Recycling Unsold Design Swatches

When I swatch a design, whether on request from an editor or for an independent submission, I like to let my imagination and the design process lead me where they will—that is, of course, unless the editor has specific instructions about what she expects from me. Can I work to an editor’s specific instructions or visualize exactly what I want to create and then reproduce it in yarn or thread? Absolutely. But, unleashing my imagination to create whatever it desires when the opportunity permits keeps designing fresh and new for me, even after nearly 27 years in the business.

As most any designer will tell you, the design process is often one of trial and error. Sometimes, I come up with a design element that I like but feel isn’t quite right for my current project. Instead of discarding these swatches, I collect them in a small plastic tote I keep next to my desk. Eventually, I go back through them to see what I can use in another design.

As those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook may know, I’ve been on a cleanup, de-clutter campaign in my office over the past week or so. Yesterday just happened to be the day that I decided to go through the aforementioned tote and decide what to do with the contents. While I knew there were quite a few swatches that I would be able to use, even I was surprised to find that I can easily put together at least 12 designs from the cast-offs with the possibility of a half dozen more. Here is an obscure preview (right) of a few of the swatches I am planning to turn into new designs. Sorry I can’t show you more detail. In fact, the parts I’m showing you are actually parts that will change, but that’s how the design business goes. None of my editors would thank me for making public work that I submit to them!

Although I design in most areas of crochet, floral afghans have long been my signature. So, it’s not surprising that most of the cast-off motifs have a floral theme. Because there is this one unifying factor throughout, I have more options regarding what I can do with them. I can easily translate them into a couple of afghan books if I wish. I can also submit them individually to different publications. Or, I can discard the afghan idea completely and make them into something entirely different. I haven’t decided exactly what I’m going to do with them yet, but drawing on this resource of otherwise unused design work pays, both in terms of potential earnings and time that I haven’t actually wasted when I created them in the first place. So remember, hang on to those little doodlings you do with your crochet hook and your fiber of choice. They are almost as good as money in the bank if you happen to be interested in a design career.

Love and recycled designs,

Brenda

Rejection Slips: We All Get Them!

Rejection slips are a fact of any writer's life and, whether you've realized it yet or not, writing crochet instructions is a form of technical writing.

Don't let rejection slips get you down. Also, don't let them discourage you from submitting again or define how you feel about yourself as a designer. Instead, use them as a tool to help you improve your work. When a project is returned to you with a rejection slip, take a critical look at it and do your best to evaluate it through the editor's eyes. If you see room for improvement, make corrections and resubmit the project to another editor. If I you feel that if is fine as is, send it on to another editor without changes.

Ideally, you will get a feel for what your editors want from you and, you’ll get better at taking that critical look at your designs before you send them out for the first submission. As you get better at working with the editors and they learn what they can expect from you, you will place your designs with more regularity.

As a former crochet editor of several nationally distributed crochet magazines, I can assure you that editors reject projects for many reasons that have nothing at all to do with the merits of your project. Why? There are several reasons. Editors usually work with themes. If you do your homework to find out what the editor's needs are for a book or an issue of a magazine, you've got a better chance of having your work accepted. There are also times when an editor may have already purchased a design that is similar to the one you just submitted so they have no need for another design of the same type. And sometimes, no matter how much an editor likes a project and wants to purchase it, there just isn’t room to get it into the publication.

To improve your chances for placement:

1. Consult the editorial calendar for a publication, and submit what the editor asks for. Follow the submission process exactly. If there is something about the process you do not understand, ask.

2. Be considerate of the people you are submitting to. Make sure your designs are neat, clean and free of contaminants (pet hair, cigarette smoke, etc.) Keep in mind that some of the people who will handle your work may be allergic to some or all of these things. (I know someone who is, and she suffers a great deal when people ignore this simple request.)

3. ALWAYS include a check for return postage when mailing a submission. If you don’t, your submission may not be returned to you.

The Pros & Cons of Designing

Like most other jobs, designing has both positive and negative aspects. Following are some things to consider if you're thinking of entering the world of crochet design.

Learning To Run A Business
If you don't already know how to run a business, you will need to learn. I won't go into it here because there are already a lot of books on the market that can explain the basics. But be aware that you will have to comply with federal, state and local laws. Be sure to check with the appropriate government agencies to see what you need to do to meet the requirements. If you don't know what questions to ask, ask the agencies to tell you what you need to do. A little research now can save you a lot of grief later.

