Pattern Design Circle Podcast

In this episode, I answer all of the questions (a bit rapid-fire style) that you submitted on the podcast survey in April. We cover picking a business name to starting a business legally, feeling aimless in your business, revenue streams, mindset, systems, and more. There are two reasons that I chose to approach these questions this way: Looking to dive a bit deeper? Book a 1:1 Coaching Call Join the Pattern Design Circle membership Purchase the Complete Marketing Course Purchase just the Branding Your Business Course (coming soon) from the Marketing Course Listen to the podcast episode on Affiliate Marketing ----- I'd love to hear from you! Send a Fan Mail Message!

Are the measures you're taking to be more "productive" actually just causing you more headache and wasting you more time? Or are your productivity habits actually moving you toward your goals? In a world of hustle culture and a huge emphasis on being efficient and productive, it seems we've sometimes lost sight of what our real goals are and what productivity actually means and looks like. Inspired by an episode on Mark Manson's YouTube channel, where he interviews Cal Newport about one of his books on productivity, in this podcast episode I talk about: I can't wait for you to dive in! And don't forget to let me know your thoughts by sending some Fan Mail! ---------------- Looking for support? I've got you! The Complete Marketing Course 1:1 Coaching Pattern Design Circle Membership Send a Fan Mail Message!

When I approached Kim McBrien Evans of Indigo Dragonfly about being a guest on the Pattern Design Circle Podcast, she said, "Let's talk size inclusivity and what TRUE size inclusivity looks like!" Kim wears many hats, as a knitwear designer, yarn dyer, teacher, and passionate advocate for inclusive sizing. She shares, "I believe that size inclusivity and good fit work best as a partnership between the maker and the designer. The designer's role is to understand how body proportions work and how they interact with clothing. The maker's role is to understand how their body is unique, and how their proportions may not match the pattern they wish to make. As designers we can start by observing bodies in clothing, and using that visual information to teach us how clothes and bodies interact at any size. As makers, the more we learn about our bodies and how we like our clothing to fit, the stronger our partnership with our favourite designers becomes." I can't wait for you to dive into this episode, where we start from the basics of what inclusive sizing even means and dig into the practical applications for knit and crochet pattern designers like you and me. Want to learn more about Inclusive Sizing? Join the Pattern Design Circle membership, and learn from 50+ experts, including Kim! ----------------------------------- Designer Resources from Kim Connect with Kim/Indigo Dragonfly online! Patreon Kim's Ravelry Designer page Indigo Dragonfly Website ----------------------------------- Looking for support? I've got you! The Complete Marketing Course 1:1 Coaching Pattern Design Circle Membership Send a Fan Mail Message!

I won't lie... I've been dragging my feet about recording (and sharing) this episode. At first, I had a sense of relief having spoken the words into existence... and then all the fears and imposter syndrome came creeping back in again. Why have I been procrastinating on this episode? Three main things: But once I'd recorded the episode and thought about sharing the episode, I knew it also had to do with my own vulnerability. Would you think that I was too negative? Or that I was sharing too much from my personal life? Would you find it boring? And if any of those were true, would it mean I'm a bad podcaster? From the recent survey, I know you're looking for just straight-up tips and you aren't as interested in the way I talk about business - looking at all of the places for nuance, taking into account our whole life picture, paying attention to authenticity and passion, and discussing the reality of the ups and downs. But it's still a core part of my brand and who I am. And I still believe our deepest connection comes when we're willing to be open and vulnerable with each other. Even though I guess it's been a while since I've really been vulnerable in my business. Sometimes there are experiences that knock you down and cause you to retreat a bit. They confirm some of your greatest fears and make you question things. And I've had several of those over the last few years. Experiences that have made me want to just give up on everything and move to a different industry entirely. But obviously I haven't. There's still a fire and a passion in me, and a sense of work that hasn't been completed. And as hard as it is to share this episode, I know I'll regret it if I don't. In this podcast episode, I share a brief recap of what's happened over the past year (plus), both in my business and my personal life, to lead to some more changes here for Pattern Design Circle. And, don't worry, it's not all stories and gloom! There are new and exciting things on the horizon. Start checking them out here: New Pattern Design Circle website Pattern Design Circle membership is now open 24/7 Find the podcast via the website Send a FanMail message using the link at the bottom of any podcast episode description! ----- Looking for support? I've got you! The Complete Marketing Course 1:1 Coaching Pattern Design Circle Membership ---- Send a Fan Mail Message!

