Beginning Knit Designers Webring

We've come a long way, baby!

2007-03-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

This poor blog has been terribly neglected, but I hope to start posting again. Since I started this ring, I've been published in lots of different places including Knitter's, Creative Knitting, Cast-On, and www.interweaveknits.com. I'll have designs in several books coming out in the next year and I've designed for Blue Moon Fiber Arts and Classic Elite yarn companies. I've come a long way in just over a year, and if I can do it, so can you!

Some suggestions I have for those of you who are trying to get published for the first time:

* Join the Association of Knitwear Designers (formerly PKDG) as an aspiring associate, and request a mentor. You will have someone in the industry to help you along and answer all of your millions of questions. My mentor was the venerable Diane Zangl and she provided so much valuable advice. I wouldn't be where I am right now without her advice.

* Start with some of the on-line magazines that don't pay as much but have more of a capacity to handle aspiring designers. My first pattern was published in Mag Knits and it was a wonderful experience. This is a great way to start filling out your resume.

* Don't get discouraged! Rejection is the name of the game when you're submitting to editors, and you will be rejected - repeatedly! You just need to realize that it's not necessarily a reflection on your designs - putting together a publication is a complex puzzle that involves much, much more than the editor simply picking out designs that she likes.

* Consider alternative means of publishing. There are so many different ways you can publish besides in a book or magazine. There are many, many yarn companies who are always looking for new designs as well as pattern companies such as Vermont Fiber Arts and Y2Knit who publish individual pattern leaflets. Some of these publishers will offer royalties, so if your pattern does really well, you'll share in the rewards.

I recently received an e-mail from Black Purl Magazine, a new on-line publication that focuses on ethnic stitch patterns and stories. They are actively soliciting submissions from new designers, so go to their submission guidelines page to find out more.

Happy designing, beginning designers!

I'm going to be published!

2005-11-09T12:38:00.000-08:00

I just found out that a design I submitted to Mag Knits was accepted for their February issue. Yay! I think that Mag Knits is a great place to start submitting designs for a couple of reasons. First, they've just gone to publishing monthly so they have room for many more designs than the quarterly publications. Second, the editor, Kerrie, is very quick to respond as to whether or not she wants your design. I heard back from her two days after my submission, which is great when most of the mainstream publications (including Knitty) can take months to respond.

Speaking of Knitty, they just raised the honorarium they give to designers from $50-$75 to $75-$100. Submission deadline for their spring issue is Feb. 1.

Knit Design Yahoo Group

2005-11-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

For any of y'all who are serious about designing and want to learn a ton, please consider joining the Knit Design Yahoo Group. I've been a member of this group since June and have found it to be an invaluable resource. There are quite a few "big names" on there, and they are all very helpful. Folks on the list also occasionally put out calls for designs and/or test knitters/tech editors. The archives also have a wealth of information for anyone just starting out. You can find the link to join at the top of the resources list in the sidebar.

I also added a new link to the PKDG (Professional Knitwear Designers Guild). They have professional and associate levels and a juried application process. I am assembling my application for the associate level right now and hope to have it submitted before the end of the year. The associate level allows you to ask for a mentor to help you get to the professional level. This link is at the bottom of the resources list (not because they're not important - I was just trying to sort of group things together by type).

Welcome!

2005-10-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am starting this webring to connect beginning knitwear designers to each other. All levels of experience are welcomed, including "friends of newbie designers" (experienced designers who are willing to give us newbies a hand).

* Join this ring.

* Visit the ring's owner's blog.

Good luck in all of your design endeavors!