People have become afraid of committing to color. In the U.S., over 60% of new cars are black, grey, or white. People talk about investing in wardrobe staples that must be neutrals. They seem to be afraid that someone will remember something they wore before and they want to give the impression of having an endless wardrobe. How do they choose which of their fifteen beige sweaters to wear today?
Thank you for your comment! 😊 I agree, a lot of people rely on neutrals for versatility and to avoid standing out too much. I get it, but personally, I think beige is one of those colors that rarely flatters people. And as for worrying that someone will remember what you wore yesterday-honestly, no one cares!
Those people you are talking about have common sense (and having common sense is luxury these days). Neutral capsule wardrobe is not about "being afraid" of colours. I just prefer to look classy and always put together. I prefer not stand in front of the wardrobe saying I have nothing to wear! Brown, navy blue and black go with everything. And there is never a question which of my beige/brown sweaters I am wearing today- because I love them all! The fine lambswool one, the pretty batwing one, the warm-as-toast hand-spun one, the undyed alpaca one, the one knitted in pure peace silk...I buy less but the quality much be top notch. I don't need to trouble my head with whether the colour will clash with any of my skirts, shoes or hats (yep, they are all BROWN and black). So much time and trouble saved- plus, I look and feel fantastic in brown. It's the best colour EVER! As for the colourful stuff: I leave it to the kids (who do not know any better) and oriental rug weavers (who do know what they are doing). One thing for sure, I much prefer not to look like a clown, lol!
I like how honest and transparent you are. I'm not a designer, but 50 patterns a year seems like a lot. Maybe they really enjoy cranking out patterns, but it would suck the joy out of knitting for me.
Thank you so much for your kind words! 😊 Designing 50 patterns a year is definitely a huge undertaking, and it does feel overwhelming to imagine. I understand the pressure to stay current-it’s something that’s always been part of the fashion world. Honestly, I feel conflicted about it. While I’d love to reach that level of success, producing so many patterns feels like a lot, even if they are digital. Maybe I’m just overthinking it... 😏😅
I just discovered you - jeah! The sweater is exceptional 💜 Regarding patterns and amount of releases per year, but 50 patters seems a lot. I knit because I love the slow work and that I can indulge in the craft. I know from several knitters that they get knitting-stress and I think some of it is due to the amount of patterns that get released every week. I would rather have fewer patterns that are well made than designs that are poorly written or maybe copies of earlier designs (female, men, kids version or sweaters as tees and necks) For me knitting is everything else than fast fashion but again I do understand that designers need to make a living. Personally I love having books with amazing knitwear design - but that is probably also a huge amount of work. Have a great day! Greetings from Denmark - Malene
Hi Malene, thank you so much for your lovely comment and kind words about the sweater! 💜 I’m so glad you found my channel. I completely understand what you mean about knitting being a slow and thoughtful craft-that’s one of the things I love most about it too. There’s definitely value in focusing on quality over quantity. I also adore knitting books, but lately, I’ve been leaning more toward books about designing. It’s fascinating to dive deeper into the process and learn new techniques! Thanks again for sharing your perspective-it’s always such a joy to hear from fellow knitters. Sending warm greetings back to Denmark! 😊
Just be you. I am sure your other followers like me - like you just as you are. You are honest and dont play funny games. I like that. Just design what you like to design - you only have one life. Knit in nice colors - people can always make them beige if they like. I love colors. Best wishes from Pia in Horsens Denmark.
Thank you, Pia! I truly appreciate your kind words and support. 😊 You’re so right-life’s too short not to design and knit what brings us joy. Best wishes back to you! 💕
Love your honesty! I can’t imagine that any knitwear designer working by her/himself could possibly release 50 patters a year. Those that do have a team working for them and as you say are releasing different options of the “same” pattern. As for what we knitters should be prepared to pay, I think it’s more what a designer would like to earn in total for the pattern. It’s hard to charge more than the market norm (rightly or wrongly) even though you get more your money from certain designers. That isn’t usually clear until you’ve downloaded the pattern. All the best to you
Thank you for your comment! 😊 It’s hard to imagine any solo designer releasing 50 patterns a year without a team. I did the math-it’s doable, but it’s tough, and there just have to be variations on the same theme. As for pattern pricing, I think I should do a video about how much work actually goes into designing anything. The idea of getting more or less from different designers’ patterns is such an interesting topic. I’ve noticed that what we consider a ‘great’ pattern can really vary. Some people value a very hand-holding approach, while others love the Japanese style, where you get instructions for a single-size sweater on an A4. All the best to you too! 💕
50 patterns is insane! My guess is that those designers actually have big teams working behind the scenes and it isn't just one person designing, let alone test knit running etc. Do we much as you feel comfortable doing.
I’m glad I found your channel. Hello from Finland too. A pattern a week seems too much to me. The sweater is so beautiful and I would love to knit it. I probably can’t make it in time for the deadline so I will wait until the pattern is ready to purchase. 😊
Some designers are not doing there business alone so it´s not quite the same then. And if you´ve developped the business like Petite knits, I saw a tv programme of her (and there were some other Danish designers interwied as well). But there are many other designers who use different colours than beige and publish much fewer amount of patterns during the year. Many designers also make collaboration with yarn companies and then you might listen to their needs too when thinking about the colours etc. But of course you need to design what you like. Black is very difficult though, it´s so hard to see any details and get good photos of black knits.
Yeah, I know about the teams, and it makes sense at that level of success, but maybe they could be a bit more transparent about it. Then again, that might just be my interest-others seem happy to see photos of tranquil knitting while tons of patterns keep coming out. As for black, sure, it’s tricky for photos, but honestly, I’d rather see designers embrace more colors instead of leaning so heavily on neutrals all the time.
I've noticed a lot of patterns are repeats of the same sweater i.e., short sleeve, long sleeve... I started making my own at this point to be different.
