With Vogue knitting, Knitters and other magazines going out of business, how is the market evolving. It is a very strange and difficult time for publishing.
Love the pullover. Thank you for sharing great information about how submissions work. I've never tried to negotiate terms so far. Obviously each collaboration works differently and sometimes I have had to play by the ear to make decisions that are new for me. For e.g. recently I was asked if I would sell a sample. It would be great to have some kind of forum to discuss standard industry practices.
You're so welcome. I don't know that there are any "standard industry practices". Editors usually working with a budget for the collection. I obviously have more leeway to negotiate with editors with whom I have a relationship—they know I'll meet the deadline, and they know I'll turn in a professional pattern, saving them on tech editing costs.
I've usually been happy to sell my samples. Samples are rarely made in a size to fit me. And I don't usually do trunk shows, so I have no need for the sample after the photography is done. As to pricing, I'd start with what would it cost to have a sample knitter make another one? When I've paid sample knitters, the rate has averaged about $.20 per yard of yarn in the finished project. Weigh the sample, calculate the yardage, and price the sample accordingly. It wont be cheap.
Thank you so much Sandi. That's helpful to know! I did more or less the same. It was a sample I was happy to sell. I have sample knitted for a friend long ago, so I went by that too.
I love learning about your experiences as a knitwear designer Sandi. Thank you for sharing this with us. I love City Tweed yarnand your colorblock sweater design is gorgeous. I'm always keen to learn more :)
Indeed I would love to read more about the commission process. Thank you very much for this post. Decades ago I attempted designing patterns, advertising in knitting magazines. I wish I had kept at it. And thanks for the Alice Munro links. I think I’ll get her collection (and I love Bookshop 🙂).
Thanks for speaking up! And let me know if you'd like more info on resources for new designers. If there is enough interest, it might be worth scheduling a separate chat session on the topic.
With Vogue knitting, Knitters and other magazines going out of business, how is the market evolving. It is a very strange and difficult time for publishing.
So true. It seems fewer and fewer people want to pay for print magazines these days. And the cost to produce anything in print keep rising.
Love the pullover. Thank you for sharing great information about how submissions work. I've never tried to negotiate terms so far. Obviously each collaboration works differently and sometimes I have had to play by the ear to make decisions that are new for me. For e.g. recently I was asked if I would sell a sample. It would be great to have some kind of forum to discuss standard industry practices.
You're so welcome. I don't know that there are any "standard industry practices". Editors usually working with a budget for the collection. I obviously have more leeway to negotiate with editors with whom I have a relationship—they know I'll meet the deadline, and they know I'll turn in a professional pattern, saving them on tech editing costs.
I've usually been happy to sell my samples. Samples are rarely made in a size to fit me. And I don't usually do trunk shows, so I have no need for the sample after the photography is done. As to pricing, I'd start with what would it cost to have a sample knitter make another one? When I've paid sample knitters, the rate has averaged about $.20 per yard of yarn in the finished project. Weigh the sample, calculate the yardage, and price the sample accordingly. It wont be cheap.
Thank you so much Sandi. That's helpful to know! I did more or less the same. It was a sample I was happy to sell. I have sample knitted for a friend long ago, so I went by that too.
I love learning about your experiences as a knitwear designer Sandi. Thank you for sharing this with us. I love City Tweed yarnand your colorblock sweater design is gorgeous. I'm always keen to learn more :)
City Tweed is lovely, isn't it?
Indeed I would love to read more about the commission process. Thank you very much for this post. Decades ago I attempted designing patterns, advertising in knitting magazines. I wish I had kept at it. And thanks for the Alice Munro links. I think I’ll get her collection (and I love Bookshop 🙂).
The New Yorker posted links to some of her stories from their archives today, so I'm tempted to spend this evening reading Alice.
Sandi, I would be interested in hearing more about the process of submitting designs. Thank you for the information you provided in this post!
My pleasure!
I'd love to hear more about the rest of the process!! And thanks for sharing this! I've been toying with doing my own designs
Thanks for speaking up! And let me know if you'd like more info on resources for new designers. If there is enough interest, it might be worth scheduling a separate chat session on the topic.
I forgot to say that I love the pullover 🙂