Welcome to part two of my series on how to submit your knitting or crochet designs to a publication! Today we'll consider the actual proposal. If you missed part one of this series, you can catch it here.

What your design proposal should contain varies depending on what publication you're submitting it to. Some publications ask for the entire pattern and finished sample or photos, while most just want an idea of your design (presented through a sketch, swatch, and descriptions). Knitty has a detailed submission guide discussing everything they'd like you to include in your proposals, and Interweave recently released a template to fill out that shows everything they want to see in a knitting submission (click here, scroll down to the bottom of "Useful Documents"). These resources are worth taking a look at no matter what magazine you're submitting to (note that Knitty asks for the entire pattern up front, whereas Interweave just wants an idea of your design).

But if your chosen publication doesn't have such detailed submission information, it might be helpful to take a look at one of my accepted design proposals and see what I think are important elements to include. See those red numbers? I'll be talking about those in a bit more detail below.

1. Title (I like to include my logo here too, though that certainly isn't necessary). Naming patterns is an art in itself, and I won't go into that here, but be aware that if accepted the name of your design might be changed.

2. Sketch! This doesn't have to be a work of art, but should convey the overall look and fit of the piece. 

3. Swatch. This should feature the stitch pattern(s) of the final piece and any other details such as a unique edging, embroidery, etc, using a yarn similar to that you envision the the sample worked up in.

4. Description. I don't always even put this in, but it can be nice to talk a little bit about the inspiration for the piece, what makes in unique, why knitters would want to make it, and/or how it fits into the magazine's themes.

5. Yarn info. List what yarn you used in the swatch and what characteristics and fibers would work best in this piece (does it need elasticity, such as from wool? would it work best in a solid, semi-solid or variegated colorway? what weight should it be? etc.). If the publication provides yarn support give a few ideas of specific yarns that would fit the bill. It's also good to keep in mind what types of yarns the publication generally uses; inexpensive yarns, luxury yarns, yarns available in a different country, etc.

6. Here I include a list of notions required for the piece, as well as the needles I used in the swatch.

7. Construction details! Tell them how it's made. Is it worked top-down or bottom up? In the round or flat? In pieces or seamlessly? Don't be afraid to go into detail here. I find it helpful to make a bullet-pointed list.

8. What size(s) is it going to be? And if it's a wearable item, it would be a good idea to point out what size person it would fit (for example women's medium).

9. If you haven't worked with this publication before, it's nice to write a little bit about yourself, particularly in regards to knitting experience. Things like, how long you've been knitting, if you have a blog, previous design work, or if you have expertise in a specific knitting technique.

10. And finally, your contact information. This is very important. Include your phone number, mailing address, and email at a minimum.

If you'd like to see a few more examples of other designer's accepted proposals, check out this Ravelry thread.

And that's it! I hope you found these posts on how to submit your knitting or crochet designs to a magazine helpful. If you have any questions do let me know!

P.S. If you're wondering what the design is that you see in the above submission, check out the patterns page! :)

Hey all! Today we're talking about how to submit your own knitting or crochet design to a publication. Actually, this is the first post of two on the subject; here I'll share tips on how to find and choose publications to submit to, and next time I'll talk about the actual submission. 

The first step to seeing your designs in print is to find is a call for submissions, in which the editor will tell you what kinds of designs they're looking for (and how and when to send in your ideas). Here are some links to where submission calls are posted:

Interweave: knitting magazine calls, crochet magazine calls, and spinning magazine calls.
Knitty: submission guide.
Twist Collective: submission information.
Knotions: submission guide.
Knit Picks: IDP and submission calls.
​PomPom Quarterly: submission information.
Holla Knits: submission calls.
Knittin' Little: submission calls.
And the best one-stop-shop of submission calls, the Designers group on Ravelry. Various magazines, yarn companies and such post here regularly, and sometimes unique one-time calls pop up as well.

