When I started this blog series, I wrote that I wanted:
- To share my experiences as a knitwear designer (eight years’ worth, at the time of writing);
- To help anyone thinking about designing their own patterns for sale;
- To tell non-industry knitters something about how things work;
- To encourage all knitters to have constructive discussions about what works well and what works less well.
Based on the new knitters, tech editors and graders I’ve met virtually, not to mention the responses and shares I’ve had over the last couple of months, I think I might have ticked all the boxes! So this week I want to say a big thank you to the knitting folk who’ve shown their support for From Needle to Needle; I may not be able to tell each of you personally, but my gratitude is heartfelt.
In the long term, I also hope that this series serves as a reference for anyone searching for information about designing knitting patterns. To that end, the index page for the series is linked here, and I have listed the training resources mentioned throughout FN2N below so that there’s no need to sift through past posts looking for links. There are also a couple of new additions.
Also, I’d be very grateful if you could fill out the survey below! All feedback is confidential.
Grading and Technical Editing
Kate Atherley – Kate has written and taught extensively about pattern writing and accessibility. She has a very engaging and community-oriented Twitter feed, and has also written an invaluable book, The Beginner’s Guide to Writing Knitting Patterns;
Tian Connaughton – Tian generously offers a LOT of courses on tech editing, pattern grading, pricing and everything new designers need to get set up, including mentoring. She also has a podcast, Real Talk with Tian;
Lightwork Collective – an excellent one-stop shop for your pattern writing, grading, technical editing and layout needs, run by Amelia Hodsdon and Rosee Woodland. They offer free consultations for designers too;
Motif Learning – for general training in the fashion field, including fit, sizing, and costing. All courses are delivered remotely;
Tech Editor Hub – run by Joeli Kelly and Sarah Walworth, this is a community and training resource for tech editors and graders, with a little bit of design too;
Tech Tip Talk – a monthly IG live / YouTube Q&A hosted by Kristina McGrath and Sarah Walworth (also of the Tech Editor Hub)
Software and Sizing
Charts: Stitchmastery (or a grid set-up in Adobe Illustrator);
Layouts: Adobe InDesign, Canva;
Schematics (line drawings): Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, Inkscape;
Sizing charts: If you aren’t creating your own, some are free to download from Alvanon.
Finally, special thanks is due to the lovely folk who supported me via Ko-Fi! If you would like to do the same, and are able, you can also donate via the link at the foot of my page.