Oh yes, the beige disease - not just in knitting but also those sad little beige kids. When and where was this conference, where it was decided that seven tones of beige can make up a rainbow 🙃 50 patterns per year sounds crazy! I personally gravitate towards desingers that have fewer, but well thought about/ well written patterns - their love for design, crafting, and giving knitters a recipe to create their new favourite garment just shines trough with each new pattern. Rather have 5 well designed, and written patterns than 50 meh ones. Black and greys are my comfort colours, too. I think they can be as colourful as any other: midnight black, rainy morning black, blueish black, faded black, happy black - so many options 😁
I understand the need for wardrobe staples and neutrals, and my wardrobe is definitely full of them. But beige? It’s just such a tough color to make work. As for the 50 designs, I think some designers do manage to put out that many high-quality, well-written patterns, especially when they've been doing it for a while. Of curse not all of them stand out. Creativity is like that-sometimes what we make doesn’t always shine. I think it is also due to social media, you have to stay current...
I would have loved to test knit your sweater, it's lovely. But there is no way I could finish it until deadline ends. Let alone 50 a year xD I'd love everyone to take their time and make awesome patterns and if that means they are fewer I have far less decision fatigue... If I love all your 50 designs, which 2-3 should I knit in the little time I have xD
No worries! 😊 I totally understand that test knitting with tight deadlines isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And yes, having too many options can definitely feel overwhelming sometimes.
The over production metric of “releasing a pattern weekly” is exactly that’s over production… I feel like it’s taken the human out of knitting. But also your “backlogged” ideas are going to come in time. I also wonder if people with different lives like no kids, no W-2 job, spousal or partner support in every area, yarn sponsorships etc have some one literally eating and shitting for them too 😂cause why I also still am aware of them (them as in more main stream “designers” )not paying for all the free advertising /labor that’s test knitters give There’s a fine line between appreciation of the craft, time energy and designs I think a lot of mainstream stuff has really derailed connection/intergenerational value, slow living, anti fast fashion On a side note I was happy to see your video in the new year!! I appreciate and like your style and thoughts in community regarding the “knitting industry “
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! 💕There’s definitely value in letting ideas come naturally and not rushing the process. That said, I also recognize that the reality of the knitting industry doesn’t always align with that approach. It's important to note that we're talking about an industry here, not just a craft-and there’s a difference. The idea of producing so many patterns feels unrealistic unless you’re repeating yourself and accepting that not everything will be a hit, even if you had all the time and resources in the world. Once you reach a certain level, though, it seems like quantity often becomes more about visibility, and, for better or worse, people will buy almost anything. I guess where I struggle is reconciling knitting as ‘slow fashion’ with the reality around me, which seems to be moving in a different direction.
50 patterns make me think that AI might be involved in the process… I’ve took a break from knitting for almost a decade and when I came back to it a few years back I was shocked by how much has changed in terms of patterns (and knitting culture as well). Back when I first started there seemed to be more variety of patterns and more variety of stitches, laces, and cables. Now the patterns are rather plain, boring, either all garter stitch (if flat) or stockinette (if in the round). How many plain stockinette or ribbed hat patterns can there be? And why are they so expensive? And why knit them if I can buy them in the store? And why wear them if I go around looking like everyone else? It’s hard to find anything unique when a handful of designers are dominating the scene.
AI might not be quite there yet for knitting patterns, especially in terms of creating functional, unique designs. Think you might get a better result if you feed specific prompts into an AI tool. Haven’t tested this though.That said, I’ve heard there are AI-generated crochet and cross-stitch patterns on Etsy, but those end up being unworkable or don’t translate well into finished pieces. As for the change in knitting culture, yes, there has been drastic changes in the last decade or so. I'm guessing the dominance of simple stockinette patterns and designs comes more from trends in the community and the fashion industry. There is a definite call and intrigue in knitting the same sweaters and wanting to belong to a certain crowd. I partially get that, but I find it boring. Probably I've grown out of it. Yes, I do get the appeal of simple knits, they do have their practical aspect and "they go with everything". But just how many raglan sweaters one needs? 😅
I’m just learning to try to transfer the yarn to the needle with knitting, but I’ve been crocheting almost a year now. Anyway, I think making quality patterns and making them easy to understand matters more to me. However, I’m just a beginner (in all ways in my eyes) but I think taking time and keeping the joy in it could reap more rewards in the end maybe. Also, I love the idea of making something in your favorite color to bring a smile, a bit of joy to you when you reach for it. We gotta find happiness somewhere right?
I love that you’re embarking on a knitting journey alongside your crochet skills! Thank you for the wonderful reminder to keep joy in the making. Choosing favorite colors is such a great idea-in my case, they’d all be almost black. 😅 Wishing you lots of happiness and success as you continue your crafting adventures!
@ mine would be in all black too! 😂 so forcing myself to use colors that aren’t black is the challenge but you’re right! There can be staples and neutrals that aren’t beige! Most ppl don’t pick the right shade of beige for their undertones too I think so it doesn’t look good on most ppl imo
You have to be true to yourself. 50 patterns isn't realistic, and if you feel your quality will suffer, don't worry about what other creators are doing. You do you!
I too don’t care for nylon, but recently I had to go with Kos as well for a project, as for some reason, there is such a limited number of colorsways available for Poppy. 50 patterns a year is way too much, it just falls under over consumption really. I have no idea why designers feel the need to be confined to the idea that to be relevant you have to put out new work. Not at all the case in my opinion. Stand by your values and your merit, I’m sure you’ll make the right choice.
Thank you! 😊💕 I haven't quite figure out why Sandnes came out with Poppy. I do get the no nylon part, but like you said, that yarn has an even more limited color range. I wonder if they'll get rid of Kos at some point in the future and make more colors in Poppy. I think social media adds to the pressure to create all the time. Of course it is also they fact that people need to sell patterns to make a living, and a pattern that is release half a year ago might seem old to some knitters.
You are your own person and designer. Don't feel like you have to compete with other designers. If you put out great products we will notice and I'd rather see someone make fewer, better, thought out designs than tons of them that are boring. I wish I was more proficient at colorwork, I'd love to test knit your pattern. It's amazing! I will definitely be watching out for it to come out.
I like beige because I personally love how it looks with my hair and skin tone. my favorite staple color is really more lighter, cream but not stark white. black looks awful on more people than beige. I personally have never seen anyone look bad in beige, it’s why so many choose it as a good option unless it’s too close to skin color on the wearer because it’s not as harsh as black or white. grey and beige as so popular for this reason. I see plenty of people looking way too washed out and sallow looking in black. I can have unpopular opinions too 🤭
It’s okay to have unpopular opinions, but I think you’re in the majority here. People really do like beige! 😅 I get why it’s a favorite for many, but I’d argue that the classic ‘granny knickers’ beige can sometimes be tricky, especially if it’s too close to someone’s skin tone-it can wash people out. Same goes for black! So there, black isn't for everyone either! 😱 Like I said, it’s all about finding colors that suit you and make you happy.