While this is by no means a complete list, it's enough to see that there are a lot of options! How are you ever supposed to choose where to submit your designs? Short answer: choose a publication that wants what you do best. Some publications focus on fashionable clothes, some on accessories, some on kids items, and others publish a wide variety of patterns. So read the submission calls thoroughly, and do a little research (looking at the magazine's website, or checking out the patterns published in previous issues on Ravelry) to see if the magazine's aesthetic fits with your designs.

On the other hand, maybe you know what publication you want to design for but you aren't sure what to design. My advice is to only submit ideas you are confident you can pull off. Never knit a sock before? Don't submit a sock idea. Uncomfortable with grading? Go for a pattern that's only one size. Be sure to propose something for which you are familiar with the stitches, fit and construction. Even better, make a full-sized sample beforehand to accustom yourself to the design and pin-point any problem areas. It is worth taking the extra time to flesh out your idea beforehand to help prevent mishaps if it is accepted.

So, prospective designers: check out some of the links above, find a publication you'd like to design for, and start thinking of pattern ideas. Then meet me back here next week, where I'll give some advice on the actual proposal.

After taking the time and effort to knit a special project, it only seems fitting to wear it a special way, too. I thought it would be fun to take a knitted scarf and show some of the beautiful and interesting ways it can be worn. In this post, I've used my Bubblegum Scarf, but the techniques shown here can be modified for any scarf. I hope they inspire you to experiment the next time you put on a handmade accessory!

Just fold your scarf in half, wrap it around your neck, and pull the ends through the loop created by the fold. One of the great things about this method is that, because the scarf is folded in half, it's twice as warm!

This method is just like the loop-through, but with a neat crossed bit in front. Fold the scarf in half, wrap it around your neck, pull one end through the loop created by the fold, and push the other end up through the underside of the loop. The ends should cross as shown here.

For this wrap, you'll need a bracelet, preferably an un-clasp-able one. Fold the scarf in half and wrap it around your neck. Holding the folded side together with the ends, wrap the bracelet around the scarf once or twice, and close the bracelet's clasp. I'm rather intrigued by this technique. Depending on the bracelet used, you could completely change the character of your scarf, from dressy to casual.

Just what is sounds like. Wrap the scarf around your neck and tie the ends in a big bow in the front.

Not quite as practical perhaps, but still fun. Wrap the scarf around your head and tie, arranging the ends as desired (here they hang down in front).

I love knitting and crochet magazines. I own a lot (more than eighty, according to my Ravelry library!). After all, most knitting magazines have a lot of 'staying power'; even several years later, many of the designs are still wearable, the articles are still interesting, and the tutorials still helpful. So if you're looking to expand your magazine library, back issues can be a great way to do so while saving money. In this blog post, I'll share five places where I have found good deals on back issue knitting and crochet magazines.

Lots of knitting and crochet magazines are sold on Ebay, both as auctions and 'Buy It Now'. To find magazines, you can use a generic search, such as 'knitting magazines', or a more specific term, such as 'knitscene' :

One of the best ways to get inexpensive magazines on Ebay is by purchasing a lot of several magazines sold together.

Remember, when purchasing items Ebay there is also a shipping cost.

Many yarn stores sell knitting magazines, and if they have back issues they may be on sale. Poke around a little and see if you can find any.

Used book stores are very hit or miss. At my local Half-Price bookstore, when I look through the crafting section of the magazines, I usually don't find any knitting or crochet related ones. However, I have found several in the past at fifty cents apiece, so it's worth looking.

Interweave Press (publisher of magazines such as Interweave Knits, Knitscene, Interweave Crochet, Jane Austen Knits, and Spin-off) has an online store where they frequently have sales. For example, they are currently selling a number of their magazines from 2012 at one dollar each to clear out warehouse space.

Does your local public library subscribe to any knitting or crochet magazines? If so, you may be able to find issues they are retiring at the library book sale. Be warned that while they may be inexpensive, they probably won't be in the best condition!

The Book Destash & ISO Library group on Ravelry is a place where Ravelers can list crafting related media (including magazines) that they are selling or looking to buy. While I have not used this group personally, a quick peek revealed some good deals and new postings appear to be frequent.

I hope you've found my magazine buying tips helpful! If you have any tips of your own to share, feel free to leave a comment.