 |
| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ruby-spice-cowl |
Once a week I post interviews with interesting people about their insights on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed that every one of these individuals makes their living in a slightly different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting world.
You can find Elizabeth here and here on Ravelry.
 |
| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/woods-road-vest |
Where
do you find inspiration?
Just
about everywhere I’d say! I’ll often get inspiration for one design from a
number of different places, and the combination of those things results in the
final design. Living in the Portland, Maine area is really inspiring to me—not
just the landscape but the vibe and culture of Portland. When I’m brainstorming
a new design I’ll often be thinking of the fashion aesthetic we have in this city—a
combination of rustic meets downtown—being fashion-forward but also having a
very natural and rustic feel.
What
is your favourite knitting technique?
I love
seamless knitting, so any technique that enables this is one that I usually
love. Top-down sweaters, short row shaping or the three-needle bind off are
good examples—all of these techniques are easy and fun ways to accomplish
seamless knitting.
 |
| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lilac-trail |
How
did you determine your size range?
I try
to have a range of at least 6-7 different sizes with most of my designs. I like
to have as wide a range as possible within the confines of a particular design.
Do you
look at other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by
their designs?
Of course!
I love admiring other work, whether it’s another sweater design on Ravelry or a
knitted garment I see at a local boutique. I think it would be nearly
impossible to work in a vacuum and never admire or be inspired by other
people’s work when you are in a creative field such as this.
How do
you feel about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns
for knitters?
I
think there are lots of different kinds of knitters out there so there is a
need for lots of different kinds of patterns. I am personally all for detailed
instructions and it’s something that I provide in all of my patterns because I
write for the beginner knitter in mind. Not everyone will like this writing
style, and that’s okay! But I know a lot of knitters that appreciate that extra
detail and it’s something I enjoy doing.
How
many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all
yourself?
I do
it all myself. Many times I tweak a design after I’ve already started knitting
it so designing-as-I-go is an important part of my process.
 |
| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/east-end-armwarmers |
Do you
have a business model that you have emulated?
I’m
not sure if I would call it a business model per se, but I have a business and
marketing strategy in terms of the kinds of patterns I want to create, my
target audience, and how I intend to reach my audience. I think finding a niche
is important in any industry, including the knitting design world. My education
and professional background is in marketing, so it’s just an ingrained habit of
mine to approach any work I do with my marketing strategy hat on at the same
time. I’m very much a left and right-brain kind of creative (which is probably
why I like designing so much!)
What
impact has the Internet had on your business?
The
Internet IS my business! Well, for the most part at least. I started designing
after Ravelry was created so I don’t know what it’s like to be a designer in
the pre-Ravelry days. Without sites like it (including Patternfish and now
Craftsy too), I’m not sure I would have even started designing because I
wouldn’t have known how to get started. These sites have made it possible for a
lot of knitters to make that jump into designing and I am so appreciate of
them!
 |
| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/arlo--alice |
Do you
use a tech editor?
Oh
yes, of course. I have an excellent tech editor and I wouldn’t dream of
publishing a pattern without one. When I’m designing and writing a pattern, I’m
so involved in every little detail that it amazes me that errors still slip by,
but they always do. Having a good tech editor is priceless.
How do
you maintain your life/work balance?
I
don’t have much of a life/work balance to be honest but I love what I do for
work so that’s okay with me. I work a lot of different jobs which keeps me
pretty busy, but I enjoy all of them so I don’t mind not having as much “free”
time as I used when I worked a more traditional work schedule.
How do
you deal with criticism?
If
it’s constructive criticism I definitely welcome it and try to learn as much as
I can from it. You can’t make everyone happy all of the time, but I try to
learn as much as possible from all the feedback I get. Some criticism isn’t
always constructive and in those cases I just try to not let it get to me too
much. I think whenever you put your work “out there” you have to expect that
not everyone is going to always have nice things to say and it’s all about
learning how to deal with it in a positive manner.
How
long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?
I’m
not able to support myself solely on the money I make as a knitting designer,
but through the years the percentage has increased. Technically my job title
would be “knitting designer/yarn shop associate/software development project
manager/web marketing professional” (in no particular order!), so I wear a lot
of hats when it comes to how I make money. But I prefer it like this—having
multiple revenue streams where you aren’t relying 100% on any one income source
(and in my opinion is the more stable option in this economy). Knitting design fits well into this kind of
model since it can take a while to become profitable and it’s not always
consistent income throughout the entire year.
What
advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?
I’d say go for it! For me, it was a slow process—I didn’t quit my
day job on day 1 to dedicate myself to knitting design 100%. It’s been a very
gradual process for me even to get to the point I’m at right now (where I
consider designing to now be one of my part-time jobs). I had started by just fitting in design work
at night and on the weekends and then slowly I was able to dedicate a little
more time to it as the years went by. So if someone is interested in pursuing a
career in knitting but not sure how they can make it work with their existing
job or family responsibilities, I’d say just start in any way you can. Even if
it’s just something you can work on once a week or on the weekends, give it a
try and see where it might go. You never know where it might eventually lead
to.
 |
| http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/new-canaan |
No comments:
Post a Comment