Honestly, 2-4 sweater patterns put out per year is what sounds reasonable to me, even for a designer who spends most of their time on this. Even if they're also putting out accessories, can they really come up with monthly new designs that are interesting enough to be worth it? Something meaty once a quarter plus the occasional freebie holiday decor item or vanilla sock or something is more reasonable than something every month. Of course, even if Petite Knit had taken ten times as long to put out all those patterns, I would still find the majority of them not worth anyone's time. Her stuff would mostly be better bought as a mass-produced machine knit. There are plenty of other designers' patterns I would bother knitting in beige, but they're, you know, slightly more advanced than sad stockinette propped up by an expensive yarn choice. Sorry, not sorry. Andrea Mowry also produces at a relatively ridiculous pace and appears to hate shaping, but she isn't allergic to color, so she only puts out like a third of the volume. I find that telling. I guess some people really do like wearing square sacks, but I can't help but feel that the commercial needs are driving a relatively low level of shaping in a lot of designs, including the colorful ones. (Maybe especially the colorful ones given the extra problems with pattern repeats vs. shaping and sizes!) If you need to put out a wide size range *and* grade the shaping properly, that's a tremendous amount of work. I guess if someone's the lead designer for a magazine and all of the tech side is handled by a full time team that's already a well-oiled machine with the designer just handing off concept sketches and one size of sample, that's different, but how many designers find themselves in such a position in the modern day? I hear Kaffe Fassett was able to work like that in the 90s, but I doubt it's the reality for many designers now. Spiritually, I think the right rate for an indie designer is this: Could your superfans who have day jobs reasonably knit all your patterns as you release them? The problem with beige isn't just the lack of color: it's the lack of clue about warm vs. cool undertones. *Of course* some people look much better in gray. It's for the same reason that some people gravitate to a warm white and some to a cool one. Bland is okay. Sometimes, bland is good. But what I'm seeing a lot of is INCOMPETENT and clueless blandness where people push the *exact* same neutral shade instead of taking advantage of the full range of understated neutrals. TBH, the beige in and of itself isn't the issue with your sweater there, IMO. The real issue is that it isn't doing the lilac any favors. Beige and darker beige or that lilac and a darker purple would be nice. That beige and a maroon would be nice. Purple plus dramatically not purple feels like it should be high contrast, but your example there is low contrast while also being slightly warm and slightly cool (but not enough for contrast there either). It's like the spirit of beige and the spirit of wacky colorfulness are fighting each other in a way that they wouldn't if you paired the beige with a dramatically brighter, richer, or darker color. Honestly, it would probably work with one of those clown barf yarns. And purple would work with another purple or mint green or something. I'm with you on the hat. I look better in floppier ones, but I want them to either flop properly or be fitted. Tight hats with that extra bit just seem like they're the wrong size to me.
Thank you for your detailed thoughts! 😊💕You've made some interesting points, especially about the pace of design and the challenges of maintaining quality while meeting the demands of the industry. It's tough to consistently produce designs that are both unique and interesting without sacrificing quality or creativity. Not sure that it's possible. As for the sweaters color combinations, I appreciate the feedback! I think I want to occasionally push the envelope and try things that might not work at all. That said, it is a matter of taste and hence, it’s subjective. Many people seem to like this combo as it is. I’d personally love to have a purple and pink version, but the color selection in said yarn is just not great. So I haven’t decided yet what to do. Also, at least here in the Nordics, the aesthetic lean towards muted colors. I might be wrong, but that is what people seem to wear, and of course tons of black. I get why many Nordic designers seem to cater towards that.
Yay for the testing call! Sorry I didn't get back earlier, I never get notified that you reply and on here I have the memory of a goldfish. I sent you some examples on Ravelry, hopefully they are useful for the future. About the pattern writers who put out 50 patterns a year... Yeah, they don't work alone, they just appear to effortlessly publish like a machine, but we don't know how many people they pay, how many people in their families are involved in their brand, so the loners among us should not aim for 50 patterns a year. That's not sustainable and it doesn't make sense from a maker's perspective either. How much time do the people in your audience have for knitting in one year? How many projects? How many other designers do they follow? Sure, if you have an enormous audience of hundreds of thousands of people, you'll get a nice distribution of sales, but with a small audience you need to focus. Focus on the reason they found you in the first place. I'm sure it's not for the basic beige. Completely unrelated, how's the dress going?
Indeed, I hope it isn’t for the basic beige. 😅 Thank you for the examples, that’s very kind of you. I’ll take a look and reply to you on Ravelry. I do not get the part on TH-cam; it shows only some comments, but not all to comment. Oh well. The dress is almost finished. I’ll need to redo part of the cuffs on the sleeves and block it to see how large it actually is. I do not trust even “large” swatches. But more about that later. 😊 As for putting out that many patterns, yes, they have help. It is not generally discussed or shown. I am not talking about tech editors here, but actual staff. Some mention they have sample knitters, but they also have other personnel, e.g., running the test knits for them, tackling customer support, and so on. I sometimes wish they’d be a bit more transparent. But since I get the part that they are knitfluencing, maybe giving out too much of the business is not a good idea.
Upea Wild one -pusero! 💜 Kirjoneulepipoon sopii munkin mielestä lyhyempi pituus 🤔 Muutoin tykkään just siitä, että päälle jää pieni törö, niin en näytä ihan niin munapäältä 😂 Tosi rennot, ns. rastapipot ei sitten ole omaan makuun.
Kiitos! 💕 Mä tykkään näyttää munapäältä. 😅 Minusta lyhyempi pituus sopii lähes kaikkiin pipomalleihin. Toki voi olla, että mun pää on hassun mallinen ja siksi tykkään lyhyemmistä malleista.
