Before I sat to write this, I decided I would give AI a chance to state what it is like to be a crochet designer and see if they were right.
This is what I got back:
Being a crochet designer requires creativity, patience, and attention to detail. Start by mastering basic stitches and techniques, then experiment with different yarns and patterns to develop your own unique style. Practice regularly to hone your skills and don’t be afraid to frog projects that aren’t working out. Remember to take breaks to prevent burnout and stay inspired by following other designers and trends in the crochet community. Lastly, believe in yourself and your abilities – confidence is key to succeeding as a crochet designer.
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I guess most of the above is true, and I do agree that patience is very much key to being or having a chance to be a successful designer. Having the strength to be unique is also very important, at least to me.
I am constantly in touch with other designers, but I would rather be me and not worry about what others are producing. I am never on trend and don’t intend to be.
I was asked recently about tips for being a designer, and below are my top eleven:
Know your own pattern.
You need to know what you are talking about. Your pattern could have been published a month ago, a year ago, or several years ago, and you will have customers who don’t understand an aspect of it. You need to be able to help these people, and the only way you can do that is if you know what you are talking about.
Stitch counts and clear instructions really do matter.
If I am crocheting just for me, I can easily fudge something and make a count work by adding a stitch or decreasing. But if you are expecting others to create the same item, they expect that your pattern makes sense and that all counts work. Every stitch must be accounted for. Just because one customer understands a section doesn’t mean all will, and this is where pattern testing is important.
Yes, pattern testing is important.
Having brilliant pattern testers is a must. I put my testers through the ringer to get a pattern ready to publish. I have one particular tester who claims that they talk Auburncraft. Meaning they can figure out what I mean even when I am not sure myself. I can look at something forever and not see the glaring mistake right in front of me. Thankfully, my testers are very prepared to keep at me till I get it right.
Listening.
It is important to listen to those on your team who are trying to help get your pattern out into the world. I am not saying they are always right, but when one of my team members states I have something that needs attending to, and I am thinking, Nuh! I am right, most of the time I am not. Their opinions are important!
Have very broad shoulders, and check your ego at the door.
I used to find it upsetting that I could not get everything perfect right away. I am now very used to feeling like a dill for making an error. I have learned not to rush to a corner and cry if someone posts a review that is not five stars, as there is just no way to please everyone.
Social media is a necessary evil.
You need to be out there and show off what you have, as otherwise you will be overlooked.
Being available.
The world is a small place, and being a crochet designer means that questions come in from all corners of the world. These need to be answered within a reasonable time frame. People do not like to wait!
Great photographs are necessary.
I am not a photographer, and I most certainly cannot afford to pay a photographer to photograph every stage of my work, including final photographs for marketing. I do try to get the best photographs that I can with what I have. The more engaging the picture, the greater the likelihood that your pattern will pique interest.
Copyright and trademarks are real things.
As a designer, I take the stance of not creating anything that I am aware has a trademark attached. Large companies such as Disney, Hello Kitty, and many others take copyright and trademarks very seriously and will track you down if you choose to use any of their copyrighted or trademarked characters. It is not smart.
Your own copyright
As for your own copyright, it is important to add copyright information to your own patterns and be prepared to lodge takedown notices if someone does infringe your rights, but in saying that, sometimes it is pointless. You have to know when to turn a blind eye and walk away and which battles you can win. It is not if someone steals your pattern or photographs; it is when.
Do YOU!
It is very important to be creating what you feel. Sounds a bit deep and yeah I guess it is! I have at times been asked if I will create something specific for someone and generally the answer is no. I create what I feel at the time and if I have to start creating things that I don’t like or are not me, then it is time to stop designing.
These are my own views, and I am sure many other designers have a different idea of what is important, but these are mine!
Below: Just a sample of some of my blanket designs. Click here for the blankets webpage.
