My first year as a Knitwear Designer
A year in review: 2021
At the beginning of 2021 I started my new business: Knitterista. While there have been some things already in motion, the 1st of January will always be the starting day in my mind.
To be quite honest, the first year wasn’t so much about you – it was more about me. I wanted to learn how to design and write a knitting pattern. I wanted to prove that I can build an entrepreneur business in English – which isn’t my mother tongue. I wanted to understand the way of modern marketing and so much more.
It has been an emotional roller coaster. I learned more in one year than I ever did in another year before. I accomplished a lot and I also failed ungracefully. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
I hope this overview entertains you quite a bit. I hope I can provide you some insides you have been curious about. I also hope it might work as a compass for those of you, who would like to start a similar business. So, let’s get started!
My biggest struggles
No. 1: GUILT
In hindsight guilt it is probably one of my big words for 2021. I have been constantly feeling stretched thin between wanting to be there for my family (especially my son), keeping our flat clean (I am not a clean freak – I am reasonable and I detest those tasks…) and building this business up to earn money with it (at least someday soon).
All three of those, let’s say ‘tasks’ in lack of a better word, are still high on my list. There won’t come a balanced answer for it, I have to hammer out my thoughts and values more and decide how and when I want to be there for what and whom. What I understand after this first year is that it’s more about blending all in than finding a balance.
While I need rules and boundaries, they can’t look like the classic ideas out of a 9 to 5 guidance book. I will let you know when I feel like I figured it out. For now it stays as a struggle I am slowly getting better at, just because I decided that I want to.
No. 2: FINDING MY VOICE
That might come as a surprise for you, because I somehow managed to start writing as I talk. However, it took me a while. I also still wonder a lot about my topics and focus. While some ideas probably need an experiment to figure out if I would like to talk about them, others just need their right space.
For instance, I didn’t talk much about my values, like trying to make conscious decisions and living a sustainable life. It’s not an easy topic and I was definitely afraid to get bad reactions for it. While I am far away from perfection and I frequently chose fun and convenience over doing the completely right thing for our planet, I still made some big decisions I am proud of. So, I will share those next year and see how you like it.
Another example is my photography lessons. I started those on Instagram in the middle of the year and lately I gave three Masterclasses on the Swatch Studio Circle. While I enjoyed both, I am searching for the right place to continue with them in a sustainable way.
No. 3: FINDING THE RIGHT TECH EDITOR
While Knitterista is mainly my one-woman-show, there are some things I can’t do on my own. Tech-Editing my patterns is one of them. I thrive for excellence and there is no way to write a pattern that stands my own expectations without somebody looking it over and correcting what I messed up (spelled and/or calculated wrong).
I am not afraid of showing my work to another professional and getting feedback. I am used to that from my former work as an Art Director. I am afraid my tech editor will miss my mistakes. It happened on every tech edit. I never got one edit back without having my test knitters catching another mistake and I truly hate that. So, I honestly don’t know what is going on and how to fix it, other than continuing my search for the right fit.
No. 4: LACK OF MAKING CLEAR GOALS AND PLANS
If I could give you one advice it is this: Try to make smart goals and hammer out how much time it will take to accomplish them. Also take my former colleagues' rule: estimated time times three.
I generally put so much on my shoulders this year without really thinking through what I really could do and it burned me out and resulted in being disappointed in myself.
No. 5: SIGNING UP FOR TOO MANY COACHING PROGRAMS
A part of the former described struggle is also signing up for a notable number of coaching programs. While I learned a lot with their help, I also didn’t take enough into consideration how much time it would take to also fill in the action. This is important for you, too: Consuming those materials will get you nowhere. You need to do your homework to get stuff done.
I got quite a bit addicted to signing up for courses. It’s great! I love learning new things! I love encouraging people trying to help me accomplish things faster! However, they are only as good as I am and I haven’t been able to do everything that needed to be done. I hope I can fill those holes during the coming years.
My biggest failure
FULFILLING MY PART IN ONE COLLABORATION
I made one huge mistake right at the beginning. I totally overestimated my time, my energy and my skills – and I applied for yarn support for a project I haven’t been able to pull off until today. It’s not that I didn’t try. In fact, I signed up for the Sweater Design School to get that design done and learn how to create a garment. Unfortunately, I had a very different idea about the construction and the advanced course program threw me off even more.
I regret that ever since and I also try to make it up. The first design that comes out next year is made with yarn from the same yarn dyer, which I bought. I also won’t stop trying to get that original pattern done, if not next year than the one afterwards.
There are other collaborations that didn’t work out entirely as I dreamed up, but I see those more as a learning experience. It takes a while to find out what is important to myself, what works and what doesn’t.
My biggest accomplishments
I GOT DONE WHAT I WANTED TO GET DONE
At the beginning of this year I made some silent vows. I solemnly swore that I would use this year to learn how to design and write a knitting pattern – and I did. I also signed up for the Swatch Studio Circle and the Sweater Design School to get help with it.
I wanted to create an additional video tutorial – and I did for some of my patterns. It’s one of the things where I had a mind shift during this year, but I am perfectly fine with that one, too.
I wanted to make my knitting patterns in a professional manner and find out how to do that – and I did. I hired a tech editor for every pattern (even the free ones) and I ran a test knit for every pattern (also for the free ones).
I wanted to build Knitterista, have a website right from the beginning – and I launched that one before everything else.
I wanted to have an online shop – and I do, now one on Ravelry and one on Payhip.
I wanted to raise my Instagram following to 1000 (which felt like a huge number at that time) – and I got it.
I wanted to publish 8 patterns – and I have them in my shops.
Let this be a lesson for you: Whenever you make a smart goal, written down or silently spoken out in your head, there is a big chance you will accomplish it. This is like a self fulfilling prophecy – it works!
I know, I told you earlier on (up there), I overestimated my time, my energy and my skills and I did. However, those were all things I made up on the way without creating smart goals, without thinking it through. I didn’t get those ideas into action or accomplished half made goals.
2021 IN NUMBERS & MILESTONES
JANUARY
Launch of the Website
Renaming my Instagram Account
(I had about 300 followers then and I already posted about my knitting experience)
FEBRUARY
1st pattern published: The Dude’s Cowl
Sales after release: 5, up until now: 12
AUGUST
First KAL I love cheap thrills!
Starting my newsletter with it, there are now 613 subscribers on my list and the opening rate has been about 60% during December
NOVEMBER
My bestselling pattern until now: Adam & Eve Bandana Cowl
47 sales until now
Sales all in:
124 on Ravelry
1 on Etsy (I have been there for the first 6 month)
1 on Payhip (I have been there for the last 6 month)
Sales income: about 470 €
Tech Editor expenses: 296 €
I will skip the yarn shopping part… by now I guess you can understand that I didn’t earn money with Knitterista this year. In all honesty, my investment has been much higher as I mentioned those coaching programs earlier on.
Has this year been successful? Yeah, I think so – as I manage to accomplish what has been important for me. Has it been worth it? I don’t know, ask me in three years again… Has it been exciting, interesting, educational? Heck, yes!!! Would I do it again, just like that? Probably, with a little adjusting here and there.
2022 – I am ready, so come on over!
Wanna get and/or keep in touch?
Here are two things you can do now, easily:Follow me on Instagram and/or sign up for my newsletter.
See you next year!
