Pattern Design Circle Podcast

Are the measures you're taking to be more "productive" actually just causing you more headache and wasting you more time? Or are your productivity habits actually moving you toward your goals?

In a world of hustle culture and a huge emphasis on being efficient and productive, it seems we've sometimes lost sight of what our real goals are and what productivity actually means and looks like.

Insp...

When I approached Kim McBrien Evans of Indigo Dragonfly about being a guest on the Pattern Design Circle Podcast, she said, "Let's talk size inclusivity and what TRUE size inclusivity looks like!"

Kim wears many hats, as a knitwear designer, yarn dyer, teacher, and passionate advocate for inclusive sizing.

She shares, "I believe that size inclusivity and good fit work best as a partnership betw...

I won't lie... I've been dragging my feet about recording (and sharing) this episode. At first, I had a sense of relief having spoken the words into existence... and then all the fears and imposter syndrome came creeping back in again.

Why have I been procrastinating on this episode? Three main things:

• fear of folks thinking I'm a failure
• sadness and guilt that I didn't give the past change enough tim...

Creative entrepreneurs are a special kind of entrepreneur, and as a creative entrepreneur, I say that in the most positive and loving way. Our mission, our fuel, and our inspiration are different than others. We have a passion for creating, and sometimes that can make entrepreneurship difficult. Sometimes we feel like it's a constant pulling between creativity and entrepreneurship. Where's the balance? Is it possible to b...

Rather than asking what Carolyn has done, perhaps we should be asking, "what hasn't she done?!" From pattern designing to teaching classes in the local yarn shop she co-owned to working with creatives on Patreon (and so much more), Carolyn of Coulee Crafts truly has dabbled in so many areas of the fiber arts industry (and beyond)! I believe she truly deserves to be called a multi-passionate creator!

In this...

The Pattern Design Circle Podcast just celebrated its second birthday! I don't know if I'm feeling like “it's already 2 years old?!” or “it's only 2 years old?!”

But I do know that it's definitely something I really love doing, and that I've been continuing to make it more and more a focus in my business. I love how I can show up authentically and talk about business and all the things with you.

Recently, I've been feeling very inspired by listening to content from creatives outside the arts and crafts industries. A couple of weeks ago I watched the Project Iceman documentary produced by Yes Theory!, and I absolutely loved it, and keep mentioning in all sorts of conversations. It's one of those pieces of content that not only resonated with me, but it truly inspired and motivated me as a creative entrepreneur... ...

Something I hear over and over again is, "I didn't get into this because of the business side of things; I got into it because I love knitting!" and I know it's something that most of my audience can relate to. So, chances are pretty high that you don't jump up and down with excitement over "all the legal stuff."

Thankfully, I'm going to introduce you to your new best friend in this ...

It's no secret at all that there can be a lot of "need to," "have to," and "should" ideas that circulate the industry (and our brains) when it comes to running a creative business... and it's not always easy to discern how important those things actually are.

In this podcast episode, we're diving into the topic of industry festivals and events. Is it important to attend these ev...

Maybe your current impression is a bit like mine was, and it feels a bit slimy and annoying. Or, maybe your ready to dive into it and wanting to know all the details. Or, maybe you're not very familiar with affiliate marketing, and you're looking for the basics of what it is, how it works, and how it could fit into your business.

Whichever scenario you find yourself in, this podcast episode is for you. I'm d...

In a world that feels like it's constantly becoming less and less "real," so much of society - and our customers - are craving what's genuine and authentic. But in a world that demands SO MUCH of business owners, how can we possibly do it all?! Showing up online, marketing, creating our products and services, and serving our audience... it can get exhausting wearing all of the metaphorical business hats.

In the previous episode we talked all about who might be watching you, ready to hand you your next great opportunity... but are you ready for it?

In this episode of the Pattern Design Circle, let's chat all about how to be ready so you aren't scrambling to get ready when that opportunity arrives! From your social media to your website, from your patterns to your email funnel, let's talk about what it looks l...

You never know who is watching... and a lot of times this can evoke fear, perhaps even to the point that you choose not to show up. But have you thought of all of the POSITIVE ways people are watching you?

In this episode of the Pattern Design Circle Podcast, we aren't just talking about your ideal customer that's watching you (and falling in love with your work) but also the person who's ready to hand you y...

Accessibility can feel like a huge scope that encompasses so many things... because it does and it is! But in this podcast episode with Renee Van Hoy, Renee breaks down some simple easy-to-implement methods to start making your designs and business more accessible. Not only that, but she provides insight on who this helps, how it helps them, and what a huge difference it makes in their lives and making.

And it impacts ever...

Maybe you're sick and tired of seeing free knitting and crochet patterns everywhere. Or you're trying to figure out why in the world there are so many free patterns out there. Or maybe you're trying to figure out how to utilize free knitting patterns in your business model.

In this podcast episode, we talk all about free crochet and knitting patterns: why (and how) you might choose to incorporate them in you...

We have reached the final of seven episodes in the planning series! However, this one is a little bit different! Rather than talking about planning and goal-setting specifically, we're talking in this episode all about how to make achieving those goals and plans FUN!

Yes, we're talking all about how to make business more fun, even the super boring, frustrating, and overwhelming tasks that you keep avoiding!
<...

Jessica, the knitting pattern designer behind Double the Stitches, started her business as several of us do, with selling hand knit products. However, she was selling knits to photographers for baby photoshoots! In this episode, she shares a few of the challenges with that and how it lead to a pivot designing knitting patterns, leaving her job at a local yarn shop, and diving deep into community building online.

In this ep...

We're a month into the new year. How are your plans going so far? How are you feeling about the next 11 months, or even the rest of the quarter? Whether you feel like you've already fallen off track when it comes to your goals and plans for 2024, or you're worried about it heading that direction, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I talk all about actionable ways to ensure you actually follow through ...

Hortense, the knit and crochet pattern designer behind Knitting with Chopsticks, unexpectedly started her business in 2018, never anticipating it'd become her full-time job. Five years later, designing is her full-time job, plus she hosted her first crochet summit last year, is hosting her first knitting summit February 1-4, 2024, and runs a membership community for knitters and crocheters!

Inside this episode, we ta...