Creative entrepreneurs are a special kind of entrepreneur, and as a creative entrepreneur, I say that in the most positive and loving way. Our mission, our fuel, and our inspiration are different than others. We have a passion for creating, and sometimes that can make entrepreneurship difficult. Sometimes we feel like it's a constant pulling between creativity and entrepreneurship. Where's the balance? Is it possible to be "successful" financially and to be fulfilled creatively? Is it better to be focused on the passion and creativity or to be focused on the business? This podcast episode is inspired by an interview I watched on the Colin & Samir show with Max Fosh, a well-known YouTube creative entrepreneur known for the extensive lengths he will go to for the sake of humor. One of my favorite gems from the interview was discussing two different metrics of success that we as creative entrepreneurs have - one metric relating to our passion and creativity, and the other relating to financial success. So, of course, we dive all into a conversation on that, plus other gems from the interview, including a quick path to a short career, constraints as creatives, and failing as a creative. I hope that these perspective shifts are as inspiring, motivational, and impactful for you as they were for me! ----- Looking for support? I've got you! The Complete Marketing Course 1:1 Coaching Pattern Design Circle Membership Send a Fan Mail Message!

Rather than asking what Carolyn has done, perhaps we should be asking, "what hasn't she done?!" From pattern designing to teaching classes in the local yarn shop she co-owned to working with creatives on Patreon (and so much more), Carolyn of Coulee Crafts truly has dabbled in so many areas of the fiber arts industry (and beyond)! I believe she truly deserves to be called a multi-passionate creator! In this episode, I introduce you to Carolyn and we talk about her passion for crochet design, what makes her designs so fun and unique, how teaching classes has influenced her work as a pattern designer, and her love for cultivating community. Currently, Carolyn is living on a hobby farm that she's working to turn into a fiber farm, hosting a YouTube channel, designing, and working outside her business. Plus, Carolyn focuses on designing "the most smile-inducing weird stuff I can" so what's not to love about that?! ----- Connect with Carolyn online: YouTube Patreon Coulee Craft Club Discord ----- Looking for support? I've got you! The Complete Marketing Course 1:1 Coaching Pattern Design Circle Membership Send a Fan Mail Message!

The Pattern Design Circle Podcast just celebrated its second birthday! I don't know if I'm feeling like “it's already 2 years old?!” or “it's only 2 years old?!” But I do know that it's definitely something I really love doing, and that I've been continuing to make it more and more a focus in my business. I love how I can show up authentically and talk about business and all the things with you. In this episode I recap a bit from the past - including some statistics and favorite episodes - and share a bit about what to expect for future episodes. Plus, I share about an opportunity to win a free 60 minute coaching call with me! To celebrate the podcast anniversary, I'm giving away one free 60-minute coaching call to someone who fills out this survey - it's just 5 quick questions on what you'd like to hear more about on the podcast, and if you don't listen to the podcast, how you'd prefer to receive that content instead! Thanks so much for taking the time to complete it, and I can't wait to work with one lucky winner soon! ------------ TOP 5 EPISODES OF ALL TIME: 5 Pillars to Building a Successful Pattern Design BusinessMarketing 101: Methods, Strategies, and Why It's ImportantStop Buying All the Things! That Course Isn't the Solution. Here's What You Need InsteadMoving the Needle in Your Pattern Design Business - with Shelley Brander of Knit StarsWhat to Include in Your Knit or Crochet Pattern ---------- Looking for support? I've got you! The Complete Marketing Course 1:1 Coaching Pattern Design Circle Membership Send a Fan Mail Message!

