Sample Knitting
I usually knit a garment sample in my size, then hire a sample knitter to knit additional garment samples in other sizes. This means I can move on to the next design more quickly.
You don’t necessarily need any experience, but you do need to be based in the UK and able to send me an invoice for your work.
I provide the yarn and any consumable notions (e.g. buttons, beads); you will need to provide your own tools (e.g. cable needle, beading needle).
I pay a variable rate per metre knit, depending on the complexity of the item, and reimburse you at cost for the postage to get the sample and any leftover yarn to me. You can also keep the pattern for your own personal use.
When a job is ready I put together a specification document that tells you everything you need to know, including the rate of pay, estimated total, and deadline.
If you’d like me to email you when I have a new sample knitting job available, please fill in this form.
Collaboration
If you are a yarn dyer or yarn shop owner and have a new product to promote, collaborating on a design can be a great way to show off its full potential and expand your potential customer reach.
If you’d like to discuss this possibility, please send me an email letting me know the following:
- The product you want to promote (yarn weight, base, colour, qualities you want to highlight)
- Your timescales (when are you hoping to launch?)
- Any thoughts you have on the design (for example, if you particularly wanted a shawl, or wanted something with lace)
If I’m able to meet your needs, I’ll get back to you with one or more suggestions, and we can go from there. (If not, I’ll still get back to you!)
Usually the dyer or shop would provide me with enough yarn for a swatch and sample (in my size), and I provide one or more copies of the pattern (one for the dyer / shop to keep and additional copies to give away as part of launch promotions).
I’ll include you in my launch marketing, tagging you in my posts and sharing yours. You’ll be mentioned with a link in my newsletter announcing both the test knit and the pattern launch, and I’ll include your details on a “Special Thanks” page within the pattern itself. And of course if we cross paths in person we can compare samples and take some wonderful pictures!
Advocacy
I’ve previously spoken about the importance of both size and shape inclusivity in knitwear design. You can see some of those on my Appearances page.
I’ve also written on the subject, both on my blog and for others, such as The Scottish Yarn Festival.
If you’d like to work with me from a fat acceptance perspective, please send me an email to let me know what you have in mind!