How to Structure Your Knitting Pattern Design Process
The knitting pattern design process is a long one. It can span several months, so no wonder it feels intimidating! How do you figure out what your next step is?
Imagine if you had an easy-to-follow road map of exactly where you should be heading. You could stay in your design flow without stopping every so often to ask “what should I do next?”
In this blog post, I will show you exactly how I structure my knitting pattern design process, so that you can use it as a template for your own. After this, I guarantee that your next knitting pattern design process is going to feel like a breeze!
Why I Swear by Setting up Processes
Checklists and processes are my thing. I adore setting up routines - it is part of how I live my daily life and I feel anxious without them (I’m not sure what my therapist would say to that!!) Timelines and structure give me the order and predictability I need in order to produce good work.
Very early on in my knitting pattern design career, I set up a standard process. At the time, I felt like I wasn’t publishing enough patterns because I was only working on one pattern at a time. However, the only reason I was doing that was because I didn’t want to overwhelm my anxious brain with tasks! By figuring out the structure of my design process, I could see where I had free time (eg. during tech editing or test knitting) to work on other patterns without the feelings of overwhelm.
Before I used a standard process, I often underestimated the total amount of time it would take to design a knitting pattern from start to finish. By estimating the amount of time it would take to comfortably complete each step ahead of time, I could more accurately figure out when I needed to start my project in order to get it done on deadline. This resulted in better seasonal releases, which in turn, resulted in more pattern purchases!
Here is my design process in 25 steps! This will, naturally, vary from designer to designer, so make sure you adapt it to suit your own lifestyle and time constraints.
This is a mood board that I pulled together on Canva several months ago. I’ve sketched and swatched my sweater design, but I’m yet to even start on the pattern - oops!
1. Make a Mood board
I start by gathering images on Pinterest and compile my favourites into a mood board using Canva. You could leave your mood board on Pinterest, but I like the editing process of just selecting a few key images to be inspired by.
Estimated time: 2 hours
2. Order yarn
I don’t even consider what yarn I’d like to use until I’ve decided what sort of mood I plan to create with my pattern. Sometimes, I purchase the yarn I want to work with, but a lot of the time, I tend to reach out to yarn companies to see if I can get yarn support from them. In that case, I create a mini-proposal for them.
Estimated time: 30 - 4 hours
3. Knit a stockinette swatch
I always knit a stockinette swatch first (even if I won’t use stockinette in the design) because it allows me to get a feel for the yarn I’m working with. I also use it to check that my gauge is similar to the one suggested by the yarn company.
Estimated time: 2 hours
4. Sketch
Once I’ve got a feel for my yarn and overall mood, I’ll start sketching potential designs. Sometimes, I’ll only sketch three designs and I’ll find something that I want to turn into a pattern. Other times, it will take a lot of sketching (50+ sketches) until I’m happy with my design.
Estimated time: 1 - 4 hours
This is the first swatch I knitted for my Shorthand sweater design in the final yarn, The Fibre Co. Arranmore.
5. Design and Knit a Stitch
Once I’m clear on the design and silhouette, I’ll start playing around with stitches. Sometimes I’ll design the stitch using Stitch Mastery first and other times, I’ll cast on a swatch right away to design the stitch as I knit. If I’ve designed the stitch digitally, I’ll knit the swatch after that.
Estimated time: 4 hours
6. Block Both Swatches
Once I’ve decided on a stitch that I like, I’ll block both my stockinette and stitch swatches. I also take note of the gauges to use in my sizing spreadsheet.
Estimated time: 15 mins
7. Make the Design Spreadsheet
Using a spreadsheet, I’ll calculate my desired finished measurements for each size. Then, I calculate the required stitches and rows and any shaping I need. I’ll spend several hours on this, tweaking numbers to accommodate stitch counts and making everything just right. I will also edit this spreadsheet throughout the design process when errors are picked up by my tech editor and test knitters.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to design and grade knitting patterns with a spreadsheet, I wrote a whole blog series on the topic.
Estimated time: 3 - 10 hours
8. Draw the Schematic
Once I have completed my spreadsheet, I turn my initial finished garment measurements into a schematic. The schematic is drawn on Inkscape, which is a free piece of software with a bit of a learning curve, but it is really useful when you get used to it.