@themonogamousknitter Haha en tietenkään tarkoittanut, että sä näyttäisit munapäältä lyhyemmässä pipossa 😂❤️ Oma pääni on muiden mielestä niin pallon muotoinen, että olen tullut tosi tietoiseksi siitä 😔
Churning out that many patterns signals to me that they can afford to dedicate all their time and take no breaks. I also suspect that they're churning out basic/standard patterns. For 2025, I've set out a goal to knit more colorful pieces. And this is coming from someone who has always had an almost all black wardrobe haha. I'm really tired of all the cream, beige, grey knitted garments. - This is the first time I'm knitting using beige for a sweater and I'm feeling a little eh about it.
Love your goal for 2025! I understand, my wardrobe is mostly black too, those are my neutrals. 😅 I tend to knit more colorful things though, but I can’t resist my greys and off-whites. I really enjoy knitting colorful socks, and maybe that’s what I’ll focus on this year - going wild with sock designs! 😄 Good luck with the beige sweater! As much as I dislike beige, I totally get that it might look great on some people! But if you feel meh about it, you can always unravel.
@themonogamousknitter I have a lot more fun with sock colors because people just get a peak of them when I wear them! Sock knitting has been something newer for me that I really enjoy. It scratches the impulsive buy in me because I can impulsively buy one skein and know that I can make a pair of socks from them! Thanks! This is my second sweater and I fucked up calculating the yardage needed. I bought 3 more skeins; 2 in the same dyelot and one not. I didn't notice how different it was until I saw it in fluorescent lighting... So one of the sleeves is in a slightly different color. I'm going to unravel it and use one of the other skeins I have that's in the right dyelot. I started focusing on a beanie for my partner and thinking about a colorful vest I want to do next because frogging is so demotivating. It's disappointing I'll have to unravel and redo before I can say it's complete. Ugh.
@ Oh, impulse buying sock yarn-yes, that’s exactly how I ended up with that one lonely ball of Regia sock yarn! I totally get it. Knitting socks is fun, but I definitely struggle with second sock syndrome sometimes. As for your sweater, miscalculating yardage is familiar-such a bummer! It hasn’t happened of late, since I tend to overkill and buy too much, not good either. I think your plan to focus on something fun, like the beanie and vest, before tackling the sleeve issue is such a good idea. I’ll have to remember that for my own projects when things get frustrating!
I hate beige. I tend to go for grays and black for a neutral color. I notice that I have knit a lot of gray and black sweaters, so maybe I will knit a blue or a purple sweater this year.
The designers who are putting out 50 patterns a year are definitely not knitting them themselves. Let's face it, they have teams of people working for them. I wonder how much of the pattern they are even actually doing. Also they are utilizing copy and paste to repurpose previous patterns. So many of their patterns are so very similar it's not even fair to call it a new version. A different neckline or adding stripes doesn't make it NEW!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! 😊 Indeed, designers who put out such a high volume of patterns often have a team working behind the scenes, which allows for that level of output. And yes, there’s definitely a lot of repurposing of previous patterns, which can sometimes blur the line between a new design and just a variation.
the people who are cranking out 50 patterns a year or 1 a week I think they are not really making a lot of changes to their patterns. some are basically the same pattern with small style changes like changing the collar or adding a zipper...I am thinking of 1 specific designer. its too much and i think it boarders on over production and similar to fast fashion... you don't have to compete with that...your stuff is very unique and beautiful
Thank you! 😊💕 I do understand the desire to take one idea and tweak it slightly to create a vest, a cardigan, a hat, or a shawl-not just a sweater. I’m definitely not immune to falling in love with a particular pattern and becoming a little obsessed with incorporating it everywhere. 😅 That said, after a while, it can start to feel repetitive, and I think it doesn’t necessarily contribute to creativity.
That's a ridiculous number, how can each pattern have personal attention or real inspiration? I think aiming for 12 is more sensible, releasing something interesting and genuine each month.
50 patterns a year is way too much. It's impossible all of them are stunning In my opinion, it's better to have 1 gorgeous pattern a month About the color combo of the sweater: I actually like it. It's unusual for the animal print pattern. The quiet tones for the fierce leopard print, I find it very original. May look too soft, but it's a sweater. Wear it with some contrast color and it will be the perfect combination. I also love beige 🤭
It's okay to love beige! 😊 It’s just not for me. I sort of like the sweater’s color combo-it fits that Nordic beige aesthetic-but it doesn’t quite suit me. I think it would look better on me with white as MC. It might also pair beautifully as it is with a dark lilac skirt if I can find one somewhere. Thank you for the inspiration! 💕
50 patterns is too much. They have people to knit. The speeed of relese new patterns, kals, project is insane. But on the social media its looks like a normal thing. Its not. Its an easy burnout.
Yeah, the social media aspect of effortless creating can definitely be misleading. It’s easy to forget how much time and effort goes into designing when it seems that new patterns just pop up daily almost on their own. 😅
People have become afraid of committing to color. In the U.S., over 60% of new cars are black, grey, or white. People talk about investing in wardrobe staples that must be neutrals. They seem to be afraid that someone will remember something they wore before and they want to give the impression of having an endless wardrobe. How do they choose which of their fifteen beige sweaters to wear today?
Thank you for your comment! 😊 I agree, a lot of people rely on neutrals for versatility and to avoid standing out too much. I get it, but personally, I think beige is one of those colors that rarely flatters people. And as for worrying that someone will remember what you wore yesterday-honestly, no one cares!
Those people you are talking about have common sense (and having common sense is luxury these days). Neutral capsule wardrobe is not about "being afraid" of colours. I just prefer to look classy and always put together. I prefer not stand in front of the wardrobe saying I have nothing to wear! Brown, navy blue and black go with everything. And there is never a question which of my beige/brown sweaters I am wearing today- because I love them all! The fine lambswool one, the pretty batwing one, the warm-as-toast hand-spun one, the undyed alpaca one, the one knitted in pure peace silk...I buy less but the quality much be top notch. I don't need to trouble my head with whether the colour will clash with any of my skirts, shoes or hats (yep, they are all BROWN and black). So much time and trouble saved- plus, I look and feel fantastic in brown. It's the best colour EVER!
As for the colourful stuff: I leave it to the kids (who do not know any better) and oriental rug weavers (who do know what they are doing). One thing for sure, I much prefer not to look like a clown, lol!
