As much as we might try to see the world through a black and white, right versus wrong lens, that's often not the case.

In this podcast episode, I chat with Karel Chan from KC Knitting Co, and we discuss some hot takes for the knit and crochet pattern design industry, which are linked with a discussion of the nuances of running a creative business, and specifically as a knitwear or crochet designer.

You may not be surprised to know that we believe, whether driven by necessity, passion, or the desire for creative freedom, understanding what fuels your journey is crucial.

Within this discussion, we compare and contrast designers who start designing with the intention for it to be a business versus those who start by sharing their projects with friends and online communities... and how this can impact the designer's brand voice, authenticity, and interest from the audience.

A critical theme in our discussion is the balance between financial goals and personal satisfaction, particularly because we believe financial success is not the sole measure of worth or achievement. In order to feel successful in your creative business, it's important to set realistic goals that align with your personal values and to not let external pressures and societal expectations distort your perception of success.

Tune into this episode for discussion on balance, including mental health, self-care, finances, and creativity. As summarized by Chat GPT, "this episode serves as a supportive guide for pattern designers seeking to navigate the complexities of their craft-based businesses with authenticity and intention."

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Check out KC Knitting Co.

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Looking for support? I've got you!

The Complete Marketing Course
1:1 Coaching
Pattern Design Circle Membership

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Send a Fan Mail Message!

Finding a technical editor that you work well with and that does good work can be difficult to find, and it often takes time to build a trusting relationship. I feel as though I have a great working relationship with my technical editor, but it wasn't always that way.

Prior to working with Joanna (of Precision Technical Editing), I'd worked with a few other technical editors, typically for just one or two patterns. One I felt spoke to me in a bit condescending way. Another I didn't quite trust with more complex designs. You get the idea... and you've quite possibly been there yourself!

My getting in touch with Joanna was just a perfect aligning of the stars or a complete happen chance, whichever you'd like to believe. She was a recommendation from someone I'd never heard of who sent me a message on Ravelry and said she liked working with Joanna. What first sold me on giving it a try to work with Joanna was her experience with some bigger name designers.

What ended up selling me on working with Joanna was her patience with teaching me, willingness to listen to where I was coming for, and her flexibility by creating a flat rate offer for my first patterns. Let's just say I wasn't the easiest client at first. When a suggestion she offered conflicted with what I thought made since, I'd resist it and want to know the WHY behind it. I can just imagine how it'd try the patience of some folks. And, if I was paying her per hour on those first few designs, how big of a bill I would have racked up!

Don't worry: I ask Joanna in this episode for her perspective too!

Ultimately, I had Joanna tech edit nearly all of my existing patterns at the time, she's edited most of my new patterns since, and she even edited the knitting patterns for inTANDEM when I was on the inTANDEM team.

Basically: we work really well together. But how did we get here?

In this episode, Joanna and I dive into the designer-tech editing relationship. We talk about our relationship specifically, what makes a successful editing relationship, and how to find a editor for your needs... plus a few words of encouragement if you haven't found "your" editor just yet.

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Check out Precision Technical Editing.

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Looking for support? I've got you!

The Complete Marketing Course
1:1 Coaching
Pattern Design Circle Membership

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I'd love to hear from you!

Send a Fan Mail Message!

Being vulnerable and asking for help can be difficult and intimidating in any situation, let alone when you're the CEO of your business and you feel like you're supposed to be the expert - the person who knows everything and can do everything. But the reality is... you're human. We're all human. And just as vulnerability tends to be valuable in nearly any relationship, so it is in business. Vulnerability is a great way to build trust and connection, for starters.

It can feel scary, but aren't scary things usually worth it?

In this episode of the Pattern Design Circle Podcast, I'm chatting with Hanna Lisa from Making Stories about her experience of getting vulnerable with her audience and asking for help. She shares about the difficult experience her business was in (again) and what happened when she asked her audience for help. (Spoiler alert: it was all great things!)

If you're a business owner who's ever struggled, is struggling, or might struggle in the past, this podcast episode is for you. No matter what the struggle is, chances are your audience can relate and/or offer support in some way or another.

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Connect with Hanna Lisa online:
making-stories.com
Instagram

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Looking for support? I've got you!

The Complete Marketing Course
1:1 Coaching
Pattern Design Circle Membership

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I'd love to hear from you!

Send a Fan Mail Message!

As an entrepreneur, it can be difficult to take off a month or more for your business, especially if you're working alone and used to wearing all of the hats. But as a new parent, it's extremely valuable and important that you're able to step away from work to care for yourself and your new little one(s). Plus, this is why you're a business owner: so you have the freedom and flexibility that you want and need in life!