Estimated time: 1 hour
9. Write the First Pattern Draft
I prefer to write the entire pattern, for all sizes, before I knit my sample because it means that I can update the pattern as I’m knitting it. It’s like I’m the first test knitter! It’s also very useful to have the whole pattern written up when I’m using a sample knitter to avoid any confusion on their end.
Estimated Time: 3 - 5 hours
I knitted the sample for my Hay sweater design, as published in Laine Magazine, issue 3. Many episodes of Fargo were enjoyed throughout the process!
10. Cast on The Sample or Send it to A Sample Knitter
I used to knit all of my own samples, but I found that overwhelming in the end. I love knitting, but all of my free time was spent knitting work samples and not knitting for pleasure. Also, when I stepped up my pattern publishing frequency, it wasn’t feasible for me to knit so many samples whilst working a part-time (now, full-time!) job.
11. Book the Tech Editor
Tech editors can get booked up, especially leading up to busy seasons, so I like to book my tech editor ahead of time.
Estimated time: 15 mins
12. Finish the Sample
I finish my sample before I begin test knitting so that I have basic photos of my sample to show prospective test knitters.
Estimated time: 10 - 100 hours, depending on the design
13. Update Pattern Draft
Before sending my pattern to tech editing, I update my pattern draft with any changes I want to make based on how the sample knitting went.
Estimated time: 1 hour
14. Send Pattern for Tech Editing
I used to do my tech editing after test knitting, but now, I prefer to do it before test knitting. It ensures that my pattern’s number are spot on before the test knitters begin knitting. I’d hate to waste their time if my numbers were way off!
Estimated time: 2 - 5 days
15. Send Call for Test Knitters
I send an email to my personal database of potential test knitters, including basic photos of the design as well as sizing, yarn and construction details.
Estimated time: 45 mins
16. Start Test Knitting
People who want to test knit will respond to my email and I will select from those people
I usually select two test knitters per size, based on covering all the sizes as well as the quality of their project photos. Test knitters who document their projects really well are important to me.
Estimated time: 45 mins
This is my Fennel shawl, as photographed by Joy Mumford.
17. Do a Photo shoot
I DIY’d my first couple of photo shoots with my husband, but after that, I hired my friend and talented photographer, Joy Mumford from Simple Soulful Film. For me, it was worth investing in great photos because, when you’re an online business, the photos are what sells the pattern.
Estimated time: 3 hours
18. Update the Pattern Draft
As the test knitting process goes along, I update the pattern draft based on the feedback I receive from my test knitters. I also add the final photographs into the pattern once they’re ready.
Estimated time: 1 hour
19. Send feedback survey to test knitters
Towards the end of the test knitting process, I send my test knitters a survey where they can give their final comments on the pattern and the process as a whole. I really appreciate my test knitters, so I want to make sure that they are satisfied with how the test knit went. All of their feedback is considered and the pattern is adjusted accordingly.
Estimated time: 45 mins
20. Test knitting deadline
I set a firm deadline with my test knitters to ensure that they have finished before the pattern is released. Most of the time, my test knitters stay true to this.
21. Send promo request list to test knitters
Test knitting is as much about marketing the pattern as it is about testing the pattern. I send a promo request list to my test knitters to tell them where I’d love them to spread the word about the pattern, including an Instagram post on launch day and a fully completed Ravelry project page. They can link their project pages to the pattern page ahead of publication by using the Tester Code function on Ravelry.
Estimated time: 30 mins
22. Create final Pattern
Now that the pattern has been sample knitted, tech edited and test knitted, it is ready to be finalised and put in its final layout, if it isn’t already.
Estimated time: 1-3 hours
23. Set up and schedule pattern listing on Ravelry
Ravelry allows you to set up your pattern page in advance so that you’re not rushing on launch day to get everything uploaded. I like to give myself plenty of time for this.
Estimated time: 30 mins
24. Launch the Pattern
I have a whole launch process that I follow around a pattern release to ensure that word gets out, however, I can cover that in a different post because it’s quite extensive! If you’re interested in learning more about that process, let me know in the comments section below.
25. Have a post-launch review
About a month after the pattern is released, I like to look at my pattern sales and consider what went well and what didn’t. I also consider ways that I could improve my design and marketing process going forward.
Estimated time: 30 mins
Discussion
How do you structure your design process? Share your experiences with the rest of The Sisterhood in the comments section below. You never know who you might inspire!