I like how honest and transparent you are. I'm not a designer, but 50 patterns a year seems like a lot. Maybe they really enjoy cranking out patterns, but it would suck the joy out of knitting for me.
Thank you so much for your kind words! 😊 Designing 50 patterns a year is definitely a huge undertaking, and it does feel overwhelming to imagine. I understand the pressure to stay current-it’s something that’s always been part of the fashion world.
Honestly, I feel conflicted about it. While I’d love to reach that level of success, producing so many patterns feels like a lot, even if they are digital. Maybe I’m just overthinking it... 😏😅
12 great patterns are better than 52 good patterns. I selectively choose patterns, my time and materials are limited. 😊
I just discovered you - jeah! The sweater is exceptional 💜 Regarding patterns and amount of releases per year, but 50 patters seems a lot. I knit because I love the slow work and that I can indulge in the craft. I know from several knitters that they get knitting-stress and I think some of it is due to the amount of patterns that get released every week. I would rather have fewer patterns that are well made than designs that are poorly written or maybe copies of earlier designs (female, men, kids version or sweaters as tees and necks) For me knitting is everything else than fast fashion but again I do understand that designers need to make a living. Personally I love having books with amazing knitwear design - but that is probably also a huge amount of work. Have a great day! Greetings from Denmark - Malene
Hi Malene, thank you so much for your lovely comment and kind words about the sweater! 💜 I’m so glad you found my channel.
I completely understand what you mean about knitting being a slow and thoughtful craft-that’s one of the things I love most about it too. There’s definitely value in focusing on quality over quantity.
I also adore knitting books, but lately, I’ve been leaning more toward books about designing. It’s fascinating to dive deeper into the process and learn new techniques!
Thanks again for sharing your perspective-it’s always such a joy to hear from fellow knitters. Sending warm greetings back to Denmark! 😊
Just be you. I am sure your other followers like me - like you just as you are. You are honest and dont play funny games. I like that. Just design what you like to design - you only have one life. Knit in nice colors - people can always make them beige if they like. I love colors. Best wishes from Pia in Horsens Denmark.
Thank you, Pia! I truly appreciate your kind words and support. 😊 You’re so right-life’s too short not to design and knit what brings us joy. Best wishes back to you! 💕
And lovely jumper too! I’m seeing it in pale (pastel) lemon for background and pale pink for print
That would be awesome! I'd love that ! 💕
@ 💕
Love your honesty! I can’t imagine that any knitwear designer working by her/himself could possibly release 50 patters a year. Those that do have a team working for them and as you say are releasing different options of the “same” pattern. As for what we knitters should be prepared to pay, I think it’s more what a designer would like to earn in total for the pattern. It’s hard to charge more than the market norm (rightly or wrongly) even though you get more your money from certain designers. That isn’t usually clear until you’ve downloaded the pattern. All the best to you
Thank you for your comment! 😊 It’s hard to imagine any solo designer releasing 50 patterns a year without a team. I did the math-it’s doable, but it’s tough, and there just have to be variations on the same theme.
As for pattern pricing, I think I should do a video about how much work actually goes into designing anything. The idea of getting more or less from different designers’ patterns is such an interesting topic. I’ve noticed that what we consider a ‘great’ pattern can really vary. Some people value a very hand-holding approach, while others love the Japanese style, where you get instructions for a single-size sweater on an A4.
All the best to you too! 💕
50 patterns is insane! My guess is that those designers actually have big teams working behind the scenes and it isn't just one person designing, let alone test knit running etc. Do we much as you feel comfortable doing.
Thank you! 😊 I will. 💕
Great video, love the sweater, I applied to test 😃 I’ve been looking for a jumper like this. I also knit all the time ❤
Wonderful! 😊 Test Knit Info sent, happy you've joined! 💕
@ fab can’t wait 😃🖤
I agree! No one really looks good in beige. It's a non color.
I think it's a really hard color to pull off successfully.
I’m glad I found your channel. Hello from Finland too. A pattern a week seems too much to me. The sweater is so beautiful and I would love to knit it. I probably can’t make it in time for the deadline so I will wait until the pattern is ready to purchase. 😊
Glad you found me, and thank you so much for the kind words about the sweater. 💕 There’s definitely magic in knitting at your own pace. 😊
Some designers are not doing there business alone so it´s not quite the same then. And if you´ve developped the business like Petite knits, I saw a tv programme of her (and there were some other Danish designers interwied as well). But there are many other designers who use different colours than beige and publish much fewer amount of patterns during the year. Many designers also make collaboration with yarn companies and then you might listen to their needs too when thinking about the colours etc. But of course you need to design what you like. Black is very difficult though, it´s so hard to see any details and get good photos of black knits.
Yeah, I know about the teams, and it makes sense at that level of success, but maybe they could be a bit more transparent about it. Then again, that might just be my interest-others seem happy to see photos of tranquil knitting while tons of patterns keep coming out.
As for black, sure, it’s tricky for photos, but honestly, I’d rather see designers embrace more colors instead of leaning so heavily on neutrals all the time.
I don't think it's reasonable to expect that releasing pattern every week would result in a good quality pattern. Quality over quantity, always!
I've noticed a lot of patterns are repeats of the same sweater i.e., short sleeve, long sleeve... I started making my own at this point to be different.
Making you own is always a great choice! 🥳
Oh yes, the beige disease - not just in knitting but also those sad little beige kids. When and where was this conference, where it was decided that seven tones of beige can make up a rainbow 🙃
50 patterns per year sounds crazy! I personally gravitate towards desingers that have fewer, but well thought about/ well written patterns - their love for design, crafting, and giving knitters a recipe to create their new favourite garment just shines trough with each new pattern. Rather have 5 well designed, and written patterns than 50 meh ones.
Black and greys are my comfort colours, too. I think they can be as colourful as any other: midnight black, rainy morning black, blueish black, faded black, happy black - so many options 😁
I understand the need for wardrobe staples and neutrals, and my wardrobe is definitely full of them. But beige? It’s just such a tough color to make work.
As for the 50 designs, I think some designers do manage to put out that many high-quality, well-written patterns, especially when they've been doing it for a while. Of curse not all of them stand out. Creativity is like that-sometimes what we make doesn’t always shine. I think it is also due to social media, you have to stay current...
