Get your designs in PRINT

Do you dream of seeing your crochet patterns in a book or magazine? Top designers and the Simply Crochet team share how you can make it happen

- Lindsay Weston

You’re a skilled crocheter. You love designing, writing and taking photos of your own patterns, and you’ve built up a healthy social media following. The next logical step is getting your work in print. But where do you start? Read on – your future as a published designer awaits!

ONLINE VS PRINT

The difference between self-publishing online and appearing in print is vast. Magazines and publishing houses put considerable resources into styling, photography and thorough technical checks so designs look fantastic in print and arrive error-free to their customers. You also benefit from their social media, as readers who you may not otherwise reach will see your work.

DESIGNING FOR MAGAZINES

Each magazine will have its own processes but most have a call for submissions – a twice-yearly document that is sent to a select group of designers and contributors for the spring/ summer and autumn/winter seasons. It features visual trend boards for forthcoming themes which designers use as a starting point for their magazine submissions.

Simply Crochet’s editor, Sara Huntington, says commissioning editors are looking for a clear, thought-out vision for a design in the form of sketches, swatches and mood images or a chosen trend. She says a common mistake made by designers at this point is giving too much information or not enough. “The commissioning editor does not require a finished item or too many technical details at this point; however, they will need more than a rough sketch and a few notes in the margin.”

UP YOUR GAME