but rather began creating patterns because I could not find what I wanted to
knit among the many patterns that were already available. I think quite a few
designers start out this way these days. When I realized some of the patterns I
had thought up were quite popular I started thinking about designing as a
career and things grew from there. I have since made a business plan, too.
Do you have a mentor?
I do not have a mentor but I have learned a great deal from
working with my tech editor, Katherine Vaughan of Katherine Vaughan Designs.
What impact has the Internet had on your business?
A huge impact! I could not have made knitting my career if
it was not for the Internet. The amount of patterns I publish via the
traditional avenues of books and magazines is such a small percentage of my
work. Most of my patterns are self-published or have appeared in online knitting
magazines such as Knitty.
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| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/peggy-sue |
Do you use a tech editor?
Yes, I cannot imagine how anyone can work without a tech
editor. I have a great tech editor with whom I’ve worked for years for my
self-published patterns and love working with the in-house editors of other
publications.
How do you maintain your life/work balance?
It’s not always easy to maintain a proper balance. I have
young children and while our eldest is in preschool three days a week, our
youngest is just one and a half years old and she is always home with me. I often
work on patterns and advertising in the evenings and am always knitting
samples: at home when I can, in the car (not when I’m driving!), anywhere I can
take my knitting with me.
How do you deal with criticism?
I like to think we all have different tastes and so not
every design is going to be to everyone’s liking. Still, when a pattern isn’t as
successful as I would have hoped, or there just isn’t as much interest in
something you have spent a lot of energy on, poured your heart and soul into,
it can be a little tough. However, I
think knitters are generally good about giving positive and constructive
criticism.
How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?
I wouldn’t be able to support myself solely on knitting, but
my husband and I together make things work just fine. Running a business from home works very well
with my little daughters and we move often, so the knitting is a career that
goes with me.
What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?
If knitting is something you love as much as I do, if it
began as a hobby and developed into an obsession, then why not pursue making
your love your work? My advice would be to design what you love
and to try to create a mix between self-publishing patterns and
submitting design ideas to knitting magazines to get your name out
there.
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| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/in-vino-veritas |
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