In this episode with Johanna of Anna Johanna Designs, we talk through our different approaches to planning for maternity leave. Johanna is expecting her second child, so she's been through it before - not only the experience of having a baby, but also going on maternity leave as a pattern designer. This is my first child, so it's completely new to me! For a variety of reasons, including differences in our pregnancy experiences and in the countries we live in, we've approached planning for maternity leave a bit differently, and our maternity leave experiences will also look unique.

Whether you're preparing for maternity leave now or you plan to be sometime in the future, we hope you find this episode helpful as we talk about our approaches - and how important it is to give yourself some grace and lean into your own experience.

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Connect with Johanna online:
Website
Instagram
Ravelry

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Looking for support? I've got you!

The Complete Marketing Course
1:1 Coaching
Pattern Design Circle Membership

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I'd love to hear from you!

Send a Fan Mail Message!

Whether you're on the brink of burnout, you're in the middle of suffering from burnout, or you're wanting to prevent burnout in your creative business, this podcast episode is for you!

In this episode, we chat with Kam of Hand Knit by Kam. Kam and I were both dealing with burnout around the same time, but she chose to take a break. Tune in to hear what her break looked like, how she felt returning to her business, and how things look different now.

Ultimately, I want you to know that there is absolutely no shame in taking a break. Sometimes, that's the only thing that will keep you from burnout and from leaving your creative business altogether. It's ok for things to look different than they used to, than you imagined, or than you see in other businesses. The most important thing is to take care of yourself, because you 100% are the most important asset in your business.

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Find Kam online:

Website
Ravelry
Instagram

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Looking for support? I've got you!

The Complete Marketing Course
1:1 Coaching
Pattern Design Circle Membership

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I'd love to hear from you!

Send a Fan Mail Message!

If you are a creative entrepreneur, I really really hope you'll listen to this episode, because I think it's so important for all of us to be reminded of this over and over and over and over again!

This episode is a continuation of my series of diving into inspiration from other creative entrepreneurs and sharing their stories, wisdom, motivation, and work with you.

Today we are diving into Dan Pearce's Donkey Mud Pottery Studio. I've really enjoyed following his Instagram account for a few years, in part because of the way he showcases the value of his work.

First of all, we discuss Kintsugi, a Japanese method of repairing broken pottery pieces... and how it actually increases their value instead of decreasing it!

Then, we dive into a discussion of pricing and perceived value of any and all creative work. It's not just about the materials, expertise, and time that goes into a piece. Curious what some of the other components are? Definitely tune in!

I truly hope you find this episode to be an inspiring reminder of the value of your work, and perhaps it'll even result in some action, whether it's changing your prices, adjusting the way you talk about your work, or making tweaks to your audience base.

Whatever the case, keep seeking examples of what's possible and proof of your value as a creative, as well as the value of your work.

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Looking for support? I've got you!

The Complete Marketing Course
1:1 Coaching
Pattern Design Circle Membership

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I'd love to hear from you!

Send a Fan Mail Message!

Sometimes our businesses take unexpected turns that we never would've imagined... but that turn out even better than we might have planned! Last year, an opportunity arose for Jessie Rayot of Jessie at Home to purchase Crochet Foundry, and she jumped right on it!

In this podcast episode, Jessie shares all about her (unexpected) experience taking over an existing publication, including the ups and downs, and everything between! Plus, she shares her insider tips and opportunities for knit and crochet pattern designers looking to work with publications, and specifically Crochet Foundry!

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Connect with Crochet Foundry online

crochetfoundry.com

• Sign up for the newsletter
• Become an affiliate
• Sell your patterns on Crochet Foundry
• Submit your patterns for Crochet Foundry magazine

Use coupon code BEAUTIFULCROCHET for 10% off one entire magazine order

Email Jessie: admin@crochetfoundry.com

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Looking for support? I've got you!

The Complete Marketing Course
1:1 Coaching
Pattern Design Circle Membership

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I'd love to hear from you!

Send a Fan Mail Message!

In this episode, I answer all of the questions (a bit rapid-fire style) that you submitted on the podcast survey in April. We cover picking a business name to starting a business legally, feeling aimless in your business, revenue streams, mindset, systems, and more.

There are two reasons that I chose to approach these questions this way:

1. The podcast episodes are pretty much ready to go through October, since I'll be away for a few months on maternity leave.
2. Several of the topics are a bit out of the scope of what we tend to focus on here on the podcast.

Looking to dive a bit deeper?

Book a 1:1 Coaching Call

Join the Pattern Design Circle membership

Purchase the Complete Marketing Course

Purchase just the Branding Your Business Course (coming soon) from the Marketing Course

Listen to the podcast episode on Affiliate Marketing

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I'd love to hear from you!

Send a Fan Mail Message!