#57 - Maaike van Geijn's Rocket Launch: insights from a successful beginning knitwear designer

Pattern Shift

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In this podcast episode upcoming knitwear designer Maaike van Geijn, shares her ideas, processes, hiccups, and successes as a designer like how her first three designs were immediately published by Laine Magazine, Kate Davies and la Bien Aimée. We’re discussing topics such as her daily routine, submitting patterns to magazines, designing for multiple sizes, pattern writing, and the importance of testing. She also talks about the impact of working with a publisher and her plans for the future. The unique perspective of a beginner designer and some valuable insights and advice for anyone interested in pursuing a career in the needle craft industry, an episode jam-packed with answers to questions you’ve had for ages.

FULL SHOWNOTES

https://www.asmallerlife.com/blogs/podcast/57

BEST QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE

"It all starts with yarn for me, the texture and the colours of the yarn. Then I start sketching and trying out ideas. All my designs came from swatching. It's like sketching, a slow process."

• Maaike van Geijn, knitwear designer

" If you have to make only one decision as an upcoming business... collect people that are interested in your work and direct them to a space that is yours, like a website or an email list, you want to connect with them directly. And once you have a new pattern or product, send it to your friends so they can buy it with one click of the button. .”

• Saskia de Feijter, small business mentor

LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Anything that comes up in the conversation, other businesses, blogposts, episodes

Maaike’s three published patterns:

• Kate Davies' project "My Place" - 00:16:09
• Laine’s "52 Weeks of Easy Knits" - 00:17:09
• Neons & Neutrals: A Knitwear Collection Curated by Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée
• Maaike’s designs on Ravelry

This episode was sponsored by Ja, Wol. I promote my own services and products in my podcast rather than working with sponsors. I will share the odd-discount for things I fully support and use.

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챕터

1. Life and work (00:00:00)

2. Preparing for workshops (00:00:00)

3. Introduction Introduction to the podcast and the interviewee, Maaike (00:00:00)

4. About A Smaller Life (00:00:55)

5. Maaike's unique perspective (00:03:11)

6. Explanation of knitting terms (00:05:23)

7. Ideal day (00:07:35)

8. Balancing work and life (00:08:39)

9. Calculating work hours (00:11:45)

10. Perfectionism in work (00:14:22)

11. Designing process (00:15:15)

12. Design Submission Process (00:16:09)

13. Inspiration for design (00:23:48)

14. Design Process (00:25:41)

15. Grading Sizes (00:27:32)

16. Pattern Writing (00:31:57)

17. Test Knitting (00:33:33)

18. Compensation for Test Knitters (00:35:55)

19. Ja, Wol Community for test knitters (00:38:27)

20. Next steps after test knitting (00:41:16)

21. Designing processes (00:41:26)

22. Pricing in the knitting industry (00:43:12)

23. Making a living as a designer (00:44:35)

24. Investing in your knitting business (00:48:16)

25. Maaike's business journey (00:49:15)

26. Building a website and email marketing (00:51:47)

27. Advice for aspiring designers (00:54:32)

28. Conclusion (00:56:19)