Be your own person and have confidence in your choices. ❤️
Indeed. 🥰
Fifty is TOO MUCH, both for the designer and the knitting community. We see a lot of similar patterns. I'd rather see fewer, more interesting designs
Thank you! Know what you like, important not only in knitting! 😃
So true! 😊💕
Gorgeous colour Regia 😍
Isn't it! 💕😊🤩
Liked your Kelo hat n cowl.
Thank you! 💕
I would have loved to test knit your sweater, it's lovely. But there is no way I could finish it until deadline ends. Let alone 50 a year xD I'd love everyone to take their time and make awesome patterns and if that means they are fewer I have far less decision fatigue... If I love all your 50 designs, which 2-3 should I knit in the little time I have xD
No worries! 😊 I totally understand that test knitting with tight deadlines isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And yes, having too many options can definitely feel overwhelming sometimes.
The over production metric of “releasing a pattern weekly” is exactly that’s over production… I feel like it’s taken the human out of knitting. But also your “backlogged” ideas are going to come in time. I also wonder if people with different lives like no kids, no W-2 job, spousal or partner support in every area, yarn sponsorships etc have some one literally eating and shitting for them too 😂cause why
I also still am aware of them (them as in more main stream “designers” )not paying for all the free advertising /labor that’s test knitters give
There’s a fine line between appreciation of the craft, time energy and designs I think a lot of mainstream stuff has really derailed connection/intergenerational value, slow living, anti fast fashion
On a side note I was happy to see your video in the new year!! I appreciate and like your style and thoughts in community regarding the “knitting industry “
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! 💕There’s definitely value in letting ideas come naturally and not rushing the process.
That said, I also recognize that the reality of the knitting industry doesn’t always align with that approach. It's important to note that we're talking about an industry here, not just a craft-and there’s a difference. The idea of producing so many patterns feels unrealistic unless you’re repeating yourself and accepting that not everything will be a hit, even if you had all the time and resources in the world. Once you reach a certain level, though, it seems like quantity often becomes more about visibility, and, for better or worse, people will buy almost anything.
I guess where I struggle is reconciling knitting as ‘slow fashion’ with the reality around me, which seems to be moving in a different direction.
Yeah, 50 patterns a year is definitely excessive, almost suspiciously so. Definitely fast fashion.
Indeed, it might be a bit much.
50 patterns make me think that AI might be involved in the process…
I’ve took a break from knitting for almost a decade and when I came back to it a few years back I was shocked by how much has changed in terms of patterns (and knitting culture as well). Back when I first started there seemed to be more variety of patterns and more variety of stitches, laces, and cables. Now the patterns are rather plain, boring, either all garter stitch (if flat) or stockinette (if in the round). How many plain stockinette or ribbed hat patterns can there be? And why are they so expensive? And why knit them if I can buy them in the store? And why wear them if I go around looking like everyone else?
It’s hard to find anything unique when a handful of designers are dominating the scene.
AI might not be quite there yet for knitting patterns, especially in terms of creating functional, unique designs. Think you might get a better result if you feed specific prompts into an AI tool. Haven’t tested this though.That said, I’ve heard there are AI-generated crochet and cross-stitch patterns on Etsy, but those end up being unworkable or don’t translate well into finished pieces.
As for the change in knitting culture, yes, there has been drastic changes in the last decade or so. I'm guessing the dominance of simple stockinette patterns and designs comes more from trends in the community and the fashion industry. There is a definite call and intrigue in knitting the same sweaters and wanting to belong to a certain crowd. I partially get that, but I find it boring. Probably I've grown out of it. Yes, I do get the appeal of simple knits, they do have their practical aspect and "they go with everything". But just how many raglan sweaters one needs? 😅
I’m just learning to try to transfer the yarn to the needle with knitting, but I’ve been crocheting almost a year now. Anyway, I think making quality patterns and making them easy to understand matters more to me. However, I’m just a beginner (in all ways in my eyes) but I think taking time and keeping the joy in it could reap more rewards in the end maybe. Also, I love the idea of making something in your favorite color to bring a smile, a bit of joy to you when you reach for it. We gotta find happiness somewhere right?
I love that you’re embarking on a knitting journey alongside your crochet skills! Thank you for the wonderful reminder to keep joy in the making. Choosing favorite colors is such a great idea-in my case, they’d all be almost black. 😅 Wishing you lots of happiness and success as you continue your crafting adventures!
@ mine would be in all black too! 😂 so forcing myself to use colors that aren’t black is the challenge but you’re right! There can be staples and neutrals that aren’t beige! Most ppl don’t pick the right shade of beige for their undertones too I think so it doesn’t look good on most ppl imo
@ Thank you! I’m really enjoying learning! It makes be still too!
@ 😅
You might be on the right track about choosing the incorrect shade of beige. So since it's so tricky, I'll stay away for now. 😊
@ 💕 Glad to hear it!
I don’t understand how anyone could produce 50 patterns a year, at least not single-handedly.
Indeed it takes a lot of work.
❤🌈🧶 Really looking forward to these Leo-patterns! 🥰 Are you planning also a leo-cowl-pattern?
Glad you like them! 😊 This time I wasn't thinking about a cowl, maybe some other matching accessory.
You have to be true to yourself. 50 patterns isn't realistic, and if you feel your quality will suffer, don't worry about what other creators are doing. You do you!
Thank you ! 💕 You are right, 50 patterns at this stage with these resources is probably not realistic. 😊
love that pattern but I missed some contrast with the colours
Yes, I agree, it is not knitted in the best possible combo. 😊
I too don’t care for nylon, but recently I had to go with Kos as well for a project, as for some reason, there is such a limited number of colorsways available for Poppy.
50 patterns a year is way too much, it just falls under over consumption really. I have no idea why designers feel the need to be confined to the idea that to be relevant you have to put out new work. Not at all the case in my opinion. Stand by your values and your merit, I’m sure you’ll make the right choice.
Thank you! 😊💕 I haven't quite figure out why Sandnes came out with Poppy. I do get the no nylon part, but like you said, that yarn has an even more limited color range. I wonder if they'll get rid of Kos at some point in the future and make more colors in Poppy.
I think social media adds to the pressure to create all the time. Of course it is also they fact that people need to sell patterns to make a living, and a pattern that is release half a year ago might seem old to some knitters.
