How to Get Involved in the Hand Knitting Industry: Part II
Earlier this week I posted the first part of this article on ways to get involved in the hand knitting industry, covering test knitting, sample knitting, tech editing and yarn support. Today's post will touch on a few more ways to share your talents and support the hand knitting industry.
Photography
Good photos are key to selling products--whether it's yarn, patterns or handknits. In a perfect world, we could all afford to hire professional photographers with years of experience, but in the real world, that's not always in the budget. Still, many hobby or budding photographers have the talent to produce beautiful photographs, if not the years of experience or professional credentials. If you're skilled with a camera and/or know your way around photo editing software, you might consider offering your skills to a local designer or dyer--and as a knitter, you have the advantage of knowing what other knitters like to see in terms of yarn or knitwear! Compensation in this area will vary quite a bit, so be prepared to negotiate. Try chatting with the members of Ravelry's Professional Photographers group to get a feel for the industry.
Web and Graphic Design
It seems impossible to have a thriving business these days without a web presence. And a cute logo doesn't hurt! If you have experience with web and/or graphic design, you might consider advertising these services to indie designers, dyers and others in the hand knitting industry. In my experience, the most popular services include logo design, web design, and pattern template layout and design. Try sharing your business in the Indie Pattern Designers' Resource group over on Ravelry. (Just, please, no more yarn ball logos.)
Modeling
It's not necessary to look like Heidi Klum to be a knitwear model. You'll see a variety of ages, shapes and sizes in knitting patterns--all well-groomed, of course. It's true that sample sizes for garments are usually small (time is at a premium and it simply takes less time to knit a smaller sweater!), but socks, mittens and shawls tend to be less restrictive in this regard. In addition, some designers enjoy creating children's patterns, but don't have appropriately-sized children to model them--so if you have a cute little booger who looks adorable in a sweater, s/he might finally be able to earn his/her keep! This is another area where working locally is probably going to make the most sense, so look for designers in your area.
Business Services
Like any business, designers, dyers, Etsy sellers and others in the hand knitting industry need business services from time to time--business cards, printing services, marketing assistance, tax prep, and so on. If these are your specialty, don't hesitate to let people know! Check out the Indie Designers' Resource group and keep an eye on social media platforms like Twitter, where designers and others in the hand knitting industry often crowd source for information on reliable business services.
Every pattern you download, skein of yarn you buy and needle organizer you splurge on supports this creative industry, but I hope you found this overview of other ways to get involved informative, and maybe inspiring!