A little more than a day until the Indie Design Gift-A-Long 2017 & why I love it so!

Only a little more than a day until the GAL starts! On November 21 at 8:00 pm, the kick off sale starts! It goes until 11/28 at 12:00 am.

I love participating in the GAL, because it truly changed me in more ways than one.  I participated last year for the first time as a designer and participant.  I met a truly caring community of designers and participants.  There were many firsts for me during last year's GAL.

I had tech issues (well my understanding of the graphics, png's, collages), so my understanding of tech issues required a bit of help, which I received in spades.

I have to admit that I went a little crazy and tried to knit something in every category. I managed to do that, so I tamed my first Opadoo. I knitted my first shawl. I also started thinking that I could do more as a designer.  I discovered an untapped well of longing that I thought had been stamped out several years before by the careless remark of someone who was much higher in the design world than I. 

I won’t call out names or give details, except to say that the thoughtless act crushed the spirit of a very new designer. I crawled back into my safe little niche of knit/felted designs and didn’t venture out again until last year when the caring community of GAL designers drew me out.  I discovered that I still wanted to try other types of designing and needed to expand my skills in many ways. 

I started taking every challenge that came up from Conquering Cables, SoleneKnits 5 Day Headband Challenge to ArohaKnits 5 Shawls 5 Days, Colorwork Catalyst and Initiate Knit Design Challenges. 

I blogged about all these challenges (which you can see here in this blog if you like) and then I jumped in feet first into Swatch Studio Design Course with Francoise Danoy and then FiberBoss College with Chelsea Fitch to learn about the business end of the design world. 

5 Shawls 5 Days Challenge

5 Day Headband Challenge

I previously had worked full-time and released patterns now and again as I had time.  I mostly sold copies to my local yarn shop, but them a couple of years ago put them on Ravelry.  I sold some now and then, but never owed Ravelry.  After the 2016 GAL was the first time I ever had to pay Ravelry, but I didn’t mind because it meant that people bought my patterns in enough numbers to make that happen.

During this time, I also discovered about tech editors and test knitters. I had always test knitted my own patterns more than once and had no idea what a tech editor was.  I am hoping to have all my old patterns tech edited eventually as I can afford it, but I have a lot of rewriting to do before that happens. I have also learned more about pattern writing, photography, charting and all the other things that go into writing patterns. 

I am hoping to continue expanding my design portfolio with more non-felted patterns. I have recently released my first two non-felted patterns, which are offered in my sale bundle for GAL 2017. I released my shawl pattern, Infinite Surf in October and Stella Eve's Snoozle, a baby blanket pattern last week.
 

Infinite Surf

Stella Eve's Snoozle

I also recently participated in a knitting cruise sponsored by my local yarn shop, the Knit and Stitch boutique and Cascade Yarns. We were fortunate enough to have StevenBe on board as one of our “star” instructors.

He is a very genuine and exceedingly positive person.  I told him I appreciated his kindness toward a fledgling designer and briefly told him about the experience that had stunted my growth as a designer (still no names mentioned). He put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me in for a half hug. He kissed my forehead and said that the aforementioned crusher of dreams didn’t know what they were talking about.

That night at the StevenBe Style Show on board, as I was carrying out my social media duties, he called me out from behind my camera and introduced me as an up and coming fledgling designer. You could have knocked me over with a feather at that point. He didn’t have to do it, but he did. It was so amazing and felt so good to have a designer at his level take the time to undo some of the damage done so long ago.  I’m getting misty just thinking about it, because it was monumental for me.  It gave me a much needed boost in confidence.

StevenBe and I at his Style Show on the cruise.

So I love the GAL, because it was the catalyst to me coming out of my safe little niche of knit/felted design into the wider design world.  It was the cooperative spirit that nudged me into trying new things and trusting a new group of designers.  This cooperative spirit makes me think of a saying from Chelsea Fitch of FiberBoss College, “A rising tide lifts all boats!” which remind me there is room enough for all in this world of Ravlery and knit design.

So, I’ll see you at that party known as Indie Design Gift-A-Long 2017! Be there or be square and see you on the flip side!