Recently, I've been feeling very inspired by listening to content from creatives outside the arts and crafts industries. A couple of weeks ago I watched the Project Iceman documentary produced by Yes Theory!, and I absolutely loved it, and keep mentioning in all sorts of conversations. It's one of those pieces of content that not only resonated with me, but it truly inspired and motivated me as a creative entrepreneur... which is why I want to share about it with you, in case you need the same kind of boost. In this episode we're talking about what Anders accomplished in Project Iceman mentally, and specifically what he accomplished despite everyone telling him he would fail. It's true: entrepreneurship isn't easy. Following your dreams and passions as a creative are not easy. And it isn't any easier when it feels like you don't have a proper support system around you. However, Anders proves to me that you can prove the naysayers wrong even if you don't have people believing in you. You can build your support system slowly, but what's going to be most important is your own belief in yourself and your determination to follow through. My goal with this episode is to pass along just a smidgen of the inspiration that I felt from this documentary. To remind you to pursue your dreams, even when it's hard, even when folks tell you it's not possible. Your journey is your journey, and your journey alone. It's ok if other folks don't get it. Keep crushing it, and I'm here cheering you on! ------- Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. Included in Pattern Design Circle is a featured guest discussion with Kiffanie where we talk all about copyright and trademarks! NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

Something I hear over and over again is, "I didn't get into this because of the business side of things; I got into it because I love knitting!" and I know it's something that most of my audience can relate to. So, chances are pretty high that you don't jump up and down with excitement over "all the legal stuff." Thankfully, I'm going to introduce you to your new best friend in this episode! Kiffanie Stahle is both a lawyer and a creative business owner. She's even a maker in the fiber industry! So she gets it. And, something she's really great at is talking about "the legal stuff" to make it easier for creative business owners to understand. In this podcast episode, we're specifically talking about contracts. We will be chatting about all of these questions: Why are contracts important? When should I use a contract in my business? What are the key elements of a contract? And Kiffanie even provides an audit on this episode of the contracts that she's signed with me! If you're feeling uncertain at all about contracts in your business, this episode is for you! ------- Resources from Kiffanie: NextLegalStep.com TheArtistsCourtyard.com Legal Roadmap for Your Creative Business book* LLC for Your Creative Business book* *Note: these links are my affiliate links through Amazon, meaning I may receive some compensation, if you purchase through the link. It does not change the price that you pay for the product. ------- Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. Included in Pattern Design Circle is a featured guest discussion with Kiffanie where we talk all about copyright and trademarks! NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

It's no secret at all that there can be a lot of "need to," "have to," and "should" ideas that circulate the industry (and our brains) when it comes to running a creative business... and it's not always easy to discern how important those things actually are. In this podcast episode, we're diving into the topic of industry festivals and events. Is it important to attend these events as a knit or crochet pattern designer? Are you doing your business a disservice by not attending? What's the best way to show up at these events in order to get the highest ROI (return on investment)? What festivals and events actually fit your needs and terms of success? This episode addresses all of those questions swirling in your head! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

Maybe your current impression is a bit like mine was, and it feels a bit slimy and annoying. Or, maybe your ready to dive into it and wanting to know all the details. Or, maybe you're not very familiar with affiliate marketing, and you're looking for the basics of what it is, how it works, and how it could fit into your business. Whichever scenario you find yourself in, this podcast episode is for you. I'm diving into what affiliate marketing is, how it works for both businesses involved (and benefits the end customer), why I love affiliate marketing and want to incorporate more of it in my business, and how you might choose to use affiliate marketing as an additional revenue stream in your business. If you've listened to the episode and have come to the description for the promised links here they are! :) Sign Up to be a Pattern Design Circle Affiliate View My Favorite Knitting, Designing, and Business Products on my Amazon Storefront ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

