Can You Become a Sweater Pattern Designer Without a Design Background?
Image description: Someone in a beige brioche pullover holding a stoneware mug.
Do you dream of designing sweater patterns but hold back as you feel like it’s out of your league? Isn’t sweater design something reserved only for people with a design background?
In this blog post, I’m sharing my experience of studying knitwear design at university, whether I think it’s essential to becoming a knitting pattern designer and sharing my tips for becoming a sweater designer.
My Design Background
I graduated with my Fashion Knitwear Design degree nearly ten years ago now. I learned so much from my four years of study: developing fabric, how to use knitting machines, draping patterns on the mannequin, pattern cutting, garment construction, and CAD (computer-aided design). It was a brilliant experience!
But whilst my degree does inform my design process as a knitting pattern designer today, it is not essential. In fact, it’s a costly and time-consuming way to become a knitting pattern designer!
Image description: Graphic saying: Is it possible to become a sweater pattern designer without a degree? on top of a pile of knitted fabrics.
In short, yes! Most popular knitting pattern designers you admire on Ravelry or social media don’t come from design backgrounds, yet they’ve been very successful.
When it comes down to it, makers don’t look at a sweater pattern they’re interested in and ask themselves whether you come from a design background or have a fashion degree! They are just looking for a well-written pattern that is a pleasure to knit, looks great, and fits beautifully when done.
If you want to become a sweater pattern designer, you don’t need a degree, but you DO need an education. You must be willing to take the initiative to learn.
How to Become a Sweater Pattern Designer
Understanding the Fundamentals
To any aspiring sweater designer, I always recommend starting with the basics and then building up in complexity with the more experience you get.
To successfully design a sweater, you must understand how to construct a sweater. There are many different sweater styles out there, so choose something simple like a drop-shoulder sweater, and learn how to construct it.
You will also need to learn how to grade your sweater using your size chart and desired ease to fit a large range of sizes. You will then use your gauge and range of preliminary finished measurements to calculate stitch, row and round counts.
Finally, you will need to have a basic understanding of pattern writing so that makers can easily follow your pattern to get a great result.
Learn From Other Designers
If you don’t have a design background, you will learn so much from other knitting pattern designers. The next time you knit a pattern by a designer you admire, notice how they construct their design. Consider how much positive or negative ease they have added to achieve their desired fit. Notice how they write their patterns to help you understand the instructions clearly.
I also think it’s valuable to test knit for other designers to get a behind-the-scenes insight into the design process. Isabell Kraemer got her start by test-knitting, learned a lot about new techniques and constructions, and ended up being the prolific designer she is today!
Image description: Someone wearing headphones and a sweater with a notebook and pencil. Underneath, it says: Knitting Pattern Design. Can you become a self-taught sweater designer?
Get Familiar with the Technology
Thankfully, there is a low barrier to entry when it comes to the software you will need to use as a knitting pattern designer. All you will need is spreadsheet software, a word processor, a vector graphics programme and something to make knitting charts on.
My favourites are nearly all free:
Stitchmastery (this is paid for but more than worth the investment!)
Surround Yourself with Inspiration
One of my favourite things about my knitwear design degree was the constant stream of inspiration flooding me, whether it was from my fellow students, course tutors, lecturers, or my engagement with visual culture.
I highly recommend nurturing your raw creative talent by surrounding yourself with creativity. Get to know other knitters, follow the work of indie designers, and notice what’s interesting in the world of ready-to-wear fashion.
Don’t stop there, though! Make a habit of engaging with art and beautiful things that inspire you regularly. Allow your likes and dislikes to tell you more about who you are as a designer.
Regular engagement with visual culture will give your designs more depth and allow your ideas to flow from you more easily.
Learn How to Market Your Patterns to Potential Customers Online
As much as it would be lovely for your patterns to sell themselves, you will need to promote your patterns to sell them.
Consider how you’d like to market them to potential customers. It could mean sharing your work on social media and building an active community there, creating videos on YouTube, starting an email newsletter or writing a blog if you want to be old school (like me!).
Never Stop Learning
I may have completed my degree in 2013, but my education hasn’t ended. I’m learning all the time! Every new design is a new opportunity to try something new and learn something from the experience.
As an aspiring sweater designer, whether or not you have a design background, I encourage you to keep reading books about knitting pattern design, watch videos, read blog posts and take classes. Even if you are relatively familiar with the teachings, you will likely learn something new.
I am currently hosting a free, on-demand workshop about how to confidently design multi-size sweater patterns, so if you’re worried about your lack of experience or whether your ideas are original enough to get noticed, I think you will get a lot out of this online class.