As someone who has loved the fiber arts and crafts for years I have always looked to other people’s patterns and designs to make things. Admiring their work and always lately questioning myself on whether or why didn’t I come up with that. I look at myself as a creator I think still cause I am making the item out of yarn I have or have bought for it, even though I didn’t actually make the pattern itself.
But most recently as I reflect on my business of nexusknits which is all about making connections with my handmade items to people, I am at a point where I feel like I have built the skills in my craft and confident in my abilities to say I can do that. I can take the next step and create my own designs and patterns and truly be the creator in the full sense of the word. So what does that mean, going from handmade maker to creator. Let’s dive into it a bit more.
For many of us who knit or crochet, the journey starts with following someone else’s pattern, we browse Ravelry, Pinterest, or Etsy, to name a few, Download a beautiful design, gather our yarn, and start stitching away. It’s comforting to have every step laid out- and the security of knowing the finished project will look just like the picture.
I still love making designs from other people’s patterns, some of who I call friends. I just feel like I am ready to venture out and try making my own as well.
The shift in mindset
At first designing your own patterns can seem intimidating. Patterns have always been the guidebook, the safety net- without them, it’s easy to worry about making mistakes or getting it wrong. But the truth is, mistakes often lead to your best creative breakthroughs.
When you create your own patterns, you move from executing instructions to expressing ideas. You start thinking about:
Function – what do I want this piece to do? Is is decorative, wearable, or practical?
Aesthetic – which stitches, colors, and textures speak to my style?
Structure – How can I shape this fabric into the form I envision?
It’s no longer about duplicating someone else’s vision – it’s about building your own.
There’s a learning curve that comes with this. A trial and error I would say. I I initially started with a washcloth since I make so many and thought that would be safe to do. I had to take notes and write down my process, the stitches I used, the counts, measurements, what hook or knitting needles I used. Having them written down helped me to be able to go back and make it again. Also if I decide down the road that I might tweak it or add some things.
The Rewards of creating your own:
Creative freedom- no limits on stitches, shapes, or colors.
A unique voice – your work starts to carry a signature style that’s yours alone.
Skill growth – Designing forces you to understand the “why” behind every stitch.
The joy of Originality – That special pride when you look at your work and think, this came entirely from me.
Couple things I have been finding out as I dive into this next phase of my craft is start small, it’s ok to make mistakes and frog it out and start over. Everybody has. Document everything. Whether I decide to eventually look at publishing these patterns or not it is important to me to have it down. So what does it feel like to go from maker to designer.
The first time you hold something in your hands that exists only because you imagined it – not because you followed a pattern – it’s magic. And the best part? Once you take that leap, there’s no going back. You’ll start to see patterns everywhere. In nature, architecture, textiles, and realize you have the skills to bring them to life.
I started with a washcloth that is crochet since I have more confidence in my skills there. And like the magic of turning roving wool into yarn is with spinning, making your own pattern and creating it is like no their feeling. I’m working on a hat idea now. The nice thing with this craft is there is an endless amount of possibilities ahead. So I will leave with this, what inspires you to take a new leap in life? Til next time, be kind to yourself and craft on.
thenexusknitter 