In a world that feels like it's constantly becoming less and less "real," so much of society - and our customers - are craving what's genuine and authentic. But in a world that demands SO MUCH of business owners, how can we possibly do it all?! Showing up online, marketing, creating our products and services, and serving our audience... it can get exhausting wearing all of the metaphorical business hats. Kinsey of Authentic AI for Entrepreneurs (and Feel Good Social) is obsessed with utilizing AI tools to improve efficiency WHILE maintaining your value as a real human with real emotions, and continuing to share authentic content, even when it is supported by artificial intelligence. In this podcast episode, we dive into the collective overwhelm we are seeing (and experiencing) with technology and the internet, the importance of providing value for your audience, choosing what to share with your audience, changes in content trends, our mixed feelings on storytelling, the 12 essential post strategy, and so much more. You can expect to receive a lot of permission and grace, as well as actionable tips for making content creation simpler and more authentic to you and your brand! Don't forget to check out Kinsey's 12 Essential Post Mini-Course if you're wanting to try that strategy! You can find it here on her page of course offerings. Plus, she's just launched her new course, Content Made Easy with Chat GPT, this week! -------------------------------------------------------------------- Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

In the previous episode we talked all about who might be watching you, ready to hand you your next great opportunity... but are you ready for it? In this episode of the Pattern Design Circle, let's chat all about how to be ready so you aren't scrambling to get ready when that opportunity arrives! From your social media to your website, from your patterns to your email funnel, let's talk about what it looks like to be ready for success. Is your social media and website properly introducing you, your brand, and your work? Is your work showcasing your expertise and value? What is your customer experience like? Is your business set up to handle success at a volume? Are you making it easy for folks to purchase from you? Is your celebrity crush even going to be able to contact you? Dive into this podcast episode to discuss all of these topics and more! -------------------------------------------------------------------- Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

You never know who is watching... and a lot of times this can evoke fear, perhaps even to the point that you choose not to show up. But have you thought of all of the POSITIVE ways people are watching you? In this episode of the Pattern Design Circle Podcast, we aren't just talking about your ideal customer that's watching you (and falling in love with your work) but also the person who's ready to hand you your next greatest opportunity. It might be a collaborator, a sponsor, a host, or even your favorite industry celebrity. There are always folks keeping their eye out for designers like you that have great talent and beautiful values, and you never know when they might stumble across your name, social media, website, or pattern design. Whether you're already waiting for the next opportunity, or you've been feeling discouraged if and when that next opportunity is coming, this podcast is here to inspire and motivate you. It's coming; you just don't know when! -------------------------------------------------------------------- Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

Accessibility can feel like a huge scope that encompasses so many things... because it does and it is! But in this podcast episode with Renee Van Hoy, Renee breaks down some simple easy-to-implement methods to start making your designs and business more accessible. Not only that, but she provides insight on who this helps, how it helps them, and what a huge difference it makes in their lives and making. And it impacts every part of your business, from your social media and email marketing to your website design, and of course, your knit or crochet patterns. It can all feel overwhelming if you're not familiar with it, but Renee encourages knit and crochet pattern designers to just start with one or two pieces and build on that. It really is doable! Plus, Renee has tremendous resources available for designers. For just $20, take the Accessible Patterns Course; not only will you learn all about making your patterns accessible, but you'll support the Accessible Patterns Index, and receive a free pattern review from Renee. And any time you publish an accessible pattern, you can let Renee know, and she will add it to the Accessible Patterns Index, an incredible resource for folks who benefit from accessible patterns. ------ Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

Maybe you're sick and tired of seeing free knitting and crochet patterns everywhere. Or you're trying to figure out why in the world there are so many free patterns out there. Or maybe you're trying to figure out how to utilize free knitting patterns in your business model. In this podcast episode, we talk all about free crochet and knitting patterns: why (and how) you might choose to incorporate them in your marketing strategy, how businesses are making money off free patterns... and of course my hesitancies and mixed feelings around it. But of course, through it all, I remind you that you are the boss of your business. You get to choose what feels best to you. You get to choose your business model. And you get to choose if (and how) you incorporate free knit and crochet patterns in your business model. Tune in now to get the full run down so you can choose what's best for you. ------ Need more business and design resources and support? Don't worry; I've got you! Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!