You are your own person and designer. Don't feel like you have to compete with other designers. If you put out great products we will notice and I'd rather see someone make fewer, better, thought out designs than tons of them that are boring. I wish I was more proficient at colorwork, I'd love to test knit your pattern. It's amazing! I will definitely be watching out for it to come out.
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! 😊 As for colorwork, I’m sure you’d do an amazing job! 💕
How many of the 50 are good,?
I'd say, the more you do it, the better you get.
I like beige because I personally love how it looks with my hair and skin tone. my favorite staple color is really more lighter, cream but not stark white. black looks awful on more people than beige. I personally have never seen anyone look bad in beige, it’s why so many choose it as a good option unless it’s too close to skin color on the wearer because it’s not as harsh as black or white. grey and beige as so popular for this reason. I see plenty of people looking way too washed out and sallow looking in black. I can have unpopular opinions too 🤭
It’s okay to have unpopular opinions, but I think you’re in the majority here. People really do like beige! 😅 I get why it’s a favorite for many, but I’d argue that the classic ‘granny knickers’ beige can sometimes be tricky, especially if it’s too close to someone’s skin tone-it can wash people out. Same goes for black! So there, black isn't for everyone either! 😱 Like I said, it’s all about finding colors that suit you and make you happy.
Honestly, 2-4 sweater patterns put out per year is what sounds reasonable to me, even for a designer who spends most of their time on this. Even if they're also putting out accessories, can they really come up with monthly new designs that are interesting enough to be worth it? Something meaty once a quarter plus the occasional freebie holiday decor item or vanilla sock or something is more reasonable than something every month.
Of course, even if Petite Knit had taken ten times as long to put out all those patterns, I would still find the majority of them not worth anyone's time. Her stuff would mostly be better bought as a mass-produced machine knit. There are plenty of other designers' patterns I would bother knitting in beige, but they're, you know, slightly more advanced than sad stockinette propped up by an expensive yarn choice. Sorry, not sorry. Andrea Mowry also produces at a relatively ridiculous pace and appears to hate shaping, but she isn't allergic to color, so she only puts out like a third of the volume. I find that telling.
I guess some people really do like wearing square sacks, but I can't help but feel that the commercial needs are driving a relatively low level of shaping in a lot of designs, including the colorful ones. (Maybe especially the colorful ones given the extra problems with pattern repeats vs. shaping and sizes!) If you need to put out a wide size range *and* grade the shaping properly, that's a tremendous amount of work. I guess if someone's the lead designer for a magazine and all of the tech side is handled by a full time team that's already a well-oiled machine with the designer just handing off concept sketches and one size of sample, that's different, but how many designers find themselves in such a position in the modern day? I hear Kaffe Fassett was able to work like that in the 90s, but I doubt it's the reality for many designers now.
Spiritually, I think the right rate for an indie designer is this: Could your superfans who have day jobs reasonably knit all your patterns as you release them?
The problem with beige isn't just the lack of color: it's the lack of clue about warm vs. cool undertones. *Of course* some people look much better in gray. It's for the same reason that some people gravitate to a warm white and some to a cool one. Bland is okay. Sometimes, bland is good. But what I'm seeing a lot of is INCOMPETENT and clueless blandness where people push the *exact* same neutral shade instead of taking advantage of the full range of understated neutrals.
TBH, the beige in and of itself isn't the issue with your sweater there, IMO. The real issue is that it isn't doing the lilac any favors. Beige and darker beige or that lilac and a darker purple would be nice. That beige and a maroon would be nice. Purple plus dramatically not purple feels like it should be high contrast, but your example there is low contrast while also being slightly warm and slightly cool (but not enough for contrast there either). It's like the spirit of beige and the spirit of wacky colorfulness are fighting each other in a way that they wouldn't if you paired the beige with a dramatically brighter, richer, or darker color. Honestly, it would probably work with one of those clown barf yarns. And purple would work with another purple or mint green or something.
I'm with you on the hat. I look better in floppier ones, but I want them to either flop properly or be fitted. Tight hats with that extra bit just seem like they're the wrong size to me.
Thank you for your detailed thoughts! 😊💕You've made some interesting points, especially about the pace of design and the challenges of maintaining quality while meeting the demands of the industry. It's tough to consistently produce designs that are both unique and interesting without sacrificing quality or creativity. Not sure that it's possible.
As for the sweaters color combinations, I appreciate the feedback! I think I want to occasionally push the envelope and try things that might not work at all. That said, it is a matter of taste and hence, it’s subjective. Many people seem to like this combo as it is. I’d personally love to have a purple and pink version, but the color selection in said yarn is just not great. So I haven’t decided yet what to do.
Also, at least here in the Nordics, the aesthetic lean towards muted colors. I might be wrong, but that is what people seem to wear, and of course tons of black. I get why many Nordic designers seem to cater towards that.
Yay for the testing call! Sorry I didn't get back earlier, I never get notified that you reply and on here I have the memory of a goldfish. I sent you some examples on Ravelry, hopefully they are useful for the future.
About the pattern writers who put out 50 patterns a year... Yeah, they don't work alone, they just appear to effortlessly publish like a machine, but we don't know how many people they pay, how many people in their families are involved in their brand, so the loners among us should not aim for 50 patterns a year. That's not sustainable and it doesn't make sense from a maker's perspective either.
How much time do the people in your audience have for knitting in one year? How many projects? How many other designers do they follow? Sure, if you have an enormous audience of hundreds of thousands of people, you'll get a nice distribution of sales, but with a small audience you need to focus. Focus on the reason they found you in the first place. I'm sure it's not for the basic beige.
Completely unrelated, how's the dress going?
Indeed, I hope it isn’t for the basic beige. 😅
Thank you for the examples, that’s very kind of you. I’ll take a look and reply to you on Ravelry. I do not get the part on TH-cam; it shows only some comments, but not all to comment. Oh well.
The dress is almost finished. I’ll need to redo part of the cuffs on the sleeves and block it to see how large it actually is. I do not trust even “large” swatches. But more about that later. 😊
As for putting out that many patterns, yes, they have help. It is not generally discussed or shown. I am not talking about tech editors here, but actual staff. Some mention they have sample knitters, but they also have other personnel, e.g., running the test knits for them, tackling customer support, and so on. I sometimes wish they’d be a bit more transparent. But since I get the part that they are knitfluencing, maybe giving out too much of the business is not a good idea.
