There's a lot of vulnerability for designers in launching a new pattern. How will makers respond to your creativity? Will they want to make your design? Will all your hours of work be rewarded by positive energy and income?
With all that anxiety, it's no wonder that I have felt sheer joy hearing from makers about the Wanderer pattern. I'm delighted that my sister-in-law Linda wanted to jump in and make it, not at all deterred by common knitter worries: working with smaller needles, being a new knitter working with cashmere, learning to read a pattern and chart, taking the time to swatch to learn the stitches, become familiar with the yarn, and get gauge. It's all the things I hope a new knitter will tackle and knowing that my pattern inspired Linda, I'm over the moon. (See blog post on the start of Linda's journey in making Wanderer.)
I'm thrilled, too, to have heard from my friend Stephanie that the pattern inspired her own creativity. Her eye landed on the zig zag lace pattern and immediately she featured it in three scarves that she's already knit up as gifts. She also integrated the motif into a cowl she's designed for herself. I mean the pattern just launched early July! Stephanie is now on to the wrap itself, making it in our Silver Fox color. In one of her emails Stephanie told me, I love this pattern, and how pretty it is...your hard work has really given me something wonderful to use over and over!
As Stephanie corresponded with me, I could feel the joy and energy radiating from her words. She made my week by choosing to share her work with me.
So all that vulnerability in sharing one's creative work? It's validated when I hear from this beautiful community of makers. To know that Linda is using Wanderer to grow in her new craft is empowering - to her and to others. To see that Stephanie was moved to re-envision the pattern as gifts for others is exciting. Both makers teach us the value of simply trying, doing, allowing ourselves to create. They show us the futility of thoughts like 'I can't knit on small needles' or 'My skills aren't good enough for cashmere' or 'I don't dare turn Wanderer into a scarf' or for me, 'Do I dare make myself vulnerable in sharing my designs?' To heck with those fears. Just do the thing and find growth and joy.
So to Linda and Stephanie, thank you for sharing your stories with me and allowing me to share them with others. Thank you to all in this community who share your feedback with me, not just about patterns, but about the yarn and how much you love to work with it and wear your finished garments, or about how meaningful it is to support our work in Kyrgyzstan. You are the inspiration that keeps me going!
And thanks to Stephanie, I believe there just might be a scarf version of Wanderer launching soon.:)
Until next time, find joy in knitting with our yarn. --Amy
p.s.
Make the Wanderer! Get your kit here: Wanderer Kit
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