We have reached the final of seven episodes in the planning series! However, this one is a little bit different! Rather than talking about planning and goal-setting specifically, we're talking in this episode all about how to make achieving those goals and plans FUN! Yes, we're talking all about how to make business more fun, even the super boring, frustrating, and overwhelming tasks that you keep avoiding! Sure, it's kind of a mindset thing, but in these episode I share 15 (sometimes silly and ridiculous) different ideas to gamify the boring and overwhelming tasks, so you can breeze through them and they aren't hanging over your head anymore. Plus, it'll bring you closer to actually achieving the beautiful goals and plans you made for your business! And I don't just leave you with 15 ideas, but I also share how to generate more games ideas that you’ll love. ----------- Simplify, organize, and focus with these super simple printable worksheets. Goal-ephant worksheet from Jen Butler Says Want to laminate your sheets? This is the laminator I bought! Join Pattern Design Circle for accountability, coworking, community, and resources. Send a Fan Mail Message!

Jessica, the knitting pattern designer behind Double the Stitches, started her business as several of us do, with selling hand knit products. However, she was selling knits to photographers for baby photoshoots! In this episode, she shares a few of the challenges with that and how it lead to a pivot designing knitting patterns, leaving her job at a local yarn shop, and diving deep into community building online. In this episode, we chat about her free group, paid group, in-person events, and the free upcoming virtual summit, Knit Happy! Summit, happening next week: February 15-18, 2024. Be sure to tune in for an inside peek at all the things, including the inspiration behind the name "Double the Stitches" inside this episode! Join the free Knit Happy! Summit Sign up to be an affiliate for the Knit Happy! Summit Join the Double the Stitches Patterns group on Facebook Sign up for 5 Community-Building Tips ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Pattern Design Circle for community support, business growth, and networking. Get 1-on-1 support for your knit or crochet pattern design business. Send a Fan Mail Message!

We're a month into the new year. How are your plans going so far? How are you feeling about the next 11 months, or even the rest of the quarter? Whether you feel like you've already fallen off track when it comes to your goals and plans for 2024, or you're worried about it heading that direction, this episode is for you. In this episode, I talk all about actionable ways to ensure you actually follow through with your plans and achieve your goals. Grab your pen and paper because this one's packed! ----------- Simplify, organize, and focus with these super simple printable worksheets. Want to laminate your sheets? This is the laminator I bought! Join Pattern Design Circle for accountability, coworking, community, and resources. Send a Fan Mail Message!

Hortense, the knit and crochet pattern designer behind Knitting with Chopsticks, unexpectedly started her business in 2018, never anticipating it'd become her full-time job. Five years later, designing is her full-time job, plus she hosted her first crochet summit last year, is hosting her first knitting summit February 1-4, 2024, and runs a membership community for knitters and crocheters! Inside this episode, we talk about hating social media, the beauty of running a business using blogging (and free patterns), what it's like to host a summit (and what a summit is), and information about the upcoming Knit Your Wardrobe Summit. We were so busy talking that I forgot to mention it inside the episode - the class topic that I'm presenting on is Making Garment Adjustments Using Your Actual Gauge! Find Hortense online at knittingwithchopsticks.com. Join the FREE 4-Day Knit Your Wardrobe Summit here. (Check out the All Access Pass and Superpack here.) Sign up to share the summit as an affiliate here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers. LIMITED TIME: Get 20% off your first month inside Pattern Design Circle here with coupon code NEWYEAR through January 31, 2024. NEED A PERSONAL COACH? Book here. Send a Fan Mail Message!