50 patterns a year, is almost one pattern a week. Sounds almost impossible even if they're recycling basic patterns.
Indeed, it’s a huge undertaking.
Upea Wild one -pusero! 💜
Kirjoneulepipoon sopii munkin mielestä lyhyempi pituus 🤔 Muutoin tykkään just siitä, että päälle jää pieni törö, niin en näytä ihan niin munapäältä 😂 Tosi rennot, ns. rastapipot ei sitten ole omaan makuun.
Kiitos! 💕
Mä tykkään näyttää munapäältä. 😅 Minusta lyhyempi pituus sopii lähes kaikkiin pipomalleihin. Toki voi olla, että mun pää on hassun mallinen ja siksi tykkään lyhyemmistä malleista.
@themonogamousknitter Haha en tietenkään tarkoittanut, että sä näyttäisit munapäältä lyhyemmässä pipossa 😂❤️ Oma pääni on muiden mielestä niin pallon muotoinen, että olen tullut tosi tietoiseksi siitä 😔
@@ajatuksianni En mä sitä ajatellutkaan. ☺ En ymmärrä miksi ihmiset kokee tarvetta kommentoida asioita, joille ei itse voi mitään.
Churning out that many patterns signals to me that they can afford to dedicate all their time and take no breaks. I also suspect that they're churning out basic/standard patterns.
For 2025, I've set out a goal to knit more colorful pieces. And this is coming from someone who has always had an almost all black wardrobe haha. I'm really tired of all the cream, beige, grey knitted garments. - This is the first time I'm knitting using beige for a sweater and I'm feeling a little eh about it.
Love your goal for 2025! I understand, my wardrobe is mostly black too, those are my neutrals. 😅 I tend to knit more colorful things though, but I can’t resist my greys and off-whites. I really enjoy knitting colorful socks, and maybe that’s what I’ll focus on this year - going wild with sock designs! 😄
Good luck with the beige sweater! As much as I dislike beige, I totally get that it might look great on some people! But if you feel meh about it, you can always unravel.
@themonogamousknitter I have a lot more fun with sock colors because people just get a peak of them when I wear them! Sock knitting has been something newer for me that I really enjoy. It scratches the impulsive buy in me because I can impulsively buy one skein and know that I can make a pair of socks from them!
Thanks! This is my second sweater and I fucked up calculating the yardage needed. I bought 3 more skeins; 2 in the same dyelot and one not. I didn't notice how different it was until I saw it in fluorescent lighting... So one of the sleeves is in a slightly different color. I'm going to unravel it and use one of the other skeins I have that's in the right dyelot.
I started focusing on a beanie for my partner and thinking about a colorful vest I want to do next because frogging is so demotivating. It's disappointing I'll have to unravel and redo before I can say it's complete. Ugh.
@ Oh, impulse buying sock yarn-yes, that’s exactly how I ended up with that one lonely ball of Regia sock yarn! I totally get it. Knitting socks is fun, but I definitely struggle with second sock syndrome sometimes.
As for your sweater, miscalculating yardage is familiar-such a bummer! It hasn’t happened of late, since I tend to overkill and buy too much, not good either.
I think your plan to focus on something fun, like the beanie and vest, before tackling the sleeve issue is such a good idea. I’ll have to remember that for my own projects when things get frustrating!
I hate beige. I tend to go for grays and black for a neutral color. I notice that I have knit a lot of gray and black sweaters, so maybe I will knit a blue or a purple sweater this year.
A pop of blue or purple sounds like such a fun way to shake things up! 😊💕 I'm also considering knitting a navy blue sweater.
The designers who are putting out 50 patterns a year are definitely not knitting them themselves. Let's face it, they have teams of people working for them. I wonder how much of the pattern they are even actually doing. Also they are utilizing copy and paste to repurpose previous patterns. So many of their patterns are so very similar it's not even fair to call it a new version. A different neckline or adding stripes doesn't make it NEW!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! 😊 Indeed, designers who put out such a high volume of patterns often have a team working behind the scenes, which allows for that level of output. And yes, there’s definitely a lot of repurposing of previous patterns, which can sometimes blur the line between a new design and just a variation.
the people who are cranking out 50 patterns a year or 1 a week I think they are not really making a lot of changes to their patterns. some are basically the same pattern with small style changes like changing the collar or adding a zipper...I am thinking of 1 specific designer. its too much and i think it boarders on over production and similar to fast fashion... you don't have to compete with that...your stuff is very unique and beautiful
Thank you! 😊💕
I do understand the desire to take one idea and tweak it slightly to create a vest, a cardigan, a hat, or a shawl-not just a sweater. I’m definitely not immune to falling in love with a particular pattern and becoming a little obsessed with incorporating it everywhere. 😅
That said, after a while, it can start to feel repetitive, and I think it doesn’t necessarily contribute to creativity.
50 patterns feels excessive.
Indeed.
That's a ridiculous number, how can each pattern have personal attention or real inspiration?
I think aiming for 12 is more sensible, releasing something interesting and genuine each month.
50 patterns a year is way too much. It's impossible all of them are stunning
In my opinion, it's better to have 1 gorgeous pattern a month
About the color combo of the sweater: I actually like it. It's unusual for the animal print pattern. The quiet tones for the fierce leopard print, I find it very original.
May look too soft, but it's a sweater. Wear it with some contrast color and it will be the perfect combination.
I also love beige 🤭
It's okay to love beige! 😊 It’s just not for me.
I sort of like the sweater’s color combo-it fits that Nordic beige aesthetic-but it doesn’t quite suit me. I think it would look better on me with white as MC.
It might also pair beautifully as it is with a dark lilac skirt if I can find one somewhere. Thank you for the inspiration! 💕
50 patterns is too much. They have people to knit.
The speeed of relese new patterns, kals, project is insane.
But on the social media its looks like a normal thing. Its not. Its an easy burnout.
Yeah, the social media aspect of effortless creating can definitely be misleading. It’s easy to forget how much time and effort goes into designing when it seems that new patterns just pop up daily almost on their own. 😅