Setting Your Own Schedule
Being your own boss means that you can set your own schedule, taking into consideration your needs and your family's. It is also one of the main reasons I became a designer. As a young mother, I wanted to contribute to the family income while being able to stay at home with my children. There is a lot to be said for being able to arrange your schedule the way that best suits you, but there is a certain amount of responsibility that comes with it, as well.

Earnings
If you're looking for a get-rich-quick job, this isn't it. What you earn is directly tied to the quality and volume of your work and how your designs fit into the needs of your editors. The more you are in tune with your editors, the more you will publish and the more you will earn. Do your homework and find out what the editors need, then do your best to fulfill them.

Flexibility
One great thing about having a job doing what you love to do is being able to express yourself through your work. However, if you wish to publish consistently, you will need to remain flexible and make compromises with your editors. Remember that they always have the last word in accepting–or rejecting!–your work. While your design may be lovely just as you designed it, the editor has the job of making it fit into his or her publication which generally revolves around a theme. If you are not willing to make the changes your editor asks, you may find that he or she has to move on to another designer. Don’t make the mistake of getting so emotionally attached to your designs that you can’t let go of them in order to do as the editor asks or to move on to the next design.

Erratic Pay Checks
Most likely, you won't be under contract to a publisher so you will be paid by the project rather than drawing a regular pay check.

Publishers in general have different points at which they issue checks. Some pay on acceptance, some on publication and others at certain points during the publication process. Keeping as many projects in submission as possible at any given time will help increase your chances for sales and minimize the gaps between checks.

Deadlines
Meeting your deadlines is one of the single, most important responsibilities you will have as a designer. Your editor will assign a deadline for you and if you don't meet it, you place the editor in an uncomfortable position. He or she must fill the space your design was assigned to, and if you don't meet the deadline, the editor has to make a last-minute scramble to find something to fill the space, which is often difficult to do. It may also make your editor think twice about contacting you to work up further designs.

Balance
Learn to balance your work with a healthy dose of play. It is harder to leave your job at the office when your office happens to be in your home. But, not allowing job responsibilities to overlap into family time will help you to be more relaxed and focused during normal working hours.

The First Steps: Getting Started in Crochet Design

People often ask me how I got started in the design business. Although it seems simple to me now, I was overwhelmed at the process in the beginning. There was little information available then, so I began studying the publications I wanted to design for hoping it would give me some insight into how I should proceed.

Today, this is still where I recommend that you start. Every designer's path to success is a little different, but if you have a talent for designing, are able to write clear instructions and have a good understanding of the publication you want to write for, you are well-equipped to begin the submission process.

Target the publication(s) you want to design for. Then, request an editorial calendar and designer guidelines. Study them thoroughly, and be sure to follow the instructions carefully when submitting your designs. Sometimes you can find editorial calendars and/or designer guidelines on the publisher's Web site. If not, ask that they be sent to you. You can usually find the contact information on the Web site or in the publication.

Obtain issues of the target publication. Study the writing style, and do your best to use the same terms and writing style in your own instructions. Also, pay attention to what types of designs the publication contains. Although it's fruitless to submit duplicates, or even near-duplicates, of projects the publication has already printed, get a feel for the type of designs the editor is looking for. Then, come up with your own unique design that fits into the general theme of that publication.

Never submit the same design to more than one editor at a time. Although this is allowed in some writing fields, most crochet editors I know will reject a design if they know that it is in submission to another editor, even if both editors work for the same company. While this may seem harsh, it’s crucial that the editor is able to depend on the availability of a design once it has been selected.

I’ll cover more in future blog entries, but this will give you a place to start.

A Career in Crochet Design: Is It For You?

If you love to crochet and you’re looking for a job that will allow you to work from home, becoming a crochet designer may be the answer you are looking for—or is it?

There are a variety of things that you’ll need to consider. As an experienced crochet designer and editor with more than 20 years of continuous involvement in the craft publishing industry, I’d like to share with you how the process works.

For that purpose, I am launching a series of short articles outlining my experience in the industry. As in any job, there are pros and cons to weigh, rules to follow, and a lot of hard work. But understand this—if you are dedicated to earning the title of crochet designer and willing to do what is required of you to get there